Football NSW welcomes FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 Match Schedule

The FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023^TM is under 600 days away and the much-anticipated match schedule for the ninth edition of the tournament has now been confirmed.

FIFA today announced the 64-fixture match schedule which will feature 32-teams for the first time in the tournament jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

Football Australia is pleased to have secured 35 of the 64 matches in Australia, including 11 of 16 knock-out stage matches.

The matches scheduled for Australia will comprise of 24 Group Stage matches, six Round of 16 matches, two Quarter Final matches, one Semi Final match, one Third Place Play-Off match and the Final to be played at Stadium Australia in Sydney / Gadigal.

In great news for Australian fans, the Matildas will play all matches in Australia throughout the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 campaign.

The Opening Match and Opening Ceremony for the first-ever co-hosted women’s tournament will take place on 20 July at New Zealand’s Eden Park in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau. Meanwhile, on the same day, the Matildas will kick off their FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 campaign at the brand-new Sydney Football Stadium. Stadium Australia in Sydney/Gadigal has been selected to host the Final a month later, on 20 August.

The tournament will be played in nine Host Cities and ten stadiums in both Australia and New Zealand.

Group A’s Opening Match at Eden Park, Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau will see New Zealand’s Football Ferns take to the pitch, before Australia’s Matildas enter the tournament in Group B at the Sydney Football Stadium.

The Host Nations will split the remaining Group Stage fixtures with New Zealand hosting five further group stage matches in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau, seven in Wellington/Te Whanganui-a-Tara, six in Dunedin/Ōtepoti and five in Hamilton/Kirikiriroa.

Australia will host six Group Stage fixtures at the Sydney Football Stadium, with Perth/Boorloo and Brisbane/Meaanjin both hosting five and a further four each in Melbourne/Naarm and Adelaide/Tarntanya.

The Round-of-16 matches will take place from 5-8 August with Stadium Australia activating to host its first match of the tournament. A further five matches will take place in Australia and the remaining two matches in New Zealand (Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau and Wellington/Te Whanganui-a-Tara).

The Quarter-Finals are split between the two Hosts Nations with matches in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau, Brisbane/Meaanjin, Wellington/Te Whanganui-a-Tara and Stadium Australia in Sydney/Gadigal.

Both Australia and New Zealand will also host one Semi-Final each at Stadium Australia and Eden Park, while the match for third place will occur at Brisbane Stadium, Australia.

Football NSW CEO Stuart Hodge welcomed today’s announcement with Sydney set to host 11 FIFA Women’s World Cup matches.

“Today’s FIFA Women’s 2023 World Cup match schedule announcement is fantastic news for the entire football community in NSW.

“With a total of 11 matches set to be played in Sydney, the match schedule presents a wonderful opportunity for our valued football family to watch not only our very own Matildas play in the opener at the SFS, but to witness some of the best female football nations live.

“We look forward to working closely with the NSW Government and Football Australia in promoting the legacy program to capitalize on the FIFA Women’s 2023 World Cup and the matches played in NSW.”

Football Australia Chief Executive Officer James Johnson was also upbeat about the scheduling that will continue to promote the women’s game to the Australian public and beyond.

“This morning’s release of the Official Match Schedule is another important milestone as we approach the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023.

“We are very pleased with the match schedule from many perspectives.  It has delivered Australia a higher split of matches with 35 of a possible 64 matches being played across the five Australian host cities and includes a Matildas match on the opening day at the new Sydney Football Stadium, and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Final at Stadium Australia.  It also guarantees that the Matildas will play all their matches in Australia, an important factor in the team’s preparation and for our fans.”

Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney, and Minister for Trade and Industry The Hon Stuart Ayres couldn’t wait to see the football action take place in Sydney in 2023.

“NSW has become the home of the Matildas and the chance to start their World Cup campaign in front of more than 40,000 parochial fans at the Sydney Football Stadium will be an experience unlike any other,” Mr Ayres said.

“With a minimum of 10 nations due to play in Sydney, this will be a truly global celebration of sport and I look forward to welcoming international fans to NSW in 2023.

“The fixture announcement is an exciting milestone on the road to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023TM and I am delighted NSW has secured a great schedule of matches throughout the tournament.”

NSW Minister for Sport The Hon Natalie Ward said fans will get the chance to be part of the biggest and best moments of the tournament in Sydney from start to finish.

“The atmosphere across the city is bound to be electric as we host matches from day one of the tournament through to the Final, Mrs Ward said.

“Fans will have the chance to experience the brand new Sydney Football Stadium for blockbuster matches including the Matildas opening match, enjoy a world class FIFA Fan Fest in the heart of the city, and see who is crowned world’s best at the Final at Stadium Australia.”

The pairings and kick-off times for each fixture will be available after the draw, which will be confirmed at a later stage.

Further information on the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023  can be found here.

Australian FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023^TM Match Schedule