While at the FIFA Women’s Football Convention in Sydney, Australia, on Friday, FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura gave her opening speech by appreciating the tournament’s host nations, New Zealand and Australia, for their impact in uniting the football world.
The 60-year-old Senegalese former diplomat expressed her delight at the turnout the competition has gotten and termed it a “tournament of firsts,” seeing as it is the first-ever Women’s World Cup to be hosted by two nations.
“I will start my address by acknowledging and paying my respect to all the First Nations and Tangata Whenua who are in this room this morning,” she said. “Good morning, kia ora, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa.
“Thank you to both host nations of Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand for having united the world indeed, to all those who have put their efforts – their hearts – into what will go down in the history books of women’s football as the best, the most spectacular, the most colourful, the most inclusive and the best FIFA Women’s World Cup ever. And, I can hear you roar.”
Furthermore, Samoura spoke about the positive change that this tournament will bring in the region and across the world while rolling out the impressive attendance numbers the competition has enjoyed across all ground.
“On the very first day, we set a new attendance record for a football match for both men and women in New Zealand, when the Ferns kicked off the tournament with a 1-0 win over Norway.”
“On the same evening, Australia beat the Republic of Ireland here again 1-0 in front of the biggest ever crowd for the women’s football match in this country,” she added gracefully. “Since then, the records have continued to tumble both for attendance and, as the President said, we will be reaching close to 1.9 million but it will be very nice to have a round figure; he likes round figures of 2 million attendance by the end of this FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“And, for viewing figures, all our expectations have been exceeded. Indeed, this is the first tournament of many firsts. The first FIFA Women’s World Cup with 32 teams, including eight debutantes, four of whom won a match: Morocco, Portugal, Zambia and Philippines. The first time that teams from all six confederations won a match. The first time that three African teams reached the knockout stages, the first time that a team from CONCACAF, aside from the US and Canada, reached the knockout stages. Bravo Jamaica! Bravo the Reggae Girls! ”
She also wished the two finalists, Spain and England, all the luck ahead of the crucial last game of the tournament this Sunday as a new champion will be crowned at the Stadium Australia with either of the two sides set to win their first ever title at the Women’s World Cup.
“Thank you, Mr. President, for your inspiring words. Indeed, FIFA has always left the doors open for women’s football to bring about positive change.”
“And, my message here to all you ladies is: we should just consider the words of the President as words that do not fall on deaf ears. Open the door and if the door is still closed, smash the window.
“In two days, as President Infantino mentioned, we will be celebrating the country that will be lifting this most coveted trophy in women’s sport, and of course, the best of luck to Spain and to England.
“But, whoever wins it, we will have a new name on the trophy, which I’m not authorised to touch. Only one team will, of course, win on Sunday evening, but already with the smiles, the passion and the energy in this room we can all consider ourselves winners of this beautiful trophy here.”
The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 will come to an end on Sunday, August 20, with La Roja and the Lionesses, the last two teams standing from the 32 teams that began the tournament. A new winner of the prestigious tophy will emerge as two teams who are never made it this far will be fighting for the title of “victor”.
YOU CAN WATCH THE FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP FINAL MATCH BETWEEN SPAIN AND ENGLAND LIVE ON AFROSPORT ON FREE TV CHANNEL 730 OR STREAM ON VIDIVU THIS SUNDAY.
