Optus Sport has revealed an all-female host lineup for its coverage of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup due to take place in Australia and New Zealand in July.
Former Matilda Amy Duggan (centre) is joined by experienced soccer hosts Niav Owens (right) and Kelly Somers (left) to lead Optus Sport’s coverage as the tournament’s main broadcaster.
Duggan won 27 caps for the Matildas, while Owens hosted SBS’ Men’s World Cup coverage last year. Somers has previously worked as a match host in English Premier League and Women’s Super League broadcasts for the BBC.
Duggan said: “We are going to have the best talent from across the globe on the world stage, barring a few big-name injuries who won’t be able to join us. But I don’t see that necessarily as a detractor, in fact, it just leaves a space for the next generation of talent to come through.
“They’re the ones I’m looking forward to – the unknown names that will really stand up on the world stage and become household names.”
Owens added that “World Cups are just a vibe like no other”.
“There is this passion and excitement that exists throughout the tournament and when you get to work on them, you take these deep dives into every damn minute of the tournament, which is such a special thing to experience with the whole team. The fact that I get to live that, and live that high, twice in six months – how good.”
Somers said: “The most important thing for me is football is meant to be fun and enjoyable. We watch football to kind of escape from some of the other pressures of life.
“So, I always want to be warm, enthusiastic and hope my love for the game comes across. I also don’t take myself too seriously and I will not be letting any of the pundits take themselves too seriously either.”
Head of Optus Sport, Howard Rees, said: “Each of these talented women brings decades of experience and knowledge to the table, as well as their own unique insights into the world of women’s football and the importance of this tournament.”
The Women’s World Cup will kick off on 20 July in Auckland as New Zealand take on Norway. Optus Sport secured the broadcast rights for the tournament in June 2021.
