FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura has completed a visit to Adelaide/Tarntanya on the second leg of a trip to Australia ahead of the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™, kicking off on 20 July. Following a three-day visit to Sydney/Gadigal, the FIFA Secretary General arrived in Adelaide on Monday and attended a grassroots event held at Football South Australia’s offices in support of the Game Changer programme at Southern Australian level. The Game Changer programme is a Football Australia initiative aimed at further growing junior clubs and helping them become more inclusive, with the initiative tying into the national association’s ambition to achieving 50:50 gender-parity among participants following the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. At the event the FIFA Secretary General addressed a large group of dignitaries, local club representatives and young players, and was joined by FIFA Chief Women’s Football Officer, Sarai Bareman, and CEO FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, Dave Beeche. Among the many attendees were Football South Australia President, Estelle Bowman; Football South Australia CEO, Michael Carter; and Will Hastie, Football Australia’s Head of Member Federations.

The FIFA Secretary General’s visit to Adelaide included a number of other activities including meetings with members of government and other key stakeholders, an inspection of hotel facilities and a visit to the training sites for China PR and Panama. A highlight was a visit to Hindmarsh Stadium, venue for five matches during the tournament. The long-term home of football in the city has undergone an impressive refurbishment with the addition of further roofing, two giant screens and upgraded dressing rooms ahead of the competition. Adelaide has long boasted a strong football culture with the Festival City hosting the most recent women’s continental tournament held in Australia – the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in 2006. The city will play host to five matches during the tournament, with China PR-England and a Round of 16 match among the highlights, while the city will also be the Team Base Camp for China PR and Panama.

There was also an opportunity to both meet and receive a very warm welcome from South Australia Premier Peter Malinauskas, Minister for Tourism and Multicultural Affairs in South Australia Zoe Bettison and South Australian Minister for Child Protection, Women and Domestic Violence Prevention, Sport, Recreation and Racing, Katrine Hildyard. During discussions between the FIFA delegation and the representatives of South Australian government, Premier Malinauskas spoke about the city’s preparations to welcome the FIFA Women’s World Cup fans and players and excitement the tournament is generating among Adelaidians.