The 2023 Women’s World Cup is breaking attendance records.
FIFA officials say the tournament has already sold more than 1.5 million tickets in just six days, breaking attendance records. The opening day alone saw more than 117,000 fans pack the stadiums in Auckland, New Zealand, and Sydney, Australia.
“I would really like to express a huge thank you to New Zealand and to Australia for hosting us here,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino in a statement. “We often say that football unites the world. New Zealand and Australia are uniting the world Down Under.”
The 2023 Women’s World Cup is currently on track to be the best attended in the competition’s history. FIFA had initially set a goal of 1.5 million tickets for the entire tournament.
The previous record for Women’s World Cup attendance was 1.35 million, set in 2015. While that record has already fallen, it could be ground to dust by the time this year’s tournament ends on Aug. 20.
The global reach of this year’s game is extended as well. The games are being shown in 200 territories through 130 broadcasters and FIFA estimates the tournament will reach 2 billion viewers.
The U.S. Women’s National Team is still heavily favored to win the 2023 Women’s World Cup, but the Netherlands forced a tie in Wednesday’s match between the two, raising some fans’ hopes that this year could see a Cinderella story.
This is the first time the Women’s World Cup has taken place in two countries. A total of 10 venues will see matches take place, with six in Australia and four in New Zealand. The final game will take place at Sydney Olympic Stadium in Australia.