Brisbane / Meaanjin will officially host the CommBank Matildas during the group stage of the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023™ after selections of the Team Base Camps were confirmed today.
A Team Base Camp is the dedicated headquarters of a nation throughout the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023™ competition with a dedicated Team Base Camp Training Site paired with a partner hotel. The 2023 edition of the tournament will mark the first time that the Team Base Camp concept has been introduced for the FIFA Women's World Cup.
Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre (QSAC) and Rydges South Bank Hotel Brisbane will become the CommBank Matildas' official hosts as their training and accommodation base following an extensive evaluation process by Football Australia's National Teams Unit.
Football Australia CEO, James Johnson said:
"Queensland has a strong history and connection with women's football, so it is fitting that the CommBank Matildas Team Base Camp will be situated in Brisbane / Meaanjin."
"It has the fastest growing participation rates of female players of all the states and territories with a 71% jump in participation numbers in 2021. As the second largest participation state nationally, having the CommBank Matildas Team Base Camp in Brisbane / Meaanjin and a FIFA Women's World Cup fixture with Nigeria can create an enduring memory for the State's female players and fans of our game.
"Given the strong growth in participation in Queensland and the projected surge moving forward, we look forward to continuing discussions with the Queensland Government to ensure that there is an everlasting legacy for football well beyond the hosting of the FIFA Women's World Cup through our Legacy '23 plan, which to date has driven excellent funding outcomes for the football community in other parts of Australia.
"Over the past 12 months, the Queensland public has demonstrated its support for the CommBank Matildas with strong crowds for our matches in both Townsville and Brisbane, and we are excited to witness that support reach new heights at the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023™."
Rydges South Bank Brisbane is based within walking distance to Brisbane / Meaanjin's main sporting stadiums and a 15-minute drive to the paired QSAC. Australia's Team Base Camp will allow for ease of travel to all three of the CommBank Matildas group stage fixtures and subsequent tournament match.
CommBank Matildas head coach, Tony Gustavsson said:
"With a high-level gym, on-pitch training facilities and excellent recovery solutions off the pitch, QSAC provides an optimum performance environment for our FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 preparations prior to and during the tournament."
"We experienced the facilities first-hand in September this year and QSAC satisfied our high-performance needs which are crucial for focused preparation. We look forward to making QSAC and Brisbane / Meaajin our base during the lead-up and throughout the group stage of the tournament."
Queensland Tourism and Sport Minister, Stirling Hinchliffe said:
"The FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 is a significant part of Queensland's green and gold runway of elite international sport to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games," Mr Hinchliffe said.
"Having the Matildas based in Brisbane for the world's biggest women's festival of sport is a terrific win for Queensland football fans and Women's World Cup legacy.
"One of the most important legacies will be the young Queensland girls and women inspired by the Matildas' World Cup campaign to join a local football team and be their best.
"With eight matches, and the Matildas confirming Brisbane as their official host during the tournament, the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 is shaping up as a $30.5 million bonanza for the city's world-class hospitality, accommodation and tourism experiences.
"We can't wait to welcome the Matildas and more international women's football to Queensland."
The CommBank Matildas will open their FIFA Women's World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023™ campaign against the Republic of Ireland on 20 July in Sydney, before meeting 11-time African champions Nigeria on 27 July at Brisbane Stadium, and concluding their group play against Tokyo 2020 Olympic Gold Medallists, Canada on 31 July at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.
QSAC Manager, Graeme Clark said:
"The Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre is home to high-performance sport, with top athletes training at the venue across a range of disciplines and we're very proud to add the Matildas to this Illustrious list," said Mr Clark.
"In anticipation of their arrival, we are undertaking a turf replacement project at the venue, improving drainage and laying new Wintergreen Couch turf, to ensure the venue's surface is that of a world-class football pitch, worthy of the Matildas."
Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Adrian Schrinner said:
"Football fever is set to transform the city, with thousands of fans from across the world filling local hotels, restaurants and bars - generating an estimated $30 million for the Brisbane economy.
"With a growing number of sporting events planned over the next decade, including the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Brisbane will remain a top choice for the world's best athletes to train, tour and compete."
CommBank Matildas' defender, Clare Polkinghorne, said:
"As a born and raised Queenslander, it is exciting that not only will we have the opportunity to play a FIFA Women's World Cup match in Brisbane but that the CommBank Matildas will call the city "host" during the tournament group phase. Brisbane has a special place in my heart, and I cannot wait to experience an incredible tournament on home soil and welcome the world to my home city."
