Football enthusiasts, brace yourselves, the FIFA Women’s World Cup trophy is coming to South Africa in March for two days – 22-23.
This is part of the Trophy Tour that is held before every World Cup event.
But the first country on the continent to host the travelling party will be Morocco on 20 March, followed by South Africa before proceeding to Zambia (24th) with Nigeria (26th) the last stop before heading to South America.
The South African Football Association (SAFA) is yet to announce which city/cities the Trophy Tour will visit.
For the first time ever, the FIFA Women’s World Cup will host 32 countries – from the initial 24 in France four years ago – making this Trophy Tour the biggest as all the qualified nations will be visited.
The tour will be crisscrossing the globe, visiting Asia, Africa, South America, North America and Europe.
Key dates on the tour schedule include stops in China PR on 9-11 March, South Africa on 22-23 March, Brazil on 29-30 March, USA on 10-14 April, Canada on 19-20 April, Germany on 2-3 May, England on 13-14 May and France on 20-21 May.
In the final weeks before the start of the tournament – which takes place from 20 July to 20 August – all nine Women’s World Cup host cities will get a chance to see the trophy up close and personal.
The last stop will be Hamilton in New Zealand from 12-14 July, a few days before the start of the women’s football spectacle.
“The biggest-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup™ Trophy Tour will embark on a game-changing global journey this month, stoking excitement across the planet ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™.The tour will take the iconic Trophy to all 32 of the tournament’s participating nations – more countries than ever before – and will inspire people of all ages by ‘Going Beyond’ to celebrate the rocketing popularity of the women’s game. At the heart of this mission will be a unique opportunity for members of the public to get creative and showcase their footballing ability to a global audience,” said a statement from FIFA.
Several countries will also be part of the tour for the first time ever, including Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Morocco, the Philippines, the Republic of Ireland, Switzerland, Vietnam and Zambia.
As the Trophy travels from stop to stop, selected women and girls who have participated in Skills Drills will join FIFA Legends, local national team stars and other famous faces to highlight the game’s emerging talent and increase the buzz around the Women’s World Cup.
“The FIFA Women’s World Cup Trophy Tour is a spectacular global celebration of the women’s game, giving fans, families and future football enthusiasts an opportunity to be inspired and become part of a truly special journey,” FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura says.
“It is a fantastic opportunity to experience the most coveted prize in women’s football in person and hear from the game’s legends. The tour will inspire people worldwide by shining a spotlight on the skills and creativity that demonstrate why women’s football has such a bright future.”
At the World Cup, South Africa is drawn in Group G alongside Sweden, Italy and Argentina. Zambia is in Group C with Spain, Costa Rica and Japan. The Nigerians will battle it out with co-hosts Australia, debutants Republic of Ireland as well as Canada in Group B, while Morocco will face Germany, Colombia and Korea Republic in Group H.
The full route of the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ Trophy Tour is as follows:
*SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
| Dates | Member Association | Dates | Member Association |
| 25-26 Feb | Japan | 4 May | Denmark |
| 27 Feb | Korea Republic | 6-7 May | Sweden |
| 1-2 Mar | Philippines | 8 May | Norway |
| 4-5 Mar | Vietnam | 10 May | Republic of Ireland |
| 9-11 Mar | China PR | 13-14 May | England |
| 20 Mar | Morocco | 16 May | Italy |
| 22-23 Mar | South Africa | 18 May | Netherlands |
| 24 Mar | Zambia | 20-21 May | France |
| 26 Mar | Nigeria | 22 May | Spain |
| 29-30 Mar | Brazil | 2-4 June | Auckland, NZ |
| 31 Mar | Argentina | 7-12 June | Sydney, AUS |
| 3 Apr | Colombia | 14-16 June | Melbourne, AUS |
| 7 Apr | Costa Rica | 17-20 June | Hamilton, NZ |
| 10-14 Apr | USA | 22-25 June | Dunedin, NZ |
| 16 Apr | Jamaica | 28-1 Jun/Jul | Brisbane, AUS |
| 19-20 Apr | Canada | 2-4 July | Adelaide, AUS |
| 29-1 Apr/May | Switzerland | 7-10 July | Perth, AUS |
| 2-3 May | Germany | 12-14 July | Wellington, NZ |
The dates of the stops in the final three countries to qualify via the Play-off tournament will be integrated following their confirmation.
For more information about the tour route, visit https://apo-opa.info/3YXx3Xd
By Matlhomola Morake
