Thirty-two nations, one dream, one trophy \u2013 forever world champions. Sometime in the late winter evening on Sunday August 20 we will know who the winner of the FIFA Women\u2019s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023\u2122 is, but regardless of the outcome, the Central Coast will have played its part in helping two of the contending nations prepare for their shot at glory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There was great excitement across the football community when news trickled through late last year that the Central Coast had been successful in enticing an international football side to choose the area for its team base camp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before the official announcement there was much speculation about the identity of the team and federation that had staked its world cup preparations on the Central Coast. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When it was finally confirmed at a press conference just who would be arriving to this part of the world in the lead-up to the biggest women\u2019s football tournament on the planet, the news couldn\u2019t have been bigger. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Germany and England \u2013 the combatants in the final of the most recent Women\u2019s European Championships had chosen to base themselves at the Central Coast Regional Sporting and Recreation Complex at Tuggerah, and Gosford\u2019s Central Coast Stadium respectively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was a huge vote of confidence in the Central Coast and its sporting facilities and heralded in what has been a tremendous period of success for the sport locally. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since the announcement that the world\u2019s number 2 and 4 ranked sides were coming, Central Coast Stadium has hosted the Matildas twice against Thailand and Czechia, featured a record sold-out crowd at a pulsating semi-final victory for the Mariners, who went on to be crowned champions of the Men\u2019s A-League competition, and it\u2019s been confirmed that from next season there would a Central Coast Mariners Womens\u2019 team flying the flag in the W-League competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the tournament now underway the hard work really begins for the German and England squads. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Council\u2019s Director Community and Recreation Services Melanie Smith said both teams will be able to train, prepare and recover in world-class facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe pitches at the Central Coast Regional Sporting and Recreation Complex and Central Coast Stadium are looking sensational, we\u2019ve had beautiful winter sunshine, and we\u2019re perfectly located for easy access to match-day venues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur staff have worked extremely hard to prepare a high-quality pitch and all reports we\u2019ve received during the review process and high praise from behind the scenes has been absolutely fantastic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI am sure that the two teams will be very pleased with their decision to base themselves here in this beautiful part of the world, and I look forward to seeing how they perform during the tournament as well as the opportunity to show off what makes the Central Coast a very special part of the world\u201d Ms Smith said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Council Administrator Rik Hart said it\u2019s heartening to see how the Coast has embraced the opportunity to support the two international teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe FIFA Women\u2019s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023\u2122 is a huge sporting event that will leave a legacy for the sport in this country,\u201d Mr Hart said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was delighted to be able to officially welcome the teams to the Central Coast and it is positive to hear of the enthusiasm from the young girls in particular, who play locally and get to see a world cup in their own country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Germany will have exclusive access to the Central Coast Regional Sporting and
Recreation Complex while the England Lionesses will be based at Central Coast Stadium from 1 July \u2013 20 August 2023. Find out more about FIFA Women\u2019s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023\u2122<\/a> including match day information, news, and ticket sales.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Thirty-two nations, one dream, one trophy \u2013 forever world champions. Sometime in the late winter evening on Sunday August 20 we will know who the winner of the FIFA Women\u2019s…","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4214,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","episode_type":"audio","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[],"series":[115],"class_list":["post-4213","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-events","series-coffee-with-a-coastie"],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastover55\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/07\/European-football-giants-settle-into-Coastal-training-bases.jpg","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastover55\/wp-content\/plugins\/seriously-simple-podcasting\/assets\/images\/no-album-art.png","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"dark","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"stitcher":{"key":"stitcher","url":"","label":"Stitcher","class":"stitcher","icon":"stitcher.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastover55\/feed\/podcast\/coffee-with-a-coastie","embedCode":"European football giants settle into Coastal training bases<\/a><\/blockquote>