It’s only a few weeks until the opening ceremony officially announces the start of the Fifa World Cup in both Australia and Aotearoa.  

While preparations are well underway, there have been a few hiccups along the way. There was a major dispute over television rights in Europe, ticket sales in New Zealand haven’t moved quite as fast as expected and there are concerns about how inconvenient our time zone is for the northern hemisphere. 

So have these issues been addressed? Will our stadiums be filled with fans? And how much inspiration will this groundbreaking tournament give young girls around the country? 

FIFA chief women’s football officer Sarai Bareman lets us know how preparations are going for the biggest sporting event to ever come to New Zealand. Then, NZ Herald sports journalist Bonnie Jansen will explain the ongoing challenges facing the game from grassroots all the way to the top.

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