Photo: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
The Women's World Cup this year didn't just break records; it obliterated benchmarks and surpassed the most optimistic estimates. In an unprecedented display of global engagement, revenue streams surged, drawing in numbers that mirrored some of the world's biggest sporting events. Fan numbers swelled beyond anticipation, stadium attendance reached its zenith, and viewership figures soared to new heights, underscoring a watershed moment for women's football and its burgeoning popularity on the global stage.
Numbers often tell a story more vividly than words, and the figures from this year's Women's World Cup are a testament to its historic impact. Check out these 15 numbers we've collected from the tournament:
1,715,000
Number of tickets sold for FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023. This number surpassed sales targets set before the tournament started, and was reached on August 4 (well before even quarterfinals started on August 11).
15 days
The time it took for traffic on FIFA’s digital platforms to surpass all of France 2019’s traffic. (Total days of WWC are 31.)
6.43 million
Number of people who watched the USWNT come to a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands on July 26, making it the most-watched group stage English language match in history in the tournament. The figure narrowly passed the 6.26 million viewership record for the USA vs. Vietnam game earlier in the month.
6
The number of Confederations FIFA designates to organize World Cups: For the first time in history, teams from all 6 of them won a match in the tournament. New Zealand became the first team to ever record a victory from the Oceania (OFC) Confederation.
7
The number of teams who recorded their first ever Women’s World Cup victories in 2023’s tournament. They are New Zealand, the Philippines, Zambia, Portugal, Jamaica, South Africa, and Morocco.
25,476
The average number of fans who attended the first-round matches (48 total matches). This is a 29% attendance increase over France’s 2019 edition.
3
The number of times a football attendance record - men’s or women’s - was broken in New Zealand in this tournament. The opening match (New Zealand beat Norway) drew 42,137 fans and 12 days later, 42,958 people watched Portugal face the USA. Then, when Spain beat Sweden in thrilling fashion in the semi-final, 43,217 people watched it happen IRL
1
The number of coaches who have led two different nations to a World Cup Final match. Sarina Wiegman, the manager of England’s Lionesses is the first in the history of the sport to do so, having coached her native Netherlands to the World Cup Final in the 2019 running of the tournament.
2x
The factor by which Adidas upped its production of the women’s team jerseys for Germany for sale during the World Cup (...they doubled production compared to the 2019 tournament). They were still on the verge of selling out when the team left the tournament in the early stages.
1/3
The proportion of fans who are brand new to women’s soccer. “The fanbase is unique, it’s diverse, it’s quite youthful, and it has strong progressive values," says Yvonne Harrison, CEO of Women in Football. “Their [Marketers’] message has to come off as sincere, and must be backed by action and long-term commitment as opposed to just 30 seconds of bluster than ends when the event is over," concludes Bob Dorfman, creative director at Pinnacle Advertising, on the tactics necessary to reach the brand new soccer fans.
80%
Amount that sales of women’s soccer products were up on Fanatics - where more than 475 U.S. women’s team products were posted, compared to 175 in 2019 - prior to the USWNT’s exit from the tournament. Fanatics pivoted once the U.S. team left the World Cup, and its generic Adidas Women’s World Cup soccer ball is now a top seller.
75,784
The single-match attendance record for any women’s soccer game in Australian history, set at Australia’s opener against the Republic of Ireland. This sold-out number was repeated during Australia’s win over Denmark in the round of 16, and once again when the Matildas fell to England in the semi-final. Notably, England vs. Colombia also drew a sell-out crowd at Stadium Australia in the match prior to their semis victory. The figure is the third-largest attendance number in Women’s World Cup history, and we have to imagine that more fans would have put their butts in the Sydney Olympic Stadium seats if it weren’t operating at slightly limited capacity (it holds 82,500 maximum).
29,880
The average number of fans who have attended all World Cup Games to this point (prior to the Final…62 matches).
1,852,579
Total attendance number at all 62 matches of the 2023 Women’s World Cup prior to the Final.
7.13M
The Australian national average television audience that tuned in to the Matilda’s semi-final match against the Lionesses. With a top viewership number during the Australian 3-1 loss to England, it was the most-watched television program in the country since 2001. According to this source, the viewership for this game was significantly larger than the Australian Football League and National Rugby League men’s games typically shown on TV down under.
In wrapping up the 2023 Women's World Cup, it's evident that women's football has reached unparalleled heights. From staggering World Cup viewership to record-breaking stadium attendance, this historic Women's World Cup has set benchmarks that underscore the exponential growth and popularity of women's soccer. The Women's World Cup statistics and milestones, combined with the passion seen in every match, are a testament to the rising global significance of women's sports. As the curtain falls on this year's event, the future of women's soccer shines brighter than ever.
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