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Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Women's Football World Cup pool clash between New Zealand and Norway at Auckland's Eden Park.
After a long countdown, the world's biggest women's sporting event finally begins, with the home side doing honours at the national stadium.
Over five previous appearances at the tournament, the Football Ferns are yet to win a game or progress past group stages, but hopes are high that could change with home advantage.
At 12th, Norway are the highest-ranked team in Group A, compared to New Zealand's 26th, so breaking the duck will be difficult against the 1995 champions.
These two teams last met in March 2020, when Norway prevailed 2-1 at the Algarve Cup in Portugal.
TAB Odds: Norway $1.22, NZ $9, Draw $5.50
New Zealand
Goalkeepers: Victoria Esson, Anna Leat, Erin Nayler
Defenders: Elizabeth Anton, CJ Bott, Katie Bowen, Claudia Bunge, Daisy Cleverley, Michaela Foster, Ali Riley, Rebekah Stott
Midfielders: Olivia Chance, Betsy Hassett, Annalie Longo, Ria Percival, Malia Steinmetz
Forwards: Milly Clegg, Jacqui Hand, Grace Jale, Gabi Rennie, Indiah-Paige Riley, Paige Satchell, Hannah Wilkinson
Norway
Goalkeepers: Cecilie Fiskerstrand, Aurora Mikalsen, Guro Pettersen
Defenders: Guro Bergsvand, Marit Bratberg, Lund Tuva Hansen, Mathilde Harviken, Sara Horte, Maren Mjelde, Anja Sonstevold
Midfielders: Thea Bjelde, Julie Blakstad, Vilde Boe, Risa Caroline, Graham Hansen, Frida Maanum, Ingrid Syrstad Engen
Forwards: Amalie Eikeland, Emilie Haavi, Ada Hegerberg, Anna Josendal, Guro Reiten, Sophie Roman, Haug Karin Saevik
Football Ferns join growing call for pay parity as World Cup fever builds
FIFA head of women's football Sarai Bareman concedes pay parity remains an issue for the global body.
Bareman's back on home soil before the Football World Cup begins at Eden Park in just two days. She insists FIFA's moving in the right direction, and it's committed to equal pay for men and women, but some players remain frustrated it's taking so long.
The Football Ferns are counting down the hours until Thursday's tournament opener against Norway.
It's been a long time coming, but the fight for pay parity has been a lot longer and it's a cause not lost on Kiwi goalkeeper Victoria Esson.
"We are definitely aiming for equal pay and it's disappointing that we're not there already," she said.
The total prizemoney at this World Cup is just a quarter of that paid out to the men in Qatar last December, but Bareman says progress has been made.
"In 2015, in Canada, the prizemoney was $15 million," she told AM. "In France, it was $30 million and this year, it's $110 million."
That exponential growth has ensured better and fairer resources for female players.
"Business class flights, charters, hotel services, team basecamps, delegation sizes... all things are totally equal," Bareman continued.
Esson said: "There are still little differences that we can close the gap on."
Football Ferns midfielder Annalie Longo has seen it all at the World Cup - this will be her fifth appearance at the sport's global showpiece.
"You know, we will always ask for more, always ask questions, but I think we are heading in the right direction," she said.
FIFA hopes to achieve full pay parity by the 2027 World Cup and the players are vowing to keep the pressure on.
"We're with them, we acknowledge it and we want to get there as well," Bareman said.
For now, the NZ women are readying themselves to take centrestage in front of the football world.
"We want to see a legacy beyond the memories and the moments," Longo said.
A legacy should extend not just on the field, but off it too.
