Optus Sport has beaten a host of streaming services and TV networks to be announced as the local broadcaster for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which is to be hosted in Australia and New Zealand.
All 64 matches will be shown live in Australia on the streaming service, which currently hosts the English Premier League, FA Women’s Super League and other international football leagues.
With the 2023 World Cup set to be the biggest sporting event in Australia since the 2000 Olympics, the broadcast rights were highly sought-after, particularly among local streaming services currently looking to bolster sporting content.
However, there will be one match each day (including all games involving the Matildas) shown on a free-to-air network via a sub-licensing agreement, according to the Herald.
The free-to-air partner is yet to be announced.
Optus vice president TV, content and product development Clive Dickens said: “We have built an unparalleled pedigree in enhancing and supporting women’s football and building unique customer relationships with football fans, from the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 in France to being amongst the first broadcasters of the Barclay’s FA Women’s Super League, to recently securing the exclusive rights to the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 in England.”
“The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 represents a huge opportunity to help drive growth and visibility of women’s football in Australia and deliver football fans the best-ever coverage.
“We are committed to changing the future children see and the importance of promoting women in sport to drive that change. It is a privilege, and an endorsement of our credentials by FIFA, to be awarded the rights to showcase this monumental event.”
FIFA chief women’s football officer Sarai Bareman said: “FIFA is excited to welcome Optus Sport as our official broadcaster of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ for Australia. Optus has shown a strong commitment to broadcasting women’s football and this deal will provide unprecedented coverage in Australia for the tournament, as well as bringing women’s football to more fans and new audiences. We look forward to working with Optus to promote the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 to accelerate the growth of the women’s game in Australia in the lead up to 2023.”
