ANNE M. PETERSON
MORE than any previous tournament, the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand has leaned into both including and showcasing the Indigenous cultures of both nations.
For some Indigenous groups, though, there’s not enough commitment to a more lasting legacy.
This Women’s World Cup was the first hosted by two countries. FIFA, led by a panel of six Indigenous women, worked with both countries to make sure the Australia’s First Nations and New Zealand’s Maori cultures were included.
For the first time at a World Cup, all of the nine host cities were referred to in both English and Indigenous terms in the FIFA materials surrounding the event, including website content, signage and broadcasts.
Soccer organizers in Australia and New Zealand successfully pushed to have Indigenous flags flying at stadiums. In New Zealand a traditional karanga call was performed ahead of each match, while in Australia
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