Gianni Infantino Sweden Germany Portugal Italy Brazil Colombia Usa Australia South Africa Japan New Zealand state Indiana Nigeria Jamaica Football Gap Gianni Infantino Sweden Germany Portugal Italy Brazil Colombia Usa Australia South Africa Japan New Zealand state Indiana Nigeria Jamaica

Womens' Football Losing The Gap, But It's Not All Down To FIFA

sports.ndtv.com

In the 92nd minute of South Africa's drawn FIFA Women's World Cup match against football giant Italy, striker Hilda Magaia runs onto a pass at the top of the box.

Magaia, who scored her country's first ever Women's World Cup goal a week earlier, springs past three lunging Italian defenders and curls the ball in to find Thembi Kgatlana, who blasts the ball into the net.

South Africa, in its first Women's World Cup, is through to the round of 16. It is perhaps the most striking upset result of this World Cup, but far from the only one: Nigeria beating co-host Australia, Colombia's last-minute winner against Germany, Portugal holding the United States to a draw and Jamaica advancing at the expense of Brazil are signs of the closing gap in women's football that pundits are noticing.

The gap is closing and the game is growing: ticket sales in Australia and New Zealand are exceeding expectations, domestic television ratings for Australia's Matildas are shattering records and their merchandise sales are easily out-pacing their male counterparts, the Socceroos.

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This handout photo taken and released by FIFA on August 11, 2023 shows FIFA President Gianni Infantino (L) speaking with match officials (L-R) Francesca Di Monte, Stephanie Frappart and Elodie Coppola following the Australia and New Zealand 2023 Women’s World Cup quarter-final football match between Spain and the Netherlands at Wellington Stadium. (Photo by Harold Cunningham / FIFA / AFP) /

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