FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023: What legacy does this tournament leave?

The Matildas made Australia proud by reaching the semi-finals, the best finish in any World Cup for the country. Off the pitch, record viewing figures and ticket sales proved that the sport has finally made it's mark down under.

Michelle Escobar, one of Australia’s leading sports presenters, told us how the event is set to inspire the next generation of Aussie footballers.

“I think, as cliché as it sounds, boys and girls now have these idols that have made it so far. When I was growing up, I didn’t have these female idols in football because women’s football wasn’t as accessible. It’s always been popular to play, but now there will actually be an avenue to be able to go professional.”

“Football doesn’t get as much funding as other bigger sports [in Australia] such as AFL, cricket and rugby league. So, hopefully this is a push that we can get more funding, especially at grassroots level.”

It’s an opinion that is shared by FIFA president Gianni Infantino. As the man responsible for delivering a successful tournament, he can be pleased with how it has panned out. He emphasised further what a watershed moment this could be for the women’s game.

“The future is definitely for women’s football, and it’s not just a PR thing. It’s really the facts and figures that show it, and you know, half of the world’s population are women. So it is obvious that this is going to grow, this is going to prosper.”

Spain’s victory at this tournament, despite the disruptions to their preparations, was very impressive. Their performance in the final was near to perfection, as they beat European champions England 1-0 in Sydney. However, the aftermath of the game has been plagued with controversy. This week the former president of the Royal Spanish