Climate, venues to attract Women’s World Cup team to Townsville
Date published: 7 January 2020
Townsville City Council is pushing to bring a FIFA Women’s World Cup team to our city in 2023.
Football Federation Australia and New Zealand Football have submitted a joint bid to host the first 32-team Women’s World Cup.
Deputy Mayor Les Walker said Townsville had great training facilities and the Queensland Country Bank Stadium would be a great World Cup Game venue.
“The bid for the 2023 FIFA Women’s Cup opens up opportunities for the best venues across Australian and New Zealand,” Cr Walker said.
“Queensland Country Bank Stadium would be among the newest and most advanced stadiums and the Football Federation Australia has listed Townsville as a potential base camp when it put together its bid.”
Cr Walker said a World Cup game would showcase Townsville across the globe.
“Thirty-two countries will compete in the Women’s World Cup in 2023 so football fans across the world would be watching the games live,” Cr Walker said.
“The global reach would be massive – it would be incredibly hard to equal with any advertising campaign.
“It would bring football fans from across the globe to the city so it would be a boost for the local economy.”
Council is working hard to make Townsville a training base for an international team.
“Townsville is a great place for a major international team to acclimatize and prepare for the Women’s World Cup,” Cr Walker said.
“I’m sure local players and coaches would welcome the chance to see an international squad training and hopefully there would be a chance for some training camps while they’re here.
“Council could link them up with the North Queensland Cowboys’ new training centre and we’ll do all we can to make them feel welcome.
“Hopefully some of their fans will also come to the city so see their team practice in person.”
To join more than half a million people showing their support for the bid, register to #GetOnside at https://www.asone2023.com/
