A report published on Thursday by Football Australia says that the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup generated $1.32 billion Australian dollars ($865.7 million USD) in economic impact for the host country.
The post-tournament report also said that it decreased healthcare costs in the country by $212.5 million USD due to increased physical activity.
Nearly two million people attended the games in person, while 70 percent of the country’s population is said to have tuned in and watched the tournament. More than half of the fans that attended the games – 56 percent – were women.
The tournament generated $570 million in revenue for FIFA, making it the first Women’s World Cup to break even. It’s also the second-highest generated income of any sport, behind the men’s World Cup.
In Australia, soccer’s popularity has increased since the tournament. This season, A-League Women’s game attendances have jumped 123 percent. Streaming for games has increased 120 percent over the previous year.
According to SportsPro, Australia could host the next Women’s Asian Cup in 2026, with both Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan having both withdrawn from the race.