The world’s best women’s football team – the United States - is playing the Ford Football Ferns at Sky Stadium in January.
The match will kick-off at 4pm Wednesday, January 18, 2023, at Sky Stadium, with top US talent, including Megan Rapinoe, expected to play. Rapinoe led the US team to victory at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and her activism off the field for the Rainbow community saw her being named by Time Magazine as one of the most influential people of 2020.
This will be the first international football match in Wellington since 2018 and sets the scene for the year, where the world will be watching the city when it hosts the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
"It's a huge honour for Sky Stadium to host the reigning world champion in New Zealand for the first time,” Sky Stadium Chief Executive Shane Harmon says.
"It caps off an unprecedented period where we will host eighteen women’s football matches over the next nine months."
"We can’t wait to see you in the seats in January.”
The US team has publicly stated its team values are to leave the game and the world in a better place, and they have helped push gender equality in the beautiful game.
This is what Wellington is known for - hosting events that add value to our region and our community, events that have a big impact on audiences and our local economy alike, says WellingtonNZ Major Events manager Tiana Rakete.
“Kicking off the 2023 Major Events calendar with world-class talent sets the tone for the year to come. We believe by showcasing the world’s best, a team that has shown to have a soul and can inspire people through inclusivity, is a win for the region,” Rakete says.
“When we host world-class events, that pours money into the economy with people coming from out of town, or locals going out for a drink or dinner after going to the game, but most importantly it increases people’s enjoyment of life.”
Giving people the opportunity to watch these talented female athletes, is exciting because it lays a base for further development of football, Capital Football chairperson Helen Mallon says.
“We’re creating a legacy here in Wellington for women’s football, and this event is another milestone along the way to that,” Mallon says.
“This is another opportunity to inspire and captivate the next generation before the FIFA Women’s World Cup.”
Tickets will be sold through Ticketek, from 9.00am, Thursday 17 November, priced at $5 for children and $20 for adults.