Fifa Women’s World Cup: Seven games in Wellington plus trophy tour this weekend

Official mascot Tazuni during the 100 Days to Go event for the Fifa Women's World Cup at Eden Park. Photo / Photosport

Women’s World Cup football fever is about to take hold of much of New Zealand, as the international tournament kicks off on July 20 in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau.

Games are played across Australia and New Zealand. Seven are scheduled in Wellington, including New Zealand v Philipines on Tuesday July 25 from 5.30pm and a repeat of the final of last time, Netherlands against title holders USA on Thursday July 27 from 1pm.

Wellington is putting on a party lining up a few well-known New Zealand musos such as Ladyhawke for a three-week-long celebration on Wellington’s waterfront as the city launches its FIFA Fan Festival™ as part of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™.

FIFA Women's World Cup Trophy.

From 20 July, Wellingtonians can enjoy live music, local food, entertainment, and games, and matches broadcast live at the all-ages event hosted at Shed 6. The festival will close after the quarterfinal match hosted at the Wellington Regional Stadium on Friday, 11 August.

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Todd Barberel, WellingtonNZ general manager for destination, marketing and communications, said Te Whanganui-a-Tara will experience a lineup of New Zealand’s top performers and musicians, including Ladyhawke, Che Fu, Rubi Du, Maisey Rika, and Ria Hall, along with DJs, dance, performances, showcases and an illuminated football rave.

He said the festival’s focus is on celebrating wāhine, with a majority of female-led bands and performers set to entertain the capital.

Capital Football’s 2023 Women in Football Leadership Programme will launch on July 31 at the festival, designed for women currently involved in the administration of the “beautiful game” and who are the city’s emerging sector leaders. Themed immersive light installations will pop up around the city to align with the festival and Wellington matches, along with a variety of illuminated buildings and iconic locations in the city being lit up and local attractions showcasing nods to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ including venue dressing, light projections, and themed experiences.

For more information on the FIFA Fan Festival™ visit www.wellingtonnz.com/visit/events/fifa-fan-festival

FIFA has awarded free-to-air rights to next month’s FIFA Women’s World Cup™ in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand to the Pacific Cooperation Broadcasting Limited (PCBL). The deal means PCBL will distribute the tournament to 24 free-to-air broadcasters in the Pacific islands and will ensure at least one match per day will be available for free in each of the territories: Cook Islands, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Federation States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and American Samoa.

Teams will be visiting a number of cities around the country prior to the World Cup games starting, with the team from Spain going to Palmerston North on July 17 for an official welcome and a training session.

• The World Cup Trophy will be on display from July 13 to 15. On Saturday it will be on the waterfront near Te Papa. There is a free BBQ and an opportunity to be photographed with the trophy from 10am-12pm. From 3pm-4pm that day it will be at the Āuki Tangi Sports Centre in Kilbirnie. On Saturday the trophy will be in Wakefield Park, Island Bay, from 10.30am-2.30pm.