The 48 matches were attended by over 1.2 million fans with an average crowd of 25,000 per game. That is a 29 percent increase compared to after 48 matches in France four years ago.

The knockout stage begins soon, and there have been sell-out crowds, especially in Australia, an AP report cited. 

Women’s World Cup: ‘Confident 1.9 million fans will attend the finals’

Ticket sales for the tournament surpassed the target, with over 1,715,000 tickets sold so far, exceeding the initial goal of 1.3 million.

“I’m confident by the final we will have more than 1.9 million fans having walked through the stadium gates,” FIFA women’s football chief Sarai Bareman told AFP.

She added, “The tournament has been incredible so far, it has exceeded our expectations in many ways.”

Despite some games being behind TV paywalls, broadcast figures globally have also been “overwhelmingly positive”, she said.

Women’s World Cup: United States vs Netherlands was the most watched match

The United States’ encounter with the Netherlands in the Women’s World Cup group stage has shattered records, becoming the most-watched game ever in America. 

FIFA’s Chief Women’s Football Officer, Sarai Bareman, attributed this surge in interest to the tremendous growth of women’s football. Over the years, the sport has seen remarkable strides, narrowing the gap between top teams and witnessing a rise in competitiveness. 

Surprising the football world, powerhouses like last year’s European Championship runners-up Germany, Brazil, Italy, and the reigning Olympic champions Canada all suffered early eliminations during the group phase. Meanwhile, unexpected contenders Morocco, Nigeria, Jamaica, and South Africa managed to secure spots in the later stages of the tournament.

(With inputs from  agencies)

Updated: 04 Aug 2023, 03:45 PM IST