FIFA President Gianni Infantino made a public appeal to New Zealanders, urging them to purchase tickets for the Women’s World Cup, following the exhaustion of complimentary tickets from partner Xero amidst sluggish sales.
Infantino emphasized the importance of audience participation at a press conference in Auckland, saying, “New Zealand, we want you. We need you… It’s never too late to do the right thing. Come to watch the matches. We need full stadiums to warm us all up.” The slow sales in New Zealand contrast sharply with co-host Australia, where the majority of tickets have been sold.
It was reported that 20,000 complimentary tickets, supplied by New Zealand accounting software firm Xero, were given out due to the sluggish sales. A Xero spokesperson confirmed that their supply of free tickets had been fully utilized, with no further giveaways planned.
FIFA secretary general for New Zealand, Fatma Samoura, also encouraged fans not to delay purchasing tickets. She noted, “We still have tickets available for some matches, so my only plea is don’t wait until the last moment.” Samoura remains hopeful that the tournament will achieve record attendance figures.
The financial strain on FIFA is partly due to the guaranteed minimum payment of $30,000 to each participating player – a first for the Women’s World Cup. This is part of a record $110 million FIFA has committed to players, and $152 million given to players, clubs, and federations.
Addressing skepticism about the quality of women’s soccer, Infantino assured fans that the women’s game is just as entertaining as men’s. He praised the progress of women’s soccer over the past decade and emphasized that fans would be witnessing top-tier athletes in action.
Despite the ticketing challenges, New Zealand’s team celebrated a milestone with their first Women’s World Cup victory in the tournament’s opening match against Norway.
