{"id":93429,"date":"2023-08-21T14:09:19","date_gmt":"2023-08-21T14:09:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/08\/21\/record-attendance-of-almost-two-million\/"},"modified":"2023-08-21T14:09:19","modified_gmt":"2023-08-21T14:09:19","slug":"record-attendance-of-almost-two-million","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/08\/21\/record-attendance-of-almost-two-million\/","title":{"rendered":"Record attendance of almost two million"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Almost two million fans attended the Women\u2019s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand \u2013 up by more than 600,000 on the previous record.<\/p>\n

The tournament, which Spain won for the first time, expanded to 64 games compared to 52 four years ago.<\/p>\n

However, the average attendance was 30,911 \u2013 up from 21,756 at the 2019 World Cup in France.<\/p>\n

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Fifa president Gianni Infantino had set a target of 1.5m ticket sales for 2023.<\/p>\n

The ninth edition, featuring 32 nations for the first time, exceeded expectations, according to Fifa chief women\u2019s football officer Sarai Bareman.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis momentum is unstoppable,\u201d she said. \u201cThe numbers and data and everything about this World Cup has eclipsed 2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver the past few weeks, we have witnessed record-breaking crowds, significant global broadcast audiences and staggering digital metrics, highlighting the truly global impact of this ground-breaking event.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just short of two million fans<\/strong><\/p>\n

In total, 1,978,274 fans watched the games inside 10 stadiums in Australia and New Zealand between 20 July and 20 August.<\/p>\n

The previous record aggregate attendance was set in 2015 when 1,353,506 people watched 52 matches in Canada.<\/p>\n

The 2019 edition was watched by 1,131,312 supporters.<\/p>\n

Sunday\u2019s final between Spain and England at Stadium Australia in Sydney, which Spain won 1-0, attracted a sell-out crowd of 75,784.<\/p>\n

Records shattered in New Zealand<\/strong><\/p>\n

More than 700,000 fans watched 29 World Cup matches in New Zealand.<\/p>\n

Before the World Cup, the record crowd for a football match in New Zealand was 37,034 for a men\u2019s World Cup play-off against Peru in Wellington in 2017.<\/p>\n

Despite early concerns about ticket sales, that record was shattered three times at Eden Park, Auckland.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe atmosphere at Eden Park has been electric, with colour and culture celebrated through the beautiful game,\u201d said Nick Sautner, chief executive of Eden Park.<\/p>\n

The Wellington Regional Stadium hosted nine matches in New Zealand\u2019s capital.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was in the stands when Japan scored their third goal against Norway,\u201d said Shane Harmon, chief executive of Wellington Regional Stadium.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt may as well have been New Zealand playing given the roar from the crowd. The fans have been fantastic.\u201d<\/p>\n

World Cup of big crowds<\/strong><\/p>\n

Stadium Australia was used five times at the tournament and hosted an aggregate 378,920 fans, with sell-out crowds at all the games staged there.<\/p>\n

Ten of the 64 matches attracted crowds of 45,000-plus.<\/p>\n

\u201cFifa\u2019s original sales target for Australia and New Zealand was 1.3m,\u201d said a Fifa spokesperson.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was adjusted to 1.5m, which was surpassed.\u201d<\/p>\n

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