Overview
When the Socceroos advanced to the Round of 16 in 2022's Men's World Cup, Brisbane celebrated. In a frenzy of football fever, the city even screened the match in the Queen Street Mall and King George Square. That was all well, good and exciting, but 2023 has that beat courtesy of the FIFA Women's World Cup, which Australia — including Brissie — and New Zealand are hosting.
Tickets to watch the Matildas, or whichever nation's squad you're barracking for, are going hot. Can't make it to a match, but still keen on the communal atmosphere? South Bank has the answer. For an entire month, from Thursday, July 20–Sunday, August 20, the riverside precinct will become home to the Brisbane/Meaanjin leg of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 FIFA Fan Festival. On the lineup: live tunes, having a kick yourself, and also watching every single Women's World Cup game live and for free.
Festivals are happening in five Aussie cities, with Brisbane's making use of South Bank's Riverside Green for 26 days (with no games on August 17–18). Accordingly, you'll be able to head down every day that there's a match to watch, and also soak in the Women's World Cup festivities
The games kick off on Thursday, July 20 with a double header: New Zealand take on Norway at 5pm, then Australia battles the Republic of Ireland at 8pm. The Matildas also play Nigeria at 8pm on Thursday, July 27 — at Suncorp Stadium, so if you hit South Bank to watch, you might hear the crowd noise echoing from Milton — and then Canada at 8pm on Monday, July 31.
However Sam Kerr and company fare from there, and whether or not they end up lifting the coveted cup, their matches will grace South Bank's big screen — as will every other game in the tournament. The competition features 64 matches in total.
On the music bill, Running Touch, Kita Alexander, Sahara Beck and FELIVAND, and Eliza and the Delusionals are headlining, as part of a lineup that also includes daily sets with DJs and other artists, and acoustic sunset sessions.
The full festival experience also spans a game pitch where you can try to bend it like whichever soccer player past, present, male or female that takes your fancy; activities for kids; bites including Mediterranean barbecue, Italian, Japanese, burgers, pastries and doughnuts; and bars.
And the vibe that'll buzz through Brisbane thanks to eight Women's World Cup games being played in the River City, and almost 225,000 tickets sold across them? That's a bonus.
The FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 FIFA Fan Festival runs from Thursday, July 20–Sunday, August 20 at South Bank, South Brisbane. Head to the FIFA website for more details.
The FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 runs from Thursday, July 20–Sunday, August 20 across Australia and New Zealand, with tickets available from the FIFA website.
Top image: IQRemix via Wikimedia Commons.
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