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With the FIFA Women’s World Cup just nine days away, international football teams have been welcomed to Aotearoa’s capital by tangata whenua.
The teams for South Africa and Sweden were welcomed to Wellington in an official pōwhiri at Wharewaka Function Centre on Tuesday evening, as both teams will use the nation’s capital as a base camp for the duration of the tournament.
Wellington mayor Tory Whanau, Palmerston North Māori Reserve trust chairman Liz Mellish, and Wellington Tenths Trust chairman Anaru Smiler were in attendance. Mellish personally welcomed both teams to Aotearoa, saying that the entire nation was excited to be chosen to host the internationally renowned sporting event.
“It’s a real honour and a privilege.”
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The international football players appeared to be touched and honoured by the welcome, with both team captains leading their players in song in respect of the honour shown to them, although Swedish captain Caroline Seger joked that Swedes were not known for their singing.
Whanau was presented with signed football jerseys from both teams. South African team captain Refiloe Jane lead her team in a second song at the end of the pōwhiri, to the delight of everyone present.
Sweden will be based in Trentham, Upper Hutt, and South Africa will use Porirua park as their base camp.
BRUCE MACKAY/The Post
The South African national women’s football team responded to the pōwhiri with song and dance.
The FIFA Women’s World Cup is the world’s largest women’s sporting event, believed to bring tens of thousands of international football fanatics into the country, with FIFA predicting 30,000 visitors set to attend.
The tournament kicks off officially in New Zealand with the first game of the season, the Football Ferns vs Norway, at Eden Park on July 20.
During the two months New Zealand and Australia host the tournament, 32 teams will play for the cup, including reigning champions The United States women’s national team (USWNT) and runner ups Netherlands.
The US team touched down in Auckland Airport early Tuesday morning, after their recent victory against Wales in San Jose.
The team seeks to be the first country to win three consecutive world cups, following their previous victories in France and Canada.
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