Australia and New Zealand to host FIFA Women's World Cup 2023

Australia and New Zealand on Thursday were selected hosts of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup as the two nations pipped Colombia. Australia and New Zealand’s bid was helped by the withdrawal of rival nations.

Japan, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa had earlier pulled out from their bid to host the tournament in 2023 and Colombia was the only strong bid to have sustained till the final round before being left behind by the joint bid of Australia and New Zealand.

The joint bid submitted by Football Federation Australia and New Zealand Football received 22 of the 35 valid votes cast by the FIFA Council members in the first ballot, with the Colombian Football Association having obtained 13 votes.

The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be the first 32-team women’s World Cup, increasing from 24 nations who competed in the 2021 event in France, won by the United States.

The Australia and New Zealand bid was given the highest score, of 4.1 out of five, in an evaluation by world football's governing body published earlier this month.