Fifa Women’s World Cup barely registers with Australian public amid packed sporting agenda
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From the opposite side of the harbour, the famed Sydney Opera House glows against the night sky, its white arched sails serving as a familiar backdrop for the temporary studio constructed by Fox Sports for the Women’s World Cup.
The broadcasters have left little doubt about their highly visible commitment to the tournament, with the latest edition scheduled to kick off in Australia and New Zealand on Thursday.
The booth towers above bystanders and tourists as the clock ticks down towards the start of the most-hyped edition of the competition’s 32-year existence. But beyond the banks of one of the world’s most recognisable waterfronts, there is a distinct sense of indifference.
Venture past the glitz of Fox Sports’ showpiece set-up and most signs of an impending major event evaporate.
While several of Sydney’s thoroughfares are dressed in the tournament’s colours and emblem, there is little to alert the uninitiated that the biggest Women’s World Cup ever is close to kick off.
Thirty-two nations – up from 24 in 2019 – will compete for the title over the next 4½ weeks, but in a nation where top-class sporting events are commonplace, the Women’s World Cup has barely registered amid a packed domestic agenda.
