Women's sport in New Zealand is about to enter uncharted territory.
Over the next 18 months, Aotearoa will host the women's football, rugby and cricket World Cups.
With COVID-19 constantly causing uncertainty, Sport & Recreation Minister Grant Robertson is confident the Government and administrators can work through the tricky logistics, and all three will go ahead, beginning with cricket later this week.
A momentous time in the sports history of this country will see the some of the world's biggest female athletes on NZ shores, showing their talents to the next generation.
"When I became the minster, I made my No.1 priority women and girls in sport," Robertson tells Newshub. "There's so much opportunity to increase participation, for people to get those role models to make them strive into the future.
"We are going to have some of the best female sportspeople in the world in New Zealand over the next couple of years. There's nothing more inspirational than that."
Robertson hopes the exposure will help the next generation pursue exciting sporting careers.
"I hope those young women stick at it and see there's a real future for them," he adds.
Despite New Zealand being in the midst of an Omicron outbreak, Robertson says sports fans shouldn't worry about losing any of the three tournaments.
"I'm very confident they'll all go ahead," he says.
That inspiration starts when the White Ferns play the West Indies at Bay Oval on Friday in the opening game of the Cricket World Cup.
In October, New Zealand hosts the Women's Rugby World Cup and next year, the Women's Football World Cup will be co-hosted with Australia.
"The FIFA Women's World Cup will be the biggest sporting tournament New Zealand has ever hosted," says Robertson. "We have the opening game, we have playoff games and these are some of the biggest stars of football that are coming to New Zealand.
"It's one of the biggest exposures New Zealand will get to a TV audience ever. "
So all eyes will be on Aotearoa and the spotlight will be on high-profile female sports.
"It is one of those maxims, that you can't be what you can't see," says Robertson.
And now, the next generation can see and be anything they want.
Join us at 2pm Friday for live updates of the White Ferns v West Indies Cricket World Cup match
