Football World Cup: Christchurch to host two teams' training bases, despite being overlooked to host matches in 2023

12/12/2022
Alex Powell

Despite missing out as a match venue at the 2023 Women's Football World Cup, Christchurch will host two teams when next year's tournament begins in New Zealand and Australia.

Last April, Christchurch was a notable omission from New Zealand's list of host cities, overlooked in favour of Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Dunedin.

At the time, NZ Football chief executive Andrew Pragnell told Newshub the infrastructure in place at Orangetheory Stadium was not suitable to host World Cup matches.

The Football Ferns will be based in Auckland. Photo credit: Image - Photosport

But despite that ruling, Christchurch will host world No.11 Japan and Costa Rica, who play their group matches at Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Dunedin.

Meanwhile, Auckland is the big winner, with seven teams confirming base camps in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Apart from the Football Ferns, who'll be based at Mount Roskill's Keith Hay Park, Auckland will host reigning champions USA - arguably the best team in the history of international football.

The 2019 winners will bid for a record-extending fifth title in 2023, to go with four Olympic Games gold medals, the last of which came in 2012.

In the group stage, USA will play two matches at Auckland's Eden Park and one at Wellington's Sky Stadium.

Hosts New Zealand will play at three different venues to give Kiwis a taste of their own World Cup, with matches at Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin.

Auckland will also play host to Norway, Philippines, Vietnam, Italy and Argentina, scattered throughout the city of sails.

In the capital, Wellington will host tournament contenders Sweden, ranked third in the world.

Sweden will be based at the new state-of-the-art NZ Campus of Innovation and Sport, the home of both Wellington Phoenix sides.

World No.8 Netherlands will be based at Tauranga, training at the Bay Oval cricket ground, before travelling to Wellington and Dunedin for their three group stage matches.

Hamilton will host Zambia, training at Korikori Park, with the 'Copper Queens' to play two of their matches at Waikato Stadium.

Switzerland will set up at Dunedin in the southernmost of the NZ-based teams, training at Tahuna Park.

The Swiss - who are in the same pool as the Football Ferns - will play two matches at their adopted Dunedin home, with one game at Hamilton.