Sydney hosted 603,957 footballing fans at the 11 FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 games played in NSW over the past month – a third of the 1.9 million fans who attended matches during the biggest tournament of its kind to date.
The final was played at Stadium Australia on Sunday night, with the match attracting a sell-out crowd of 75,784 attendees.
Each of the 5 games played at Stadium Australia – including Australia’s opening match versus Republic of Ireland and the semi-final against England – reached the venue’s maximum tournament capacity.
Across the event, the average attendance at Sydney venues was 54,905 fans per match – a tournament high.
The FIFA Fan Festival site in Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour, was also the largest FIFA Fan Festival across the 9 host cities, attracting 250,084 attendees.
The Sydney site was opened for 209 hours and 15 minutes across 25 days for fans to enjoy every match live streamed, along with delicious food and free, live entertainment. This included performances from Jessica Mauboy, Jack River, Jacoténe, Tones and I, BIA, Diarra Sylla, Mia Wray, Steph String and Nina Las Vegas.
FIFA has reported 777,000 fans attended FIFA Fan Festival sites across the 9 host cities in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
The NSW Government supported additional public viewing events as interest in the tournament reached unprecedented levels, opening Sydney Football Stadium, Western Sydney Stadium and the Sydney Cricket Ground to the public for free match viewing on venue big screens.
Sydney Olympic Park was also a hub for the knockout rounds of the tournament with additional screens and entertainment in the precinct throughout the final weeks.
Other public viewing sites across Greater Sydney and regional NSW hosted thousands of fans over the month.
According to financial infrastructure platform Airwallex, the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 has seen a $2.98 billion rise in travel and retail spending in NSW directly linked to the event, by comparing consumer spending in specific months to the average for that year.
FIFA has reported that US$570 million in revenue was generated throughout the tournament, allowing the event to break even for the first time.
The NSW Government has also committed to commissioning a giant mural at Stadium Australia to celebrate the Matildas’ historic success at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.
The permanent mural will capture some of the Matildas’ greatest moments during the tournament at the scene of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 final.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said:
“NSW has a lot to be proud of in delivering a world class event.
“The Matildas’ campaign captured the imagination of NSW, Australia, and the footballing world.
“This was a once-in-a-generation moment in Australian sport.”
Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham said:
“On every level, the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 has exceeded our hopes and showcased Sydney to the world.
“This is one of the biggest events in Australia since the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and was a record-breaking World Cup that will be remembered for generations to come.
“The tournament has brought together a diverse range of visitors and Sydneysiders breaking all attendance records and creating a vibrant, engaging atmosphere enjoyed by all.
“Our stadium crowds averaged 97% capacity across the 11 Sydney matches, showing unprecedented support for women’s sport and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.
“There was a community feel across the tournament as people were out and about across Sydney, across NSW, supporting women’s football and their chosen country.”
Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said:
“This tournament has been a defining global moment for women’s sports and for Sydney – a city that is rightly earning its place as the major events capital of the Asia Pacific by breaking records and offering memorable experiences for visitors and locals alike.
“We have seen an unprecedented amount of support for our Matildas – they have truly captured the hearts of the nation.
“Their heroic performances have seen stadiums and fan sites full, and television records broken.”
Minister for Women Jodie Harrison said:
“The Matildas have made history not just for women’s sport but have etched an indelible new milestone into the Australian history books.
“This team of mothers, daughters and sisters have been watched by the largest audiences in the history of women’s sport, and they are role models for every woman and girl in Australia and around the world.
“Every achievement on that football pitch helps kick goals for women and girls in sport for the long term.”