FIFA calls on New Zealand fans to fill stadiums

On the eve of the Women's World Cup in Oceania, FIFA is encouraging spectators from New Zealand to purchase tickets to the tournament.

Record number of tickets but concerns over sales in New Zealand: 1.375 million tickets sold for the Women's World Cup, staged in Oceania, was greeted by the FIFA president on Wednesday, as he issued a plea to New Zealanders to “seize the moment”. “It's not too late, we need you, come and watch the matches,” Gianni Infantino told New Zealand reporters in Auckland during the World Cup launch press conference (July 20-August 20).

Fatma Samoura, Secretary-General of the International Federation, said: “We still have tickets available for most matches, but do not wait until the last minute.” The World Cup begins on Thursday with the match between New Zealand and Norway in Auckland, the same day that Australia will play against Ireland in Sydney in front of a packed crowd, in front of 80,000 spectators.

“A must-seize moment for football fans.”

On the other hand, the Ferns' opening match against Norway at Eden Park in Auckland is not yet sold out. Tickets were still available on Wednesday for this match. New Zealand will host 29 matches in total, including all of the group stage matches for the United States, the two-time defending champions. But in recent days, Jane Patterson, New Zealand's head of World Cup operations, said the total number of tickets sold for matches in the country was just over 320,000, less than a quarter of the total announced by FIFA on Wednesday.

“We know New Zealanders are buying tickets late,” Fatma Samoura commented. “The only message I want to send here is to seize this moment, and be proud of what I have been able to achieve here, in New Zealand, and in Australia,” Infantino told reporters. Fatima Samoura continued: “This is a moment that must be seized for all football fans in New Zealand. It is already the most followed women's sporting event.”

“They'll think it's great.”

He added, “But I want to tell the New Zealand fans that the spectacle they will see, and not just their national team, will be unique. When they go to watch a match for the first time, they will see that it is amazing.” Gianni Infantino. Jitka, coach of the New Zealand national team from the Czech Republic, said in a press conference before the match against Norway: “This is an opportunity for this country not only to be a rugby country, but to revive its love for football again.”

For her part, Captain Ali Riley stressed that the World Cup is “an opportunity for sports culture to inspire young people.” In his opening press conference for the Women's World Cup, the FIFA leader was more measured than he was eight months ago in Qatar in December during the men's event. “Today, I feel like a Qatari, an Arab, an African, a homosexual, a homosexual, a disabled person, a migrant worker,” he said in Doha in a widely commented speech. In Auckland, he simply said: “I'm tired because I've just been relegated, but I'm very happy.”