USA’s Sauerbrunn pens open letter to New Zealand ahead of World Cup

The captain of the US women’s national team, Becky Sauerbrunn, has written an open letter to Kiwis in which she praises New Zealand for its commitment to gender equality and women’s rights, saying there “could not be a more fitting host for our base camp during the first round” of the Women’s World Cup later this year.

Sauerbrunn’s letter was published Tuesday by the New Zealand media organization Stuff. She said the World Cup from 20 July to 20 August in New Zealand and Australia “will not only showcase the supreme talent and skill of the world’s best female soccer players but will also demonstrate the value of empowerment and the growth of the women’s game.

“I know I speak for my teammates when I say we are thrilled to be playing our group stage matches in New Zealand.”

The USWNT played warm-up matches in Auckland and Wellington in January and Sauerbrunn said the American players had learned about the diverse culture of New Zealand and had “truly enjoyed” playing at stadiums which will host World Cup matches.

“Over the years, I have been fortunate to play in three Women’s World Cup tournaments and experience the growth of the game in real time,” Sauerbrunn said. “With each passing year, women’s soccer has continued to break barriers but we have so much further to go.

“That said, I know we will get to the place we want to be through the strength, resilience and commitment of players and fans from around the globe.”

Sauerbrunn said while New Zealanders obviously will be cheering for their national team, the Football Ferns, she hoped local fans will embrace the world champions as their “second-favorite” team.

“We cherish our status as role models and know that our push for equality has inspired people around the world,”