Women’s World Cup 2023 kicks off

The ninth edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup is officially underway.

Over the next four weeks, 32 teams will compete across 64 matches at 10 venues in Australia and New Zealand.

Opening Day brought its share of thrills on the pitch, with a big upset win for one host country and a tense match that ended in victory for the other. As the soccer world turns its attention to the women’s tournament, the World Cup has also highlighted a number of issues off the pitch.

The matches:

Other key storylines:

What’s next: The action resumes on the pitch tomorrow. The?US Women’s National Team, which arrives as the two-time defending champion and arguably the favorite to win an unprecedented third consecutive title, will play Vietnam at 9 p.m. ET.

The?US Women’s National Team?arrives at this year’s Women’s World Cup tournament as the two-time defending champion and arguably the favorite to win an unprecedented third consecutive title.

The US plays its first match against Vietnam Saturday afternoon in Auckland, New Zealand. While the game kicks off at 1 p.m. local time, for Americans watching from home, that’s actually 9 p.m. ET on Friday.

In the US, the match will air on your local Fox channel. You can also stream the match by signing in with your TV provider at?foxsports.com?or on the Fox Sports app. Telemundo and Peacock are providing Spanish-language coverage.

Watching from elsewhere? A full breakdown of media rights holders in each country is available on the?FIFA website.

According to sports data company Gracenote, the US is the favorite to win the tournament with a 18% chance of success.

For the first time ever, a total of 32 teams will vie for this year’s Women’s World Cup prize – the most countries to ever compete at the tournament.

The bumper number of teams means there is space for eight nations who have never made an appearance at a World Cup finals before: Haiti, Republic of Ireland, Morocco, Panama, Philippines, Portugal, Vietnam and Zambia are all making their debut at the competition this year.

Ireland lost to co-host country Australia in the team’s first match on Thursday. It’s set to take on Canada next week.

World No. 77 Zambia is the lowest-ranked team in the tournament and its achievement of reaching the finals has been rewarded with group games against Spain, Japan and Costa Rica.

Meanwhile, the Moroccan women’s team has continued the incredible rise of football in the country.

The Atlas Lionesses reached the final of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations last year – a tournament hosted in the country – before being beaten by South Africa.

It comes as the men’s side reached the semifinals at Qatar 2022 – the first African nation to do so

Haiti, ranked 53rd in the world, is another debutant which will be looking to upset the odds in Australia and New Zealand.

While the new additions can be seen as progress for the tournament, there are fears that it could lead to some one-sided matches.

In the 2019 edition, the USWNT beat Thailand 13-0 in a match which sparked debate over the disparity between nations – with some countries struggling to find resources to compete with the sport’s powerhouses.

All eyes will be on this year’s minnows who will be hoping to avoid such embarrassment on the global stage.

Read more about how this year’s World Cup is breaking new ground here.

Australia’s Steph Catley celebrates her goal against Ireland on July 20.

Steph Catley, Australia’s stand-in captain, had the weight of the nation on her shoulders as she stepped up to take the match-winning penalty in the second half against the Republic of Ireland.

Wearing the armband in place of the injured Sam Kerr, Catley held her nerve from 12 yards to secure an important three points in the team’s opening World Cup match.

“It’s hard to put into words to be honest,” she told British broadcaster ITV. “It’s been such a big build-up for us.

“We’ve had a lot of adrenaline and excitement coming into the game, we had some moments where we had to work through that.

“Obviously, we didn’t have Sammy [Kerr]. I’ve had conversations with [head coach] Tony [Gustavsson] about it, about me potentially needing to take one if the opportunity came up, and I felt confident to do it.

Despite a disappointing result against Australia, Ireland’s fans have much to cheer about.

Their side showed it can go toe-to-toe with a powerhouse of women’s soccer and was only denied a memorable result by a second-half penalty.

While the Irish players trudged off the pitch in Sydney, fans watching in Brisbane could see the positives.

“Disappointing but very uplifting,” Ireland fan Sean Stanley told CNN, while he attended a fan park in the city.

“We know we’re good defensively and we did that well tonight and we showed attacking threat as well. It’s 1-0, it’s unfortunate, but that’s it.”

The match was Ireland’s first ever game in the Women’s World Cup, but there was no sign of nerves.

On another day, Ireland might have found an equalizer after piling the pressure on the Matildas in the final few moments.

Ireland fan John McGarry told CNN that he was proud of how the players represented the country.

“We can’t take away from the Girls in Green here,” he said.

Screens show the attendance number of the match between Australia and Ireland on July 20.

Australia’s Women’s World Cup opener against the Republic of Ireland set a new single-game attendance record for a women’s soccer match in the country, with 75,784 fans watching the Matildas’ 1-0 win at Stadium Australia in Sydney.

Expect to see more attendance records set at this World Cup, with almost 1.4 million tickets already sold, surpassing the previous record set at Canada 2015.

Australia's Clare Polkinghorne and Clare Hunt celebrate after winning the match against Ireland on July 20.

Australia manages to hold on to record its first win of this year’s Women’s World Cup.

The co-host had to weather a mighty Irish storm in the final few moments but defended resolutely when it mattered.

The full-time whistle was greeted with celebrations on the pitch and from fans packed into Stadium Australia.

Disappointment for Ireland which stepped up on its tournament debut, but a magical opening day for both co-hosts as they both take three points.

(From left to right) Irish fans Kerryn, Oscar, Joshua and Samantha traveled to Australia from Limerick, Ireland.?

Australia certainly has lots of support in Sydney for its opening match but, despite the game being held on the other side of the world, plenty of Irish fans are making their voices heard.

While many Irish spectators are already living in Australia, some have made the trip over to watch their side play in the Women’s World Cup for the first time.

Oscar, Kerryn, Joshua and Samantha have traveled all the way from Limerick, Ireland, to be inside Stadium Australia — a roughly 10,800-mile trip one way.?

They won’t be too happy with the result so far and their team is holding on a bit now with five minutes left to play.

Steph Catley of Australia converts the penalty to score the team's first goal during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Group B match between Australia and Ireland at Stadium Australia on July 20.

Deafening sound inside the stadium as Australia finally has the breakthrough… but Ireland is furious.

The Matildas have been piling on the pressure since the restart and were rewarded with a penalty after Hayley Raso was clumsily brought down in the box.

Ireland’s players protested the decision, but the referee had very little choice.

Captain Steph Catley stepped up and fired her spotkick into the top corner of the net. The crowd liked that one.

Ireland gets the game underway again and has 45 minutes left to secure another shock result on the opening day of the Women’s World Cup.

Australia will need to do something different after the break and the crowd inside the stadium expects a victory.

The co-host is a notoriously slow starter at the World Cup, having lost the opening game of the last three tournaments.

Can the Matildas deliver this year?

New Zealand's Hannah Wilkinson celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Women's World Cup soccer match between New Zealand and Norway in Auckland, New Zealand, on July 20.

New Zealand’s victory over Norway marked the country’s first ever World Cup win, despite the Football Ferns’ previous five appearances in the women’s tournament.

Coach Jitka Klimkova told reporters Thursday that the win “means so much” especially for the three current players who were part of the previous winless World Cup squads.

“Seeing them having tears in their eyes and enjoying it in front of their families and friends and fan, incredible moment for me as a coach,” Klimkova said.

Klimkova added that she “will never forget” the moment when she saw the reaction from experienced players.

“Finally, finally it came,” she said. “Well deserved.”

An advertisement by telecoms company Orange and the French national team that uses visual effects to draw attention to the quality of the women’s game is spreading quickly on social networks.

The video is proving popular?by making the point that — despite the pay disparity — women are just as skillful as men.

Targeting perceptions: According to trade sites, Orange and French creative agency Marcel sought to overturn prejudices that “all too often surround the players” — that the women’s game is less skilled and exciting than the men’s.

For the Orange ad, producers scoured the French Football Federation’s archives for weeks to find technical moves by the French Women’s National Team before searching for their “exact replicas” during the men’s game.

The videos are cut together with dramatic music and screaming fans to give the impression of a male highlights reel.

The assumptions that women’s sports are inferior to men’s, so are less deserving of investment and reward, has long been an issue perpetuated by misogynistic attitudes among some fans.

In 2022, a survey of 1,950 male football fans in the United Kingdom by Durham University found that “openly misogynistic attitudes” still dominate football fandom.

Those with misogynistic attitudes saw women’s sport as inferior, and its coverage as “positive discrimination” or “PC nonsense,”?author Stacey Pope wrote for the Conversation.

Chris Hipkins, center, Prime Minister of New Zealand, and New Zealand players celebrate the team's 1-0 victory in the dressing room at Eden Park on July 20, in Auckland.

New Zealand women’s soccer coach Jitka Klimkova told reporters Thursday that Prime Minister Chris Hipkins congratulated the team after their historic win over Norway.

“He came to the locker room and he was very proud,” Klimkova said. “It was a very nice moment for us to have this kind of guest.”

New Zealand is known more for its rugby than soccer and Klimkova said Thursday she believes this World Cup will “wake up a lot of passion in football.”

“I believe the performance and the result [will] keep inspiring the nation,” Klimkova said.

“If we will have this crowd behind us every time we step on the field, that’s what we need. We need this kind of push.

“The fans for us are so important.?I want to thank to them for coming and supporting us,” she said. “I hope they will keep coming and the love for football will just grow in this country.”

Hayley Raso of Australia, left, and Katie McCabe of Republic of Ireland compete for the ball during the Group B match between Australia and Ireland at Stadium Australia on July 20.

Australia has struggled to lay a glove on the Republic of Ireland so far in this match – the co-host has hit the target only once in its first attempts on goal.

While Ireland has defended resolutely, it has looked dangerous at times itself but has been let down by decision-making around Australia’s box.

Ireland’s Katie McCabe has been brilliant in the opening 45 minutes, leading her team’s charge against the Matildas and getting stuck in with some strong tackles.

Ireland will be happy with the scoreline so far but will surely face yet more pressure after the break.

New Zealand’s women’s soccer team has a tradition of celebrating wins with ice cream, according to local media.

Asked what she’d be celebrating Thursday’s historic win with, coach Jitka Klimkova said she was recently introduced to ‘Hokey Pokey,’ a popular New Zealand ice cream flavor which consists of vanilla ice cream dotted with bits of honeycomb toffee.

“I believe there is going to be a lot of ‘Hokey Pokey,’” Klimkova told reporters.

Tears were shed by members of the Michelton senior women’s team when they found out Sam Kerr was out with an injury. Charlotte Andrew “cried on a public train,” her teammates said. “I’ll never be the same,” she added.

Unsurprisingly, the news of Sam Kerr’s injury has been met with shock and sadness in Australia.

The talismanic captain has been ruled out of the Matildas’ opening two matches due to a calf injury picked up in training.

Tears were even shed by members of Mitchelton Football Club senior women’s team, based in Brisbane, when they found out about Kerr’s injury.

Charlotte Andrew “cried on a public train,” her teammates said. “I’ll never be the same,” Andrew added, the yellow and green painted stripes on her face slightly smudged.

Matildas fan Kate Deegan said Sam Kerr's injury was “heartbreaking!” with her friends adding: “There’s great depth in the team.” Who will they watch now? “Mary Fowler!"

Another Matildas fan, Kate Deegan, called Kerr’s shock exclusion “heartbreaking.”

“But she’s got a strong team behind her,” Deegan added.

Her friends said: “There’s great depth in the team.”

Who will they watch now?

“Mary Fowler,” they yelled, referring to the forward who’s been chosen to replace Kerr up front.

Fowler was selected for the 2019 team but didn’t play, so there’s huge anticipation about her performance.

Jitka Klimkova, Head Coach of New Zealand, gives an interview after the team's 1-0 victory between New Zealand and Norway at Eden Park on July 20, in Auckland, New Zealand.

Following New Zealand’s historic win over Norway in the opening match of the 2023 World Cup, Ferns coach Jitka Klimkova told reporters she believes the halftime chat helped the squad secure the win.

Early in the second half, Hannah Wilkinson scored the decisive goal which clinched New Zealand’s first ever World Cup win, men’s or women’s.

Going into the break, Klimkova said: “We knew that our performance is very good. We wanted to stay consistent. Consistency of keeping the ball, getting to the final third, being very organized in defense.

“Those messages stayed the same, but we added few priorities: how we can use our spaces a little bit more wisely and more efficiently,” she added.

“We could see it in the second half and I believe that helped us to get the goal in,” Klimkova said.

Denise O'Sullivan (10) of Republic of Ireland controls the ball against Mary Fowler and Ellie Carpenter of Australia during the FIFA Women's World Cup Group B match between Australia and Ireland at Stadium Australia on July 20, in Sydney, Australia.

A quiet enough start inside Stadium Australia with both sides yet to settle into the game.

The cohost was expected to win this easily, but Ireland is in no mood to just lie down.

Ireland’s Katie McCabe and Australia’s Hayley Raso exchanged some tasty challenges which have caught the eye of the referee in the opening 20 minutes.

Neither side has yet to create a real chance.

Malia Steinmetz, center, celebrates victory after the FIFA Women's World Cup Group A match between New Zealand and Norway at Eden Park on July 20, in Auckland, New Zealand.

New Zealand got its World Cup campaign off to a dream start on Thursday, earning a shock win over a heavily fancied Norway side.

It was a historic result for the Ferns, who secured a first World Cup win for the country, men’s or women’s.

“It’s hard to describe, I think just the fact that we finally got that first ever win which has been so long overdue,” midfielder Malia Steinmetz told CNN’s Tara Subramaniam.

“That was just for all the girls that have made this team the way that the team is — in the past or future.

The day got off to a difficult and emotional start after a shooting in Auckland, the city where the match against Norway was played, left three people dead, including the shooter.

Steinmetz said the team spoke about it before the match.

“It was just something that was so sad to experience as a city and nation and just so close on our back doorstep,” she said.

“We obviously felt for the people that were involved and I know sports doesn’t contrast with life, it’s just a football game and so different to anyone’s life.

“It was just good to have the support out there today for us, even after everything that’s gone on.”

Australia's opening game against Republic of Ireland has kicked off at Stadium Australia in Sydney on July 20.

We have kickoff inside Stadium Australia in Sydney.

Australia in its famous green and gold colours gets the game underway against its opponents in all green.

CNN is witness to a lot of fans inside the stadium making plenty of noise, with both anthems sung passionately.

A minute’s silence was also respected to pay tribute to the victims of the shooting in Auckland earlier on Thursday.

Norway defender Maren Mjelde spoke to CNN in the aftermath of her nation’s 1-0 defeat to co-host New Zealand.

The captain said that despite the disappointment, the team was focused on improving for the final two group stage games against Switzerland and the Philippines.

“We have two more games and we need to stick together and evaluate and move forward. I think it’s a lot of winning the first ball […] get control of the game.

“I think we were too far away from each other. And it’s hard to to get into the right rhythm.”

New Zealand's Ali Riley reacts after winning the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Group A soccer match between New Zealand and Norway on July 20.

New Zealand’s captain Ali Riley struggled to sum up her emotions when speaking to reporters after her nation’s first ever victory at the Women’s World Cup.

The 35-year-old was in tears as she paid tribute to the victims of the shooting which occurred in Auckland, New Zealand, just hours before kickoff.

“We thought of the victims and the first responders, and they made us so proud, and we wanted to just bring something amazing today.”

On the victory itself, Riley said the team always believed it could pull off an upset despite being the underdogs on paper.

Sam Kerr of Australia looks on prior to the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Group B match between Australia and Ireland at Stadium Australia in Sydney on July 20.

Australia striker Sam Kerr, who is the face of this Women’s World Cup, will miss the opening two matches of the tournament after sustaining a calf injury in training.

One of the world’s best players, Kerr’s absence is a huge blow to the Matildas who face the Republic of Ireland in their opening game of the World Cup on Thursday.

“Unfortunately, I sustained a calf injury yesterday in training,” Kerr wrote on Instagram.

“I wanted to share this with everyone so there is no distraction from us doing what we came here to achieve.

According to the Matildas, Chelsea forward Kerr will also miss next Thursday’s match against Nigeria, but should return for the July 31 clash against Canada.

Manchester City striker Mary Fowler, who scored the winner in a friendly against France last week, will start in Kerr’s place.

Even without its captain, Australia should still have enough quality to progress from the group stages.

The Australian flag, the Aboriginal flag and the flag of the Torres Strait Islands fly outside Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on June 1, 2023.

Soccer fans will notice two flags flying either side of the Australian national flag at World Cup games in the country.

The black, red and yellow one is the Aboriginal flag — the black symbolizes the Aboriginal people, the red the earth and ochre used in traditional ceremonies, and the yellow represents the sun.

The colors of the Torres Strait flag are also symbolic. The green represents the land and the blue represents the sea, an incredibly important aspect of the culture of the seafaring people.

In the center is a traditional headdress known as a Dhari, and below that is a five-pointed star representing the five islander groups who live in the Torres Strait, off Australia’s northern tip.

Before every public event in Australia, audiences will hear a “Welcome to Country” delivered by an Aboriginal elder to recognize the country’s traditional owners.

At the Brisbane FIFA Fan Festival at Southbank on the Brisbane River, the Welcome to Country was delivered Thursday by First Nations elder Aunty Kathryn Fisher.?

She told how the Turrbal people from Meanjin, now known as Brisbane, initially lived with the colonists, “but the colonizers then decided that they were becoming a nuisance, so therefore, they slaughtered them.”

This is an important year for Australia’s First Nations people as the country votes in a referendum to recognize them in the constitution — and talking about the past is considered to be an important part of the healing process.?

The?2023 Women’s World Cup?kicked off Thursday with co-hosts New Zealand stunning Norway 1-0 in the opening match.

Next up, co-host?Australia?faces the Republic of Ireland with one of the tournament’s frontrunners?looking to get off to a winning start in front of an expected record home crowd.

Here’s what to watch in Australia vs Ireland:

New Zealand's Hannah Wilkinson controls the ball during the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup soccer match against Norway in Auckland, New Zealand, on July 20.

New Zealand’s Hannah Wilkinson was named player of the match for the first game of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, organizers announced at the end of Thursday’s match.

Wilkinson tapped home the second-half winner, connecting with an inch-perfect cross from Jacqui?Hand that sent the 42,000 packed-out home crowd wild.

Her goal netted New Zealand its first ever World Cup victory. The Football Ferns now lead Group A.

The scene at Eden Park as one of euphoria when the referee blew the final whistle after more than 10 minutes of added time, signaling New Zealand’s first ever World Cup win against favorites Norway.

New Zealand squad members on the sidelines streamed onto the field as coach Jitka Klimková threw her hands in the air in triumph. Co-captains Ali Riley and Ria Percival also shared a tender hug.

Hannah Wilkinson tapped home the second-half winner, connecting with an inch-perfect cross from Jacqui?Hand that sent the 42,000 packed-out home crowd wild.

Some context: The Football Ferns had previously gone without a win from their 15 World Cup games —the longest total run of any nation without a win in football’s biggest competition.

New Zealand is also yet to make it past the group stage but will be hoping that this positive start to its World Cup campaign can ignite a historic run and spark a women’s soccer revolution in their home country.

New Zealand's Betsy Hassett and Gabi Rennie celebrate after winning the match.

At the 16th attempt, they’ve finally done it.

Co-hosts New Zealand have beaten Norway 1-0 in the opening match of the FIFA 2023 Women’s World Cup at Auckland’s Eden Park — their first ever World Cup win.

Hannah Wilkinson tapped home the second-half winner, connecting with an inch-perfect cross from Jacqui?Hand that sent the 42,000 packed-out home crowd wild.

The Football Ferns had previously gone without a win from their 15 World Cup games —the longest total run of any nation without a win in football’s biggest competition.

New Zealand is also yet to make it past the group stage but will be hoping that this positive start to its World Cup campaign can ignite a historic run and spark a women’s soccer revolution in their home country.

Already fans in the stadium have expressed excitement at what’s to come, as their team prepares to travel to Wellington to face World Cup debutants the Philippines on July 25, before facing Switzerland on July 30 in Dunedin.

In stoppage time, two Norway players carried off midfielder Thea Bjelde, who appeared injured.

The scene prompted laughter around the stadium as the players rushed their team mate off without waiting for medical staff as the clock ticked down.

Norway trail New Zealand 0-1, with minutes left in the first game of the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

New Zealand's Ria Percival reacts after missing a penalty on July 20.

With less than five minutes left in regulation time, New Zealand’s Ria Percival missed a penalty that could have cemented the team’s lead over Norway.

The home team leads 1-0 and is minutes away from winning their first ever World Cup match.

Fans watch the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Group A football match between New Zealand and Norway at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand on July 20.

A record 42,137 people are in the stands for the opening game of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, organizers have announced — setting a record for any soccer match in the country, men’s or women’s.

Organizers had hoped to attract a large home crowd, as co-hosts and tournament underdogs New Zealand battle former winners Norway at Auckland’s 123-year-old Eden Park.

The 2023 Women’s World Cup is on track to be the most attended standalone women’s sporting event in history, according to FIFA — with record ticket sales.

The mood in Auckland’s Eden Park Stadium is jubilant, as underdogs New Zealand lead 1-0 against much-fancied Norway thanks to a goal from Hannah Wilkinson.

Fans have broken out in several rounds of loud cheers in support of the Ferns, as the women’s team is known.

The challenge now for the home team is to hang on. Despite playing in five previous tournaments, New Zealand has the unenviable record of having never won a match in World Cup competition.

Norway, meanwhile, lifted the trophy in 1995 and were considered among the favorites heading into this year’s cup.

Jeremy Seales and his son, Rafferty.

Jeremy Seales and his son, Rafferty, have been looking forward to the World Cup for months.

“He’s been pretty excited about coming,” Seales said of his son.

New Zealand fans Ohm and Jeffrey.

New Zealand fans are out in force for the co-host’s opening match against Norway in Auckland Thursday.

Ohm and Jeffrey, who declined to provide their last names, said they didn’t usually watch the women’s game but came out to get behind the home team.

A record New Zealand’s women’s team crowd is expected Thursday at Eden Park stadium for the tournament opener.?The 123-year-old stadium has a capacity of more than 40,500 seats for the tournament,?according to FIFA.

A record New Zealand women's team crowd is expected Thursday at Auckland's Eden Park.

The 2023 Women’s World Cup is on track to be the most attended standalone women’s sporting event in history, according to FIFA — with record ticket sales. But in New Zealand, ticket sales have slowed.

Auckland resident Navneet Kanwal said he’d heard of the reports of low ticket sales elsewhere and suggested they could be due to a lack of awareness. He told CNN he only realized the tournament was being hosted in Auckland last week from a friend, but was nonetheless excited.?

Hannah Wilkinson of New Zealand celebrates after scoring her team's first goal on July 20.

New Zealand has broken the deadlock, shocking favorites Norway with the tournament’s opening goal.

The goal saw New Zealand’s Hannah Wilkinson connect with an inch-perfect cross from teammate Jacqui?Hand, tapping home from close range and sending the packed-out home crowd at Auckland’s Eden Park wild.

The Women’s World Cup opening ceremony in Auckland featured dancers dressed in jerseys representing all 32 participating nations.

Among the dancers were Sarah Duffy and her daughter, who plays for a local club. Duffy said they had five weekends of rehearsals and a few dress rehearsals before Thursday’s performance.?

She praised the show’s coordinators as “incredible,” adding, “their vision, their patience and their kindness, they’re amazing.”

It’s half time at the Eden Park Stadium in Auckland, where underdogs New Zealand have held firm for the first 45 minutes against former World Cup winners Norway.

The Scandinavians are among the tournament favorites this year, but despite dominating much of the play have been unable to break through the home side’s defense and create a clear-cut chance.

Link-up play from Norway’s Ada?Hegerberg?and Julie?Blakstad?has led to the game’s most dangerous moments, including a chance on 19 minutes that fell to Frida?Maanum, whose shot went over the bar.

But it hasn’t been all defending from New Zealand. The home side have enjoyed several threatening moments of their own going forward, much to the delight of the sold-out home crowd.

In the final moments of the half, New Zealand kept the pressure on, with several opportunities in the box.

Soccer’s gender pay gap is alive and kicking as the Women’s World Cup kicks off in New Zealand on Thursday.

Players at the?2023 Women’s World Cup?will on average earn just 25 cents for every dollar earned by men at their World Cup last year, a new CNN analysis found.

But while the issue is typically referred to?in monetary terms, for the players, equal pay?encompasses more?than simply closing the gap to the salaries enjoyed by the men.

With some of the Women’s World Cup money ringfenced for players, New Zealand captain Ali Riley told CNN’s Amanda Davies that this represents a “huge milestone,” even if it isn’t the “finish line.”

At the beginning of her career, Riley recalled playing in the World Cup was “just for honor,” rather than something that could provide financial security.

Payal Kaur, from Auckland, New Zealand, is watching the Ferns’ opening match in Brisbane, Australia.

Payal Kaur, from Auckland, New Zealand, found herself on the wrong side of the Tasman for the Women’s World Cup.

She’s watching the Ferns’ opening match on the big screen in Brisbane after booking a trip to Australia long before the tournament schedule was set.

If NZ bows out, she’ll back Australia, she added. No pressure from the locals.

From left, Rachel Warby and Kate Deegan.

Self-described Matildas super fans Kate Deegan and Rachel Warby bagged a table on the Brisbane River early to watch Australia vs. Ireland, the second game of the tournament and Ireland’s first outing at the Women’s World Cup.

Canada’s the biggest threat to the Matildas in Group B, they say, adding that if the locals can triumph an Australia vs USA final is “not out of the question.”

Their eyes are on Aussie defender Clare Polkinghorne to score a “cheeky goal.”

Note the face tatt: “GoMatildas”!

Norway's Aurora Mikalsen in action during the opening match of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup on July 20.

Norway has so far dominated the first 20 minutes of the opening match of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, as co-hosts New Zealand, which is appearing in its sixth World Cup, struggle to maintain possession.

Previous World Cup winners Norway, which lifted the trophy in 1995, entered the match as clear favorites and are expected to make a deep run in the tournament.

New Zealand on the other hand, enter with the unenviable record of having never won a match in World Cup competition.

Norway boasts one of the game’s best forward lines, including Ada Hegerberg — the first ever winner, in 2018, of the women’s Ballon d’Or.

Hegerberg has so far been heavily involved in the opening 20 minutes, continually threatening the New Zealand defense.

Players of New Zealand, players of Norway and match officials observe a minute of silence for victims of the Auckland shooting prior to the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Group A match between New Zealand and Norway at Eden Park on July 20.

Just before the kick off in Auckland, there was a poignant moment of silence to remember those killed in a shooting earlier in the day in the city.

Players and spectators alike fell silent.?

The game between co-hosts New Zealand and Norway has kicked off and it’s currently 0-0.

Unlike the Olympics, World Cups hold short opening ceremonies and Thursday’s one in Eden Park was no different.

The roughly 10-minute ceremony kicked off on a chilly but dry Auckland night celebrating both New Zealand and Australia’s indigenous heritage and culture, with Māori and First Nations dancers and singers taking to the center of the field.

Australian musician Mallrat accompanied New Zealand’s Benee to sing this year’s official FIFA World Cup song Do It Again.

Performers dance during the opening ceremony prior to the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Group A match between New Zealand and Norway at Eden Park on July 20 in Auckland, New Zealand.

Dancers perform during the opening ceremony.

BENEE and Mallrat perform on stage.

Cars and buses taking fans to the opening match of the Women’s World Cup at Auckland’s Eden Park were facing traffic delays Thursday, owing in part to road closures resulting from this morning’s rare mass shooting.

Among those choosing to avoid the delays by walking the final kilometer to the stadium, Giselle Baker told CNN she had hopped off her bus two stops early because of the traffic.

She had left two hours before kick off and yet an hour later had still not reached her destination.

She told CNN she was rushing to meet her family who were already at the stadium but could not enter because she had their tickets.

A record crowd is expected Thursday evening at the city’s Eden Park stadium for the tournament opener between the home team Football Ferns and Norway.?The 123-year-old stadium has a capacity of more than 40,500 seats for the tournament, according to FIFA.

The opening game is the first of five group matches taking place in Auckland. Eden Park will also host one match in the round of 16, one in the quarterfinals and one in the semis.

The ninth edition of the FIFA?Women’s World Cup?kicks off in Auckland on Thursday as co-host New Zealand takes on Norway.

Between July 20 and August 20, 32 teams will compete across 64 matches at 10 different venues, making this year’s tournament the biggest to date.

Here’s the teams to look out for:

The?2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup?gets underway shortly with co-hosts New Zealand kicking off the tournament and the summer of footballing festivities.

The Football Ferns will take on Norway at Eden Park in front of an expected record home crowd.

The team line-ups have just been announced:

Norway, the 1995 World Cup winner, comes into the opening game as the heavy favorite and with star quality all over the pitch — led by talismanic striker Ada Hegerberg. The 2018 Ballon d’Or Féminin winner, awarded to the best women’s player in the world, will be crucial for Norway’s chances of going far in the tournament.

The World Cup loves an underdog story and buoyed by home support, the co-hosts will be hoping to make a memorable start. While New Zealand isn’t expected to set the world alight during the tournament, this World Cup could have a huge impact on football in the country for generations to come.

The ninth edition of the FIFA?Women’s World Cup?kicks off in Auckland on Thursday as co-host New Zealand takes on Norway.

Between July 20 and August 20, 32 teams will compete across 64 matches at 10 different venues, making this year’s tournament the biggest to date.

Here’s who to watch out for:

Tazuni looks on during the FIFA Women's World Cup 100 Days To Go launch event at Sydney Football Stadium on April 11, 2023 in Sydney, Australia.

Move over La’eeb!

The flying white sheet that descended from the mascot-verse to represent the Men’s World Cup in Qatar in 2022 has been replaced with a new cartoon creation.

Women’s World Cup mascot Tazuni is a 15-year-old penguin with a shock of blue hair whose name is a mash-up of the “Tasman Sea” — the stretch of water between Australia and New Zealand — and “unity,” a nod to the co-hosts becoming the first countries to ever share Women’s World Cup hosting rights.

As the legend goes, Tazuni took up the sport after joining some children playing on a beach.

On Thursday, Tazuni was beside another stretch of water — the Brisbane River — meeting fans at the FIFA Fan Festival in Brisbane or Meanjin, the name used by its traditional owners, the Turrbal people, ahead of the opening ceremony across the Tasman.

A FIFA Women's World Cup billboard is seen in the central business district ahead of the opening match in Auckland, New Zealand, on July 19, 2023.

In Auckland on Thursday, banners and posters emblazoned with the 2023 Women’s World Cup slogan “Beyond Greatness” welcomed visitors from across the world, as the city prepared to host the opening game in what is expected to be the biggest women’s sporting event in history.

Located in the north of New Zealand’s North Island, Auckland is the country’s largest city?with a population of approximately 1.6 million.

No stranger to major sporting events, it also hosted the finals of the 1987 and 2011 Rugby World Cups.

This year, it is one of nine World Cup host cities across New Zealand and Australia.

A record crowd is expected Thursday evening at the city’s Eden Park stadium for the tournament opener between the home team Football Ferns and Norway.?The 123-year-old stadium has a capacity of more than 40,500 seats for the tournament, according to FIFA.

The opening game is the first of five group matches taking place in Auckland. Eden Park will also host one match in the round of 16, one in the quarterfinals and one in the semis.

Festivities paused: In the commercial heart of the city, FIFA is hosting a 2,000-capacity Fan Festival for those unable to travel to the games. The festival, which promises to feature games, food and live performances, will show all 48 of the matches on a 111-feet outdoor screen.

On Thursday, Auckland officials said plans to show the opening match at the festival had been scrapped, “out of deep respect to those who lost their lives” in Thursday’s shooting.

The Fan Festival will open again from midday Friday, the statement added.

Police officers stand guard near the site of a shooting in central Auckland on July 20.

Addressing Thursday’s fatal shooting in host city Auckland, Lynn Williams, a forward with the US Women’s National Team, told reporters, “Unfortunately in the US I feel like we’ve dealt with this far too many times.”

Following the shooting, which took place near the team’s hotel, Williams said “there was definitely a sense of like, let’s come together.”

While the shooting delayed the team’s morning training plans, Williams said, “once we were able to go to training, we have to focus on the job at hand.”

The US team plays their first game Saturday, against Vietnam.

The shooting, which took place in the city’s central business district just after 7 a.m. local time Thursday, left three people dead, including the gunman, and injured six others.

New Zealand Police said the shooting – which saw armed police secure the downtown area – did not pose a national security risk, as officials confirmed the Women’s World Cup opening ceremony and first game would go ahead as planned.

In a statement, FIFA said it extended “its deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims” of Thursday’s shooting.

There have been a total of eight previous editions of the Women’s World Cup, but this year’s tournament in Australia and New Zealand promises to look very different.

From higher pay to eight new teams, Here’s a look at what makes this year’s edition a tournament like no other.

Read more here.

From left, US midfielder Crystal Dunn drives down the pitch as Wales midfielder Megan Wynne chases during the second half at PayPal Park in San Jose, California, on July 9, 2023.

In their first press conference of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, US Women’s National Team defender Crystal Dunn and forward Lynn Williams shed light on the team’s preparation ahead of their opening game Saturday.

She also highlighted the 14 members of the team for whom this is their first World Cup, including Williams.

Williams said she’s been looking to the veterans like Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan.

Setting the standard: Team USA are looking to achieve what no other country has done before: Win?three?straight Women’s World Cup titles.

The team has won four of the eight total.?But, as the women’s game continues to grow, is the competition catching up????

Looking ahead to their first match Saturday, Williams said their opponent, Vietnam, “is a little bit of a wild card.”

A worker walks past a screen at the FIFA Fan Festival in Auckland on July 18.

The FIFA Fan Festival in World Cup host city Auckland will not open on Thursday after a deadly shooting took place in the city, the mayor’s office said in a statement.

The rare multiple shooting, which left three people including the gunman dead and several others injured, has put security officials on edge as tens of thousands gather in the city to watch the co-hosts open the tournament against Norway in Auckland’s Eden Park Stadium.

It will reopen Friday, the statement added.

The tournament will start as planned on Thursday, New Zealand’s sports minister said earlier. New Zealand police said the shooting was “an isolated incident,” and “not a national security risk.”?

Soccer players at the?2023 Women’s World Cup?will on average earn just 25 cents for every dollar earned by men at their World Cup last year, a new CNN analysis found.

Still, that is an improvement: Last time, in 2019, it was less than 8 cents per dollar, according to data provided by world governing body FIFA and global players’ union FIFPRO.

The gender pay gap will be very much alive and kicking at the?tournament?which begins Thursday in?Australia?and New Zealand.

FIFA announced in June?that, for the first time, about $49 million of the record $110 million Women’s World Cup prize money would go directly to individual players — at least $30,000 each for participating and $270,000 to each player on the winning squad.

The rest of the pot is going to be split between participating federations who will decide what share of this money to allocate to teams and players — if any at all. In addition to prize money, FIFA committed to paying $42 million to the federations and players’ clubs for Women’s World Cup preparations.

When asked for comment, soccer’s world governing body referred CNN to what FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in March when the organization announced details of the prize money on offer at this year’s tournament.

Read the CNN analysis here.

A general view shows the Eden Park stadium in Auckland on July 19, 2023, ahead of the Women's World Cup football tournament.

The?2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup?gets underway on Thursday with co-hosts New Zealand kicking off the tournament and the summer of footballing festivities.

In just a few hours, the Football Ferns will take on Norway at Eden Park in front of an expected record home crowd.

But all eyes in Auckland will be on talented striker Ada Hegerberg as she returns to the World Cup for Norway.

Here’s what to watch in the opening match:

FIFA President Gianni Infantino looks on prior to the awards ceremony for the Concacaf Gold Cup final match between Mexico and Panama at SoFi Stadium on July 16, 2023 in Inglewood, California.

On the eve of the World Cup, FIFA president Gianni Infantino praised the growth of the women’s game in the past 10 years and said he believes the tournament will win over skeptics.

FIFA expects 2 billion people to tune in for the?tournament?being co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, which kicks off in Auckland Thursday.

Infantino said the main message he wanted to get out was for the host countries to “seize the moment.” The focus of the tournament should be “on what this event means for women, what this event means for this part of the world,” he said.

The FIFA Women's World Cup trophy is seen during its unveiling event at Summit at One Vanderbilt in New York City on April 14, 2023.

FIFA has announced that prize money for this year’s Women’s World Cup tournament will increase to $110 million. A further $31 million has been awarded to teams for preparations and $11 million to clubs for their players.

The $110 million prize money is a nearly three-fold increase on the 2019 figure and almost seven times more than in 2015, but still considerably lower than the $440 million total prize money awarded at the men’s World Cup in Qatar last year.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said earlier this year that he hopes the 2026 men’s and 2027 women’s World Cups will have equal prize money.

The 2023 Women’s World Cup is on track to be the most attended standalone women’s sporting event in history, according to FIFA — with record ticket sales.

Both host countries, New Zealand and Australia, are also set to break their own national attendance records for women’s football games on Thursday when they compete against Norway and Ireland respectively.

Football Australia said in a statement Thursday that overall ticket sales across both host countries have “exceeded expectations,” surpassing the current record held by the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup held in France, where 1.1 million tickets were sold.

FIFA confirmed that almost 1.4 million tickets had been sold for this year’s matches.

Ticket sales have slowed in New Zealand, however, and on the eve of the big kick-off, Infantino pleaded with?fans on Wednesday “to do the right thing.”

Speaking alongside Infantino, FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura echoed his comments. “We still have tickets available for some matches, so my only plea is don’t wait until the last moment,” Samoura said.

Some more context: Xero, the official partner of the Women’s World Cup, has offered 20,000 complimentary tickets to games in New Zealand’s four host cities. It is common for sporting events to allocate a certain number of complimentary tickets to fans.?

New Zealand's Minister for Sport and Recreation Grant Robertson speaks during Labour Party Congress at Te Papa on May 27, 2023 in Wellington, New Zealand.

The 2023 Women’s World Cup will begin as planned on Thursday, New Zealand’s sports minister said.

Minister for Sport and Recreation Grant Robertson said he spoke to the president and Secretary General of FIFA after three people including the gunman were shot dead in downtown Auckland — where the World Cup is set to kick off — early Thursday.

The ninth edition of the FIFA?Women’s World Cup?gets underway in Auckland on Thursday as co-host New Zealand takes on Norway.

Later today, co-host Australia will face the Republic of Ireland.

Between today and August 20, 32 teams will compete across 64 matches at 10 different venues, making this year’s tournament the biggest to date.

How to watch the matches: In the US, games will be aired on FOX Sports, while Telemundo is providing Spanish-language coverage.

Seven Network and Optus Sport are broadcasting matches in Australia and the BBC and ITV have the rights in the United Kingdom.

A full breakdown of media rights holders in each country is available on the?FIFA website.

An armed New Zealand police officer stands at a road block in the central business district following a shooting in Auckland, New Zealand, on July 20, 2023.

US Soccer said all its players and staff are safe after a deadly shooting in central Auckland, New Zealand.

US Soccer also expressed its “deepest condolences” to the families of those killed.

“We are saddened by the inexcusable loss of life to gun violence, and our thoughts are with the people of Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau and Aotearoa New Zealand,” the organization said in a separate statement.

At least two people died in a “serious incident” in New Zealand’s largest city, according to police on Thursday.

Police said the “male offender” also died and the incident has been contained. Police also said multiple injuries have been reported.

An investigation is now taking place into what occurred, and cordons were put in place as police asked the public to stay away from the area, New Zealand police tweeted.

New Zealand is set to face Norway at Eden Park in Auckland later on Thursday.

The US opens its World Cup campaign against Vietnam at Eden Park on?Friday night.??

Armed police stand guard near a construction site following a shooting in the central business district, in Auckland, New Zealand, on July 20, 2023.

A rare multiple shooting in the center of Auckland just hours before the opening of the?Women’s World Cup?has put security officials on edge as thousands gather in the city to watch New Zealand play Norway.

New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins outlined details of the attack in a hastily called news conference, confirming that three people had died – including the gunman – and several others were injured.

Emergency services rushed to the city center just after 7 a.m. local time Thursday, after reports that a man armed with a pump action shotgun had opened fire on a construction site, he said.

Hipkins said the actions of the police officers who “ran into the gunfire, straight into harm’s way in order to save the lives of others” were “nothing short of heroic.”

New Zealand Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said one officer was shot as he attempted to engage the gunman, and four civilians had “moderate to critical injuries.”

Coster said the suspect was under home detention orders but had an exemption to work at the construction site where the shooting took place, and the incident was believed to be related to his work there.

The man had a “family violence history” but there was “nothing to suggest that he has presented a high level risk,” Coster said. He did not have a firearms license, Coster added.

New Zealand Police said the shooting did not pose a national security risk, as officials confirmed the Women’s World Cup opening ceremony and first game would go ahead as planned.

Read the full story here.