In yet one more signal of the rising reputation of girls’s sport in Australia, the Matildas’ World Cup opener in opposition to Eire has been moved to Accor Stadium in Sydney.
The sport was initially set to be performed on the recently-renovated Allianz Stadium in Sydney’s Japanese Suburbs, which holds simply over 45,000 spectators.
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Nevertheless, the shift to Accor Stadium, which will likely be generally known as Stadium Australia throughout the match, means as much as 40,000 extra soccer followers will get to soak up the historic event on July 20.
Earlier than at the moment’s announcement, the Homebush venue was set to host solely knockout video games however such was the demand for tickets that FIFA was left with no alternative however to maneuver the sport.
Soccer Australia CEO James Johnson couldn’t disguise his delight on the venue change for the momentous event because it supplies additional proof why the Matildas are “certainly one of Australia’s most beloved sporting groups.”
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“It’s very thrilling information,” Johnson mentioned.
“The transfer from Sydney Soccer Stadium to Stadium Australia is huge for Australian soccer and highlights the boldness which we’ve got within the Matildas to attract an enormous crowd for the primary match of the match in Australia.
“This can be a main worldwide competitors, and it actually locations Australia and New Zealand proper on the coronary heart and the centre of world soccer for a month. As we witnessed in 2022, these competitions transcend sport and actually deliver the Australian group collectively.
“This transfer, which Soccer Australia strongly advocated for, fully aligns with our positioning of the Matildas as certainly one of our two iconic nationwide groups and certainly one of Australia’s most beloved sporting groups. It should make sure that extra individuals can now be part of the opening match of the CommBank Matildas on the FIFA Ladies’s World Cup.”
The Aussies’ conflict in opposition to Eire is nearly sure to interrupt the attendance file for a Matildas match, which at the moment stands at 36,109.
Tickets to the sport will go on sale on Feburary 24 at 12pm AEDT, with followers who’ve already bought tickets set to be despatched up to date ones with new seating preparations on the bigger venue.