The Women’s Soccer World Cup in New Zealand and Australia which is usually held in July and August is one of the most eagerly anticipated sporting events of the year.
The tournament, which runs from 20 July – 20 August, will see matches played in nine host cities, including Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane Auckland, Dunedin, Wellington and Hamilton.
The tournament is shaping up to be the greatest women’s World Cup ever – with more teams than ever before. Thousands of football fans from around the world are expected to travel down under to catch a glimpse of the action!
If you’re planning a trip to Australia and New Zealand this year, it’s important to remember that you will need to organize your visa documents before you travel.
In this guide, we will outline what you need to know before booking your trip to the Women’s World Cup.
Is Ireland taking part in the Women’s World Cup?
Yes, Ireland is taking part in this year’s World Cup after a string of impressive qualifying results in 2022.
What makes the prospect even more exciting, however, is that Ireland face hosts Australia in the first game!
Ireland was drawn into Group B with the home nation and will also play Canada in Perth and Nigeria in Brisbane.
The opening day of the World Cup will see Ireland face off with Australia in Sydney, a potentially tricky tie with the Aussies ranked 13th in the FIFA World Rankings!
If the Girls in Green are lucky enough to reach the final, they’ll be playing in the 83,500-seater stadium of Stadium Australia in Sydney.
Who are favorites to lift the World Cup?
As with any international soccer competition, it would be foolish to rule any team out!
However, of all of the qualified Women’s world cup teams, there are a few favourites to keep an eye out for.
The most obvious choice would be the previous Women’s World Cup winner – the US Women’s National Team, especially following their recent successful CONCACAF Championship.
England’s Lionesses are also on an upward trajectory after lifting the Women’s UEFA Euro 2022 trophy.
Joint hosts Australia will also fancy their chances of going all the way too!
How do I get match tickets to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup?
There is only one authorised sales channel for public tickets, and that is the official FIFA ticketing portal at FIFA.com/tickets.
If you are unlucky enough to not get your hands on tickets, don’t worry, there is still plenty of fun to be had.
The FIFA Fan Festival takes place across the nine Host Cities across Australia and New Zealand which offers fans an area to take in local entertainment, food, drink, culture, games, and much more!
What cities in Australia and New Zealand are hosting the Women’s World Cup 2023?
There are a total of nine different cities hosting the games – five in Australia and four in New Zealand.
In Australia, the five cities are: Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane – with two stadiums having matches in Sydney.
Meanwhile, in New Zealand, matches will take place in Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin, and Hamilton.
All games in group stage for Groups A, C, E, G will take place in New Zealand, while all group stage games for Groups B, D, F, H will take place in Australia.
When is the Women’s World Cup final?
The final of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be held on 20 August 2023.
The match will take place in the 82,000-seater Accor stadium in Sydney.
The stadium is in a great place within the city, and there will sure to be an awesome atmosphere on the day, as well as the days leading up to it!
The stadium is served by the Olympic Park Railway, so it should be easy to access.
How to get to New Zealand and Australia if you are traveling from Ireland?
There are no direct flights from Australia to Ireland and vice versa, so you will need to book a connecting flight for your travel.
Options for connecting flights from Ireland include London, Doha, and Dubai.
The route you will need to take will very much depend on the games you wish to see.
Depending on what game you want to see, you will have an abundance of choices for your destination in Australia and New Zealand.
For example, Ireland’s first game is against Australia in the Accor Stadium in Sydney.
Ireland’s next game, six days later on 26 July, takes place in Perth’s Nib Stadium, before wrapping up the group stage on 31 July against Nigeria in the Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane.
New Zealand is also accessible from Europe via a connection through, for example Los Angeles or Dubai.
Auckland, Christchurch, and Wellington are the most popular airports in the country.
Do I need a visa before traveling to watch the Women’s World Cup in Australia?
Yes. If you are traveling to Australia to watch the World Cup, you’ll need a visa.
The most popular visas used for tourist reasons are the Australian eVisitor visa (subclass 651), Australian Visitor Visa (subclass 600) and the Australian ETA visa.
Australia Visitor Visa (Subclass 600)
With the subclass 600 visa, you can be granted a stay for anywhere from three, six or 12 months stay in Australia. This will give you plenty of time to take in the tournament and everything the country has to offer.
For more details, please visit our Australia Visitor Visa page
Australian eVisitor Visa (Subclass 651)
The Australian eVisitor visa (subclass 651) allows you to visit Australia for tourist or business purposes.
It is valid for 12 months and allows you to stay for three months at a time within that twelve-month period.
You can find more information about the Australian 651 visa on our website.
Australia ETA Visa
The Australian ETA visa allows you to stay in Australia for the reasons of tourism or business for up to 3 months.
Read also:
Australian eVisitor Visa, Visitor Visa And ETA – What Is The Difference
Do I need a visa before traveling for New Zealand’s World Cup?
Yes, you will also need a visa to get to New Zealand as a tourist.
The New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) is the visa to use and it is valid for up to two years.
You can enter the country multiple times during the validity period, meaning you have time to explore all that both countries have to offer!
With a NZeTA, you will be allowed to visit New Zealand for up to three months at a time (or six months if you are a UK citizen).
Whether it’s Australia or New Zealand, or both, Visa First will take care of your visa application from start-to-finish so you don’t have to!
Read Also: New Zealand ETA Explained
Do I need a vaccine to enter Australia or New Zealand?
As of July 2022, you no longer need to provide proof that you have had any of the Covid-19 vaccines to enter either Australia or New Zealand.
While both countries had some of the strictest entry rules up until this point, they have been relaxed in time since.
While restrictions can change at any time, visitors can now enter and leave Australia at any time without needing proof of vaccination.
How can Visa First help me?
Put simply, if you are planning to visit Australia or New Zealand for the Women’s World Cup this year, you will have to secure a visa!
You can always apply for a visa yourself, but why not leave all that boring and time-consuming work to the experts at Visa First?
Applying with us boosts your chance of a successful outcome, and also gives you more time to focus on other parts of your trip, like planning flights and accommodation.
Benefits of using Visa First
The thought of completing all of the steps of a visa application and going to the embassy can be stressful at the best of times, that’s why so many choose Visa First to manage the process for them.
Our team will help you through the entire process securely from start to finish and answer any questions you may have.
We organize more than 10,000 visas and work permits for our happy customers every year!
Why apply for Visa First
Experienced team of visa application professionals
Increased chance of a successful outcome
One of our visa experts will guide you through the entire application process
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