Ticket sales have surpassed the previous edition: Why is the Women's World Cup so popular?, More than a month before the opening ceremony, the men's football | FIFA | international | tournament | Chinese women's football | team | women's football | women's football World Cup
With just over a month left until the opening, ticket sales have surpassed those of the previous edition
Why is the Women's World Cup so popular?
On July 20th, 2023 Beijing time, the FIFA Women's World Cup will be held in New Zealand and Australia. Recently, FIFA announced that as of the 9th, over 1 million tickets have been sold for this year's Women's World Cup, reaching 1032884, surpassing the total ticket sales of the previous Women's World Cup.
In response, FIFA President Ivantino stated, "Based on the current development trend, this Women's World Cup is expected to become the most watched women's sports event in history." Previously, FIFA predicted that the number of fans at this Women's World Cup would be at least twice that of the French Women's World Cup four years ago, with ticket sales expected to exceed 1.5 million and attracting 2 billion television viewers worldwide.
Why is this Women's World Cup so popular?
Firstly, the overall level of world women's football, especially the technical and tactical strength of European and American teams, has greatly improved in recent years, and the viewing value of women's football matches has gradually been recognized by fans. Specifically, in recent years, many countries and regions have continuously increased their investment in women's football, and many teams have developed their own styles and tactics, which is most evident in European women's football teams.
Chinese women's football coach Shui Qingxia previously stated in an interview that the five major European men's football leagues have numerous top athletes, coaches, and other professional talents, which is bound to promote the development of women's football. "Driven by the men's professional league system, female football players from the same club can share the same level of stadium facilities, training conditions, and tactical concepts as the men's team, thereby further promoting their own development."
One example is that in recent years, with the feedback from the Spanish men's football team, the level of Spanish women's football has gradually improved. Last March, Barcelona and Real Madrid held their first UEFA Champions League national derby, and the entire Camp Nou stadium attracted up to 91553 spectators, breaking the record for attendance in women's football matches.
Secondly, the increasing popularity of the Women's World Cup is closely related to FIFA's greater emphasis on the development of women's football. It is reported that the total prize money for this year's Women's World Cup reached 152 million US dollars, more than three times that of the 2019 French Women's World Cup.
It is worth mentioning that this year's Women's World Cup will also distribute bonuses to participating players, ranging from 30000 to 270000 US dollars for players who have stopped in the group stage to the champion. In addition, FIFA ensures that participating teams in this year's Women's World Cup enjoy the same conditions and services as the Qatar Men's World Cup in terms of accommodation standards, team campsites, and facilities.
With the development of online live streaming and social media, more and more fans are paying attention to women's football. The Women's Football World Cup has become an opportunity for more women to pay attention to and participate in football. "I only started paying attention to women's football in the last Women's World Cup. During the 2022 Spring Festival, the Chinese women's football team won the Asian Cup after falling behind by two goals. I became a fan of the Chinese women's football team and I am looking forward to their performance in this World Cup," Yao Wei, a female fan in Beijing, told reporters.
In addition, in recent years, the sports industry has continuously promoted gender equality, and the host country has been following the example of men's football in the construction and organization of venues for the Women's World Cup, which is also one of the factors contributing to the increasing popularity of women's football events. The Women's World Cup, which will be expanded to 32 teams, will be held in 9 stadiums in 8 cities in Australia and New Zealand, with an average capacity of 44000 people, which is very close to the size of the Men's World Cup.
The Women's World Cup has received unprecedented attention and undoubtedly has a promoting effect on the development of Chinese women's football. Industry insiders believe that we should learn from the experience of strong European teams, continuously improve the level of domestic leagues, increase the commercial value and social influence of women's football events, and effectively promote the development of Chinese women's football.