Football Australia acknowledges successful FIFA Women’s World Cup to date as records are broken

Avatar
Matildas
Image credit: Mathias Bergeld

Last Thursday, Football Australia honoured the end of an extraordinary group stage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023, having established a level of excellence in setting new standards and displaying the organisation’s pivotal role in co-hosting a significant event and strengthen women’s football in Australia and beyond.

The outstanding success of the World Cup up to this point is further evidence for the well-thought-out projects handled by Football Australia to magnify the brand of the CommBank Matildas, by elevating them to an equal status with the Subway Socceroos.

Some of the highlights that have stood out in the group stage of the tournament observed record-breaking numbers such as fan’s attendance at games in extraordinary numbers with over 1.7 million ticket sales.

In terms of broadcast, the Seven network announced their coverage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 had got up to 8.02 million viewers plus 1.14 million on their streaming platform, as well as the victory for the Matildas over Canada in the last group stage game was the most watched program on the Seven network with a reach of over 5.32 million.

Football Australia CEO James Johnson stated via press release:

“This FIFA Women’s World Cup has been a milestone for Football Australia and for women’s football in our country, the success of the tournament so far shines a spotlight on the transformative power of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and football’s ability to unite and inspire beyond borders,” he said.

“This is why we have invested in women’s football and made a firm commitment to support and promote the women’s game by bringing the FIFA Women’s World Cup to Australia, we are overwhelmed with the profound impact of the tournament so far.”

After an impressive victory against Denmark in the Round of 16, the next Matildas game will be in the quarterfinals against France on Saturday at 5pm at Suncorp Stadium.

Previous ArticleNext Article

IMG takes commercial lead on inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup

Avatar
Image Credit: Vietnam Football Federation

IMG has been appointed to lead the global commercialisation of the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup, giving the new Southeast Asian national-team competition an established international sports business partner ahead of its first edition.

Under the strategic partnership, IMG will manage worldwide media and sponsorship rights sales while also overseeing broadcast production for the tournament, which takes place from 24 September to 5 October across Indonesia and Hong Kong, China.

The inaugural competition will feature 14 national teams, including all 11 ASEAN members alongside guest nations, with matches split between two divisions. Division 2 fixtures will be played in Jakarta and Badung, while Division 2 matches will be played in Hong Kong.

The agency’s role will include selling sponsorship and media inventory internationally while helping establish the broadcast infrastructure required to present the tournament to audiences outside Southeast Asia.

The partnership builds on IMG’s existing strategic relationship with PT Garuda Sepak Bola Indonesia, which has been working with the Football Association of Indonesia since 2025 on areas including commercial strategy, media rights, production and digital development.

For FIFA, the tournament creates another international football property in a region with a large and increasingly connected football audience.

For IMG, it adds another major regional property to a football portfolio that already includes competitions and organisations across Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa.

The immediate challenge will be turning the inaugural tournament into a sustainable commercial property capable of attracting broadcasters and sponsors beyond its first edition.

If successful, the FIFA ASEAN Cup could provide Southeast Asian national teams with a recurring commercial platform while giving IMG another foothold in one of football’s developing markets.

GIS Sydney continues to connect students with Australia’s sports industry

Avatar
Image Credits: Global Institute of Sport

Following the launch of its Sydney campus in 2025, the Global Institute of Sport (GIS) is continuing to establish itself in the nation’s sports industry. A leading provider of degrees and executive education in sport, GIS provides students the chance to study at two of Australia’s biggest sporting venues: Allianz Stadium and the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

Programs such as Sports Analytics and International Sports Business are delivered in collaboration with the University of Newcastle, and feature the chance for students to gain exclusive access to the sports industry.

More than 50 guest speakers have shared their experience with students studying at GIS Sydney, representing organisations like FIFA, Red Bull, Cricket Australia, and the AFL. While learning about the regional and national sports industry in the classroom, students have also had the chance to gain an international perspective through GIS’ signature Global Sports Summits, which have given Sydney students access to iconic sporting venues around the world from London to Miami.

Outside of the iconic venues students can call their classrooms, the organisation prioritises the real, industry placements needed to put theory into practice by providing each student with 140 hours of relevant work experience throughout their studies. Included in this are several sporting organisations who are keen to welcome GIS students on board, including the Professional Football Scouts Association (PFSA), Football Coaches Australia, and Basketball NSW.

GIS also has a partnership with popular network and app Yakka Sport to connect students with paid employment opportunities while they study.

Behind these advancements at the GIS Sydney campus is an Industry Advisory Board which features a host of experienced figures from the world of sport. Included in the Asia-Pacific branch is Chair James Rosengarten, GM of the Melbourne Renegades; Kevin Jang, Managing Director of CAA Stellar Korea; and Brad Lloyd, GM of the Carlton Football Club.

Since launching, GIS’ Sydney campus has ultimately combined its locations and industry connections to provide the next generation of sports professionals with the knowledge, network, and confidence to tackle the rapidly evolving sports industry.

Most Popular Topics

Editor Picks

Send this to a friend