Sam Kerr is the ultimate showstopper, but the absence of Australia’s skipper hasn’t stopped the momentum of 2023’s biggest sporting event.
And on Saturday night that show rolled on in WA with more than 15,000 people cramming into the Perth Rectangular Stadium to watch Denmark take on China in the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Two hours before kick-off, about 200 fans queued outside the ground waving flags and scarves. Among them was China’s former goalkeeper Zhao Lina who’s in Perth for the first time to watch her country play.
“I’m a loyal fan of the team as I’m an ex-player,” Zhao, who’s now a famous TikToker with more than 1.3 million followers, said.
“I’m more nervous for them than I would be playing myself. The competition is very strong.”
Over the next two weeks Perth will host four more games with nine countries visiting our city as each team strives to make it through to the round of 16.
Australia’s next match is in Brisbane on Thursday when they take on Nigeria. Kerr has been ruled out of that game with a calf injury and there are question marks over whether she may also miss the Canada clash in Melbourne four days later. On arrival in Brisbane on Friday, she was asked whether her World Cup was over.
“Definitely not,” the star striker replied.
While Australia won’t cross the Nullarbor for the World Cup, the upcoming games in Perth have triggered massive interest.
“The FIFA Women’s World Cup is bringing even more football fever to our State over the next month, with five matches of the biggest sporting event on the planet being hosted right here in Perth and beamed across the globe to up to two billion people,” Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti said.
In what’s been dubbed a winter sports extravaganza, Perth has just hosted EPL giants Tottenham Hotspur — led by Harry Kane and managed by Australia’s Ange Postecoglou — and West Ham United in exhibition games.
“Events like these are brilliant for bringing our community together,” Ms Saffioti said.
“It was so great to see both EPL clubs engaging with local schools and football clubs to take coaching clinics and give our next generation of stars an experience they will never forget. That’s one of the beauties of sport and these types of events.”
Ms Saffoti said tens of thousands of soccer fans had turned out for the matches.
“Being there on the ground at both EPL games, being part of the atmosphere and seeing more than 70,000 passionate fans in total flocking to Optus Stadium across the two matches was really something special,” she said.
“It’s also been fantastic for tourism in our city, with travellers jetting into Perth from across 24 differentcountries to attend the games and importantly, spend money in our hotels, restaurants, bars and local businesses.”
The next World Cup match in Perth is on Wednesday when Canada play the Republic of Ireland.
Panama then take on Jamaica on Saturday, Haiti clash with Denmark on August 1 and then Morocco play Colombia two days after that on August 3. All games are being played at HBF Park, which is called Perth Rectangular Stadium for the event.