Football fans, the time is here! The Women’s FIFA World Cup has landed, and folks are ready to cheer on the Matildas (and, I guess, other teams) as they start their journey in the comp.
As you all would know by now, the event kicked off on July 20, so what are all the ways we can watch World Cup games live? Here’s a guide.
When is the Women’s World Cup?
The Women’s World Cup is set to begin on July 20 and will run through to August 20, 2023.
How can I watch games live?
How to get tickets to the games
Okay, so let’s start with the most obvious option. The Women’s FIFA World Cup is happening around Australia and New Zealand, so folks have been able to watch football games live – fun!
If you’re keen to watch matches in the flesh, you can keep an eye on FIFA’s ticket sales here. There has been a lot of interest around these games, so snap them up quickly if you see an opening.
How to watch games at home
If you’re not looking to get a butt on a seat and watch the games up close, here is how you can catch them from home. Optus Sport is streaming all 64 Women’s World Cup matches live, and Channel 7 has acquired the Australian free-to-air rights to the competition.
From July 20 until August 20, 15 key matches – including the opening match, Matildas matches, Quarterfinals, Semi-Finals and the Final – will be broadcast live and free on Seven and 7plus, with Seven’s matches also available to stream on-demand via 7plus.
This approach has seen a fair bit of criticism because folks are only able to catch the majority of the competition’s games by signing up to, and paying $24.99 per month for, an Optus Sport membership. You can sign up for a free Optus Sport account, but this mostly gets you match highlights and not much else.
How to watch games in public
If you don’t want to drop $25 per month for access to more than Matildas games, you may decide you’d like to watch games in a public setting. Here’s a basic guide to that.
Where to watch the Women’s World Cup in Sydney/Gadigal
FIFA and Destination NSW have announced that they will be hosting something called the FIFA Fan Festival in Sydney/Gadigal CBD. Similar to the Men’s World Cup, Tumbalong Park in Darling Harbour will be the site of public screenings of every match.
There will also be live music and street food and the arrival of the first FIFA Museum in Australia. You’ll also be able to grab official merch if you want to kit up in Matildas gear.
The FIFA Fan Festival is open as of 4:00 pm on July 20 and on all FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 match days. It’s free to visit and can hold 5,000 football fans.
Sydney venues Yulli’s Brews and The Clock are also screening games live with some fun deals for folks who pop in. Yulli’s is slinging food and drink deals while The Clock is giving away free Patron Margaritas for the first goal the Matildas score in every match they play.
Western Sydney Stadium and Sydney Football Stadium will also be opened as screening sites for the Matildas semi final on Wednesday, August 16.
More public viewing options have popped up throughout NSW during the competition in locations like Camperdown, Blackdown and Newcastle. You can find a list of those and when they’re open here.
Melbourne/Naarm public viewing options
As of July 20, you can also enjoy the FIFA Fan Festival in Melbourne/Naarm, which will take place at Fed Square. Similarly, you can also watch FIFA Women’s World Cup matches live here, along with live music, entertainment and panel discussions – plus food and drink options.
The Elephant and Wheelbarrow, The Sporting Globe Richmond and the Imperial Hotel will also be screening games if you’d like to support your team from a pub.
Where to watch the Women’s World Cup in Brisbane/Meaanjin
South Bank is Brisbane/Meaanjin’s home of the FIFA Fan Festival and is airing live matches, too.
Perth/Borloo FIFA Fan Festival
For Perth/Boorloo-based football fans looking to watch World Cup games in a public space, Forrest Place is the site to visit.
Where to watch the Women’s World Cup in Adelaide/Tarntanya
The World Cup FIFA Fan Festival is also taking place in Adelaide/Tarntanya at Festival Plaza, offering a place for fans to watch all games live.
Obviously, this is just a short list, and there will be many other venues screening Women’s World Cup games live as well. Just keep a keen eye! For example, cinemas around the country will be screening assorted games in the final stages of the Women’s World Cup – some of them doing so for free. Check out Village Cinemas, Dendy, The Ritz, Event Cinemas and United Cinemas for more details.
If you’d like to read more about the event, check out our complete guide here.
Tell me about Matildas games
If you want a guide to when and where you can catch the Matildas games live from Aus, here is a write-up we did just on that.
This article on watching the Womens World Cup live has been updated since its original publish date.
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