Gianni Infantino joined thousands of spectators to savour the atmosphere at the FIFA Fan Festival™ in Sydney/Gadigal, where he watched the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ quarter-final between Australia and France. More than 500,000 people have so far visited the Fan Festivals which are being featured at the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ for the first time and are being staged in all nine Host Cities.

“It was great to attend the FIFA Fan Festival here in Sydney. The atmosphere is beautiful, and I am happy to see everyone enjoying the greatest-ever FIFA Women's World Cup,” said Mr Infantino.

“The fans are celebrating this festival of football and I am pleased to see our beautiful game uniting everyone and bringing countries together, proving beyond doubt that #FootballUnitesTheWorld!” Mr Infantino also thanked the tournament’s volunteers, describing them as extraordinary. “Their smile is the smile of the World Cup, it’s the smile of the world. The volunteers here at the Fan Festival, in the stadiums, in the cities, everywhere – at the airports – have been unique. A huge thank you to all the volunteers.”

At half-time, the FIFA President met Andrew Paschalidis, the Founder of the Heartbeat of Football Foundation which has teamed up with FIFA to actively promote heart health at the Fan Festival.

The Foundation is running a stand – open throughout the tournament at the Sydney / Gadigal site – where fans can get a free checkup which includes reading their blood pressure and cholesterol levels.