Football fans are invited to be part of the biggest ever FIFA Women’s World Cup by joining the celebrations in Sydney from Thursday.
Sydney is hosting 11 tournament games, including the Final, and fans can share in the festival atmosphere and watch every match at the FIFA Fan Festival site in Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour.
The FIFA Fan Festival will be open from 4:00pm on 20 July and will welcome fans for all FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 matches. The public viewing area is free and has capacity for 5000 fans.
The opening match between World Cup Co-Hosts New Zealand against Norway from Auckland will be live streamed at the FIFA Fan Festival.
The FIFA Fan Festival site will show every game for free on large screens, host live music performances, offer street food, and give fans the opportunity to visit Australia’s only FIFA museum and purchase official FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 merchandise.
There will be football games and drills at the playground, including speedometer goals that record how fast you can kick the ball, to accuracy tests, football golf and football snooker.
The next generation of footballers can also test themselves on the pitch, an enclosed footballing facility, with multiple sized goals for cross bar challenges, penalty shootouts, freestyle and skill clinics.
If the FIFA Fan Festival capacity of 5000 visitors is topped there will be capacity for another 5000 fans on the rooftop of the nearby ICC Sydney.
Outside of the main CBD site, there are councils across NSW that will be helping their communities get together to be part of the World Cup buzz from Cowra to Lennox Head and the Inner West of Sydney.
Visit FIFA Fan Festivallaunch for more information about everything taking place.
For more information on public transport options to each match, including trip planning tools, visit Transport NSW’s FIFA WWClaunch website.
Visit NSW Office of Sportlaunch for more information about the live sites.
Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham said:
“Sydney’s FIFA Fan Festival provides a vibrant place for football fans of all ages to celebrate the tournament and watch every game for free live on the big screens.
“The festival is hosting music acts such as Jessica Mauboy, JACOTÉNE and Jack River, putting on street food, and an official FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 merch shop and we can’t wait for fans to share the buzz that is going to be FIFA Women’s World Cup, Sydney.
“We’ve had Sydney WorldPride 2023 and the record-breaking Vivid Sydney 2023, and this fan site is central to our next big event.
“Remember, everyone up and down the state can take part in the live site buzz with dozens of venues getting ready to allow communities to come together to cheer on the Matildas and other teams.”
Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said:
“As the home to the most clubs, with the largest, greatest supporter base, most passionate fans and best football venues, Sydney is the home of football in Australia and the FIFA Fan Festival represents Sydney’s commitment to delivering the ultimate footballing experience for fans and families.
“Fans can participate in onsite activities at the FIFA Fan Festival Playground like shooting past a speedometer, football snooker, a three-hole game of football minigolf as well as penalty practice or a full game on the festival’s pop-up pitch.
“Fans can explore the FIFA Women’s World Cup’s history, its origins and greatest ever players through film, interactive displays and historic artefacts and see the FIFA Women’s World Cup Trophy itself in the Museum’s display room.
“We welcome all the international football fans and players to NSW and the FIFA Fan Festival site is here for young and old, visitors and Sydneysiders.”