100 days away to FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015
This Thursday marks 100 days to the kickoff of FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015.
The celebration stretched across the country on Thursday, involving all six cities that will host the tournament: Moncton, Montreal, Ottawa, Edmonton, Vancouver and right here in Winnipeg.
The official slogan for the tournament is "To a Greater Goal" and the countdown to the big day was kicked off with a bit of a party in Winnipeg Square downtown.
A giant game of pool ball broke out; a mix between pool and soccer, that was followed by a march around downtown Winnipeg, all to boost the FIFA spirit of Winnipeg.
Thursday also marks the day that tickets go on sale. Single ticket prices will start at $20.15 and go up to $80.
Lisa Sansregret, a 20-year soccer referee, is so excited that she already picked up her tickets.
"I just love the game. It's a physical game, it's a true team game, it's never an individual game. I've made tons of friends doing this," Sansregret said. "It's just a great game."
Chad Falk, the Winnipeg venue general manager for FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015, said this is the biggest women's sporting event in the world, with the biggest and best stars Canada has ever seen.
Winnipeg alone will see four out of the top five teams play, as well as three of the past champions.
"We're talking elite athletes," Falk said. "All the 24 nations that will be competing will bring you their very best female athletes to compete."
The event at Winnipeg Square on Thursday included chances to win tickets. Norm Wylie has travelled the world for FIFA. He won his game of poolball at the FIFA event and was given two tickets to the doubleheader of his choice.
He picked the United States versus Sweden and Australia versus Nigeria games on June 16. He believes the world will be watching Winnipeg.
"It's huge. It's on the world stage, a lot of people will be focused on Winnipeg for a few weeks, you know, it puts us on the map," Wylie said.
Sansregret has bigger hopes for the tournament.
"I think Canada could win the whole thing," Sansregret said, "You sometimes have that edge when you're at home. It worked for France in '98, it could work for us here."
Tickets are on sale at fifa.com/canada2015 Thursday.
This year marks the seventh year of the tournament, starting in 1991 and running every four years. A total of 24 teams compete at venues across Canada for three weeks; up until this year, it was only 16 teams.
In Winnipeg, a total of seven matches will be played featuring the U.S., Australia, Sweden, Nigeria, Germany, Japan, China PR, New Zealand, Thailand and Ecuador.
