FIFA Women’s World Cup Expected to Break Attendance Record 

FIFA has sold over one million tickets for its upcoming Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. It is on track to be the most-attended WWC ever, surpassing the 2015 tournament’s record set in Canada. 

An Instagram post from FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Thursday said the exact number of tickets sold thus far for this summer’s tournament was 1,032,884. In January, FIFA said it surpassed 500,000 tickets sold. The 2015 Women’s World Cup in Canada had 1.35 million spectators, meaning FIFA expects to sell at least roughly 400,000 more tickets before this year’s World Cup kicks off July 20 through August 3.

The 2023 tournament will be the first Women’s World Cup played in two host nations and the first with 32 teams. The expanded format will span 64 matches, so FIFA’s expected total attendance record comes with this also being the biggest WWC by total games. 

France totaled 1.13 million people with an average of 21,756 fans per game at the 2019 Women’s World Cup, which hosted 24 teams and 52 matches. 

FIFA’s new payment structure will see every women’s World Cup player receive at least $30,000, and winning team players will receive $270,000 apiece.  The upcoming tournament’s $110 million prize pool dramatically increased from the $30 million FIFA paid to women players at the 2019 tournament in France.

However, this summer’s $110 million payout will still be significantly less than the $440 million paid to players in the 2022 men’s World Cup. FIFA intends to reach pay equity by the 2027 Women’s World Cup.