SYDNEY/AUCKLAND, July 20 (Reuters) - Australia and New Zealand will open the ninth Women's World Cup co-hosted by the two nations on Thursday, despite a shooting near the Norwegian team hotel in New Zealand's largest city of Auckland that left three dead and six injured.
Tracey Taylor, a professor of sports management at RMIT University in Melbourne, said many members of grassroots football clubs expected the tournament to have a transformative effect for participation in women’s sport in Australia.
Several participating nations, including tournament heavyweights England and Spain, have been in dispute with their administrators over working conditions and pay in recent months.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many New Zealanders to experience a top-tier FIFA World Cup event,” he said.
Reporting by Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Additional reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney and Philip O'Connor in Stockholm; Editing by Lincoln Feast.
Persons:
Chris Hipkins, Maren Mjelde, Sydney –, Tracey Taylor, ”, Sam Kerr, Anthony Albanese, Fatma, “, Grant Robertson, “ It’s, Alasdair Pal, Renju Jose, Philip O'Connor, Lincoln
Organizations:
SYDNEY, Police, New Zealand, New Zealand’s Football Ferns, Norway, Gang, Australia, RMIT University, England, rugby, Blacks, FIFA’s, Kiwis, Zealand, Wednesday, FIFA, Thomson
Locations:
AUCKLAND, Australia, New Zealand, Norwegian, New Zealand's, Auckland, Eden, Norway, Republic of Ireland, Sydney, England, Melbourne, Spain, France, Zealanders, Stockholm