Jerome Laxale (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

In a few week the FIFA Women's World Cup will kick off, and I'm very excited that the world game is coming to Australia. The FIFA Women's World Cup is the third-largest sporting event in the world, and this year's event is on track to become the most attended standalone women's sporting event ever, with over one million tickets sold. Global superstars Sam Kerr, Ellie Carpenter and Caitlin Foord will be selling out stadiums in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. This tournament will be epic and will give us all the opportunity to celebrate women in sport.

In my time as mayor of Ryde I saw firsthand how fast women's football is growing. This world cup and all its glitz and glamour will no doubt spur on women to play the beautiful game. I encourage everyone to get out and watch the game if they have the opportunity, even if Australia isn't playing, and, for those sold-out Matildas games, to try and get out to a live site. Thanks to Councillor Bernard Purcell and the Labor team in the city of Ryde, Meadowbank Park in Bennelong will be broadcasting Australia versus Ireland on the big screen on 20 July. It will be a great event, with food trucks, heaters and beanbags, where you can take the whole family and cheer on the Aussies. We will wipe the floor with the Irish! Be it on television, at a live site or at the game, I'd encourage all to get behind the Matildas on the road to lifting the world cup.

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