I konw this is extremely dumb.... i follow men's soccer and I don't know anything about womensWC besides that USA has won 2, Norway 1, and that the last one was in the US and the first in China, and most of the players on the USA 1999 squad. I don't even konw where the 2003 one is being held, but I am interested and want to learn more about it, mainly becasue the US is actually good. So does any1 konw where the next womens WC is being held? Well obviously people will know but can you tell me ?
Well this is only their second time they are hosting it. The WWC is still in the infant stages when compared to the mens WC. To say that China has hosted "many" is sort of misleading. FYI..on Thursday the official kickoff for the 2003 WWC will begin in Shanghai: http://www.womensoccer.com/refs/fifa-refs/fifa-mulan-15sept02.html
So far there haven't been a lot of countries eager to host the WWC. China got it because they are a world power in women's soccer, and they can guarantee lots of facilities and good crowds. Also because it helps take pressure off FIFA to let them host a men's WC! It's getting to be more of a big deal, and we can expect more competitive bidding to host the WWC from now on. Canada has put in a bid for 2007, and there will be others as well.
I expect China will put on a good show for everyone at the tournament. They are getting more and more experience at hosting World Class events from the Asian Games, Women's World Cup, professional golf and tennis events, and soon the Summer Olympic Games.
After the Olympics, Australia was the obvious choice to host WWC, (venues, support structure in place, etc...), but the soccer powers that be didn't want to give another host bye to the matildas. Keeping the tournament in the same hemisphere was essential, so it was sent to China. My thought is that it should be rotated to the US every other tournament - the biggest crowds are here and it put's it on the world stage.
Historical note: One reason that over 65,000 showed up for the first ever WWC final in '91 in China was that China's government, according to many reports, compelled local factory workers to attend, ensuring a great crowd. I once pointed this out to Shannon (Higgins) Cirovski in an interview and regret that I may have spoiled the lingering memory she had of the impressive crowd.
I think that's a terrific idea. We should try that. Particularly if it involves getting time off work!
I have heard of this too. Friends of mine in China have told me that this is in fact not true and merely an urban legand. I wish I had more of a source than a friend's word on this. Sorry.
There are a number of sources that have asserted this. The most compelling facts of which I know that tend to support this assertion are: (a) 65,000 in 1991 for a women's sports event in which the home team was not playing, in a country just at the threshold of an economic boom, is rather remarkable (concededly possible without coercive help, but still remarkable); (b) the crowd was awfully quiet for most of the game (which one might expect if the "fans" were forced to be there); and (c) China's government had the power to do so (unlike, say, the American government). I know this does not prove that factory workers were compelled to go. On the other hand, legends often have their roots in reality. At the very least, I would not quickly dismiss allegations that factory workers were compelled to attend the games. I also think that, whether or not workers were forced to go to games in 1991, this will not happen in 2003. There are several reasons for this. One, the women's game is more popular than it was in 1991, so fans will go of their own free will (see '96 Olympics, '99 WWC). Two, China will have a better team in 2003 than it did in 1991. Three, China will not want to get caught forcing workers to go to games with the 2008 Olympics scheduled to be hosted in Beijing. It would be bad for China's image.
I forget where I heard this, but basically what happened is that local factories were told to distribute tickets to ensure a full house. It was not cocercion in the sense that specific people were told to go. But enough people were handed tickets and went that it filled up the place. Sachin
yep Australia was in the running, was in fact the only country to have bidded for WWC 03, they put in a bid whilst WWC 99 was happening. then before the deadline for other bids to be entered, for some reason, FIFA extended it for a further 2 weeks, china put in a bid and BAM, australia lost it..just like that! i was SO upset when i read what happened. on another note, the matildas have qualified for all their world cups, except for the first one, so by no means is Soccer Australia trying to get the matildas an easy way in...only the aussie men's team needs that! but still, im sure norway can host it, brazil even...but china having it twice - yes its a young Cup but for it to grow it has to go places! comeing down here would have been great for it, aussies - we embrace anything big which comes down here and trust me, it would have been marketed to death and would certainly draw good crowds! but no point crying over spilt milk, but Australia should have been the host for WWC 03 by far!! remeber, china as the 2008 olympics...just like 2000 - just the other way around. in the end, no difference. GO AUSSIE!!!