China and Panama call SA home

Adelaide will host two teams during the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023, after China PR and Panama selected the South Australian capital city as their team base camp site.

For the duration of the tournament, China PR will have a dedicated training site at the Croatian Sports Centre, which will have upgraded lighting and pitch works to enable it to meet FIFA venue standards. Panama will base itself at the Adelaide United Training Centre.

This is the first time in FIFA Women’s World Cup history that competing countries will use dedicated team base camps as their ‘home away from home’ during the competition period which includes an accommodation and training site pairing for the entire delegation.

The Adelaide United Training Centre and Adelaide’s Croatian Sports Centre are two of 16 Team Base Camps which have been selected by teams and confirmed by FIFA across Australia’s five host cities and two regional centres.

Players and support staff will base themselves in Adelaide during the event group stage, with family, friends and supporters also set to travel to SA.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup is the first to be co-hosted by two member federations and the first to be held in the Southern Hemisphere.

It is also the first to feature 32 teams – up from 24 in 2019 – with eight teams having qualified for the competition for the first time.

An upgraded Hindmarsh Stadium will see England, Brazil, China PR, Korea Republic, Morocco, Haiti and Panama play across four group-stage matches on 24, 28 and 30 July and 1 August 2023, as well as a Round of 16 on 8 August 2023.

It comes after last week’s announcement from FIFA that the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 will receive an increase in prize money to more than 150 million USD (223 million AUD) – more than three times what was on offer for the most recent edition in 2019.

Minister for Tourism, Zoe Bettison said next month will hit 100 days to go until the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 kicks off for its very first time in the Southern Hemisphere – and Adelaide is a huge part of it.

"We’re not only gearing up to watch the action live at Hindmarsh Stadium, but our city has been selected as the ‘home away from home’ by two national football teams," Minister Bettison said.

"Pre-COVID, China PR was one of our state’s biggest tourism and education partners, so we have a long-standing relationship, and for Panama we’re thrilled to help make history with them as they play in their first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament.

"We look forward to welcoming the Chinese and Panamanian teams and all of their fans to South Australia, and to putting on a great show."

Chief Operating Officer, FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023, Jane Fernandez said the announcement marks another exciting milestone for Adelaide/Tarntanya in the lead up to the Tournament with Team Base Camps playing a key role in the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time in the history of the event.

"This is an incredible opportunity for the community to get close to the action of the world’s biggest women’s sporting event, and for some of the world’s best teams to experience the passion and enthusiasm of the Adelaide/Tarntanya community," Ms Fernandez said.

"We are appreciative of the South Australian Government’s commitment to site and venue upgrades and renovations, maximising the potential of the FIFA Women’s World Cup for generations to come."