Women's World Cup 2023: Travel guide for fans visiting Australia and New Zealand

Publish date: 2023-12-22

The Fifa Women's World Cup is taking place in Australia and New Zealand between 20 July and 20 August, with thousands of fans travelling to Oceania from all over the world to watch their national team in action.

There are a record 32 teams taking part, expanded from 24 at the last tournament in 2019, and Fifa says tickets have been purchased by fans from 100 different countries.

With matches spread across nine cities and two countries, the BBC's Rian Howlett - based in Sydney - gives his advice on where to go and what to see if you are one of the lucky people heading to the tournament.

Sydney/Gadigal/Wangal (Australia)

Sydney is the only city with two stadiums being used for the World Cup, so make sure you head to the right venue for your game!

Sydney Football Stadium is hosting six fixtures, while Stadium Australia stages five matches including Australia v Republic of Ireland on the opening day and the final on 20 August.

With the two stadiums an hour apart on public transport, you'll want to organise your time in Sydney around where your game is. A legacy of old laws restricting the sale of alcohol is that many pubs are in fact technically hotels and offer rooms for the night, or your entire stay.

Auckland/Tamaki Makaurau (New Zealand)

The home to countless iconic rugby moments, Eden Park will be reborn as a home of football as it plays host to the World Cup's opening game between New Zealand and Norway.

Easily reachable by public transport, Eden Park has its own de facto train station in Kingsland just a two-minute walk from the stadium, allowing you to stay as close to the centre of Auckland as you like while keeping easy access to the surrounds.

Melbourne/Naarm (Australia)

Australia's unofficial second city. An easy to navigate Central Business District allows you to get comfortably lost among the city's laneway bars.

For easy access to the games at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, you'll want to stay in Richmond, which boasts an extensive tram system allowing for easy travel.

Five games are being played here, including hosts Australia's final group-stage game against Canada.

Staying further afield remains an option with the stadium being a 20-minute walk from Flinders Street Station, a major city train hub, allowing for the whole of the state of Victoria to be easily explored by any budding travellers.

Hamilton/Kirikiriroa (New Zealand)

Hamilton's Waikato Stadium is a breezy walk from the centre of town. The 2020 winner of 'Most beautiful large city in New Zealand' will have all of its colours on display for the Women's World Cup, with free shuttles to and from the stadium for ticketholders every 10 minutes around game time.

Hamilton has the unique honour of being the largest major city in close proximity to the Hobbiton Movie Set. A bustling - and entirely real - place less than an hour's drive away from Hamilton, Hobbiton has 44 hobbit holes for anyone interest in engaging in a spot of Tolkien tourism.

Brisbane/Meaanjin (Australia)

Brisbane Stadium, affectionately dubbed 'The Cauldron', is best reached by public transport with free buses and trains for World Cup ticket holders. It hosts England's first game in the tournament against Haiti on 22 July, as well as the third place play-off.

The Women World Cup's timing means games are being played in the middle of the Australian winter, Brisbane has a long-held reputation for avoiding the worst of the cold and maintaining bright blue skies all year round.

Queensland as a whole is known for its balmy evenings, allowing you the chance to explore throughout the rich historical lands of the Australian north-east.

Wellington/Te Whanganui-a-Tara (New Zealand)

Wellington is so windy that pilots have to take specific training to land at the airport. Yet, as any local will say, you can't beat Wellington on a good day. Wellington Regional Stadium, dubbed 'The Cake Tin', is just as sweet as its name would suggest.

You'll be able to catch a rematch of the 2019 final when USA and the Netherlands face each other in the group stage on 27 July. This is just a small part of the stacked line-up for a stadium that will host nine games.

Perth/Boorloo

Perth's various claims to fame include being the most isolated city in the world. Beyond this, Perth has a reputation for beautiful beaches and a public transport system based on a child's drawing of the sun, with everything travelling directly into or out of the city centre.

The Rectangular Stadium is located just outside of the Central Business District, meaning most suburbs will be relatively accessible when travelling to and from games. Additionally, the stadium has just undergone a massive series of upgrades in readiness for the World Cup.

Adelaide/Tarntanya (Australia)

Adelaide's Hindmarsh stadium has been South Australia's prime sporting ground for more than 60 years and is located just 10 minutes outside the moat of trees that surrounds the Adelaide Central Business District.

The stadium has had an extensive rebuild for the World Cup, and is well-equipped for its matches, which include England's final group stage fixture against China.

A little outside of the city, you run into the vast rolling wine hills of South Australia, which are well worth the jaunt.

Dunedin/Otepoti (New Zealand)

Dunedin Stadium, colloquially called 'The Glasshouse', is the world's first fully enclosed stadium with a grass pitch. The roads around the stadium are notoriously packed on matchdays, meaning public transport will be your best friend if you are attending any of the six group games held here. The stadium is less than half an hour from Dunedin's city centre.

Aa brewing and artistic hub, the Dunedin Street Art trail is a 90-minute walk that shows the best in street art the town has to offer, as well as taking you past several of the better-known brewhouses.

A final must-do for both countries is to engage with their ancient indigenous cultures, an essential component of a respectful journey.

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