Oceania Football is optimistic the region could have two teams competing at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
32 countries will take part in Australia and New Zealand, up from 24 at the last two global tournaments.
Photo: Photosport
Oceania has previously been allocated one qualifying berth but the Football Ferns are already assured of direct entry as co-hosts.
Discussions with FIFA were ongoing about how the additional slots would be decided but OFC General Secretary Franck Castillo is hopeful Oceania could benefit.
“We may have a half spot,” he said.
“A half spot means that the team that qualifies as OFC would have to play an inter-continental playoff, probably against Asia, but this is still a huge opportunity and a huge motivation.”
New Zealand have represented Oceania at the past four Women’s World Cups.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
New Zealand and Australia are the only Oceania representatives to compete at a full FIFA Women’s World Cup, although Australia is now in the Asia Confederation.
The Football Ferns (ranked 23rd in the world) have won four consecutive OFC Women’s Nations Cup titles to secure the region’s sole World Cup berth.
Papua New Guinea are the next best team in the region (46) while Fiji (66) finished runners-up at the last Nations Cup event in 2018 and hope to create history in three years time.
OFC’s strategy for women’s football aims to qualify two teams to the 2027 Women’s World Cup, although having New Zealand co-host an expanded tournament in 2023 has opened the door to even faster progress.
Fiji finished runners-up at the 2018 OFC Women’s Nations Cup.
Photo: OFC via Phototek
The regional body was investing an additional $NZ1.14 million into women’s football activities next year, boosting the total annual spend to 3.5 million.
With Oceania hosting a senior World Cup for the first time, Castillo said it was right to put more emphasis on the women’s game.
“We have decided to invest in women’s football dramatically,” he said.
“Now we’ve got this World Cup it’s a huge opportunity to develop women’s football in the Pacific…we are currently developing a legacy program 2023 to make sure that we are going to leave a legacy in women’s football in the Pacific.”
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