The Border football community has a massive opportunity to take the sport to the next level.
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Australia and New Zealand were announced as co-hosts of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in the early hours of Friday morning, providing a cause for celebration in a year that's had very little to cheer about.
The region has a wealth of developing female talent in the ranks at Murray United and within the AWFA and what better way to foster that than with a World Cup in our own backyard.
Murray United under-16s player Lisa Cary was over the moon with the news and hopes it can attract more people to the sport.
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"The support behind the Matildas during the World Cup in 2019 was incredible and for the 2023 World Cup to be hosted so close to home is fantastic for fans and players," Cary said.
"Throwing the spotlight on women's football and more broadly women's sport will hopefully boost interest in the game and promote greater participation in sport.
"With everything going on in the world right now, the timing couldn't be better for Australia and New Zealand to host the world's largest women's sporting event.
It will be an amazing opportunity for local footballers and people around the country to see the world's best players on centre stage in the two countries.
- Lisa Cary
"It will be an amazing opportunity for local footballers and people around the country to see the world's best players on centre stage in the two countries."
Murray United technical director Adam Carty doesn't want to see the potential benefits to the region lost.
"This news offers so many fantastic possibilities, which I think is very important to celebrate," Carty said.
"But before the game's administrators start to throw out ideas on how this could benefit the community, it would be great to offer the opportunity to listen to the broader community about how they believe this could benefit the entire region."
AWFA president Mark Leman agreed the World Cup would provide a chance to grow the game locally and he would also would like to explore the possibility of teams using the Border as a base.
"Can Albury-Wodonga host one of the smaller nations? It's certainly something we want to raise with the councils going forward," Leman said.
"We see that as an opportunity to unite as an organisation and community to see if we can get someone in.
"The logistics of having an airport between Melbourne and Sydney would be an advantage I think."
Eight Australian stadiums and five New Zealand venues have been locked in to host matches.