Women Onside Webinar: 2023 Women's World Cup - One Year To Go

Women Onside Webinar: 2023 Women's World Cup - One Year To Go

Wednesday 20 July will mark the one-year countdown to the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023, to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

To celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime tournament, Women Onside invites all football enthusiasts to an online panel discussion with special guests Jo Fernandes (Head of Competition - Australia, Women's World Cup 2023), Samantha Lewis (ABC), Brodie Wales (Matildas Active Support) and Paula Hansen (General Manager - Women's World Cup Legacy and Inclusion, New Zealand Football). 

The panel will be moderated by Women Onside directors Kieran Pender and Tania Moreno, with opening remarks from chair Kerry Harris. The discussion will cover the preparation for the tournament, what to expect in a year's time, work underway to ensure the event leaves a legacy and more.

Event Schedule:

Opening Remarks: Kerry Harris, Chair of Women Onside (bio)

Moderators: Women Onside Directors Kieran Pender (bio) and Tania Moreno (bio)

Speakers: 

Jo Fernandes - Head of Competition (Australia), FIFA Women's World Cup Australia - New Zealand 2023

Jo Fernandes is an internationally recognised football administrator, having worked at 17 World Cups and Olympic Games as a FIFA General Coordinator or as Matildas Team Manager. Most recently, Jo oversaw the delivery of the FIFA Women’s World Cup final in Lyon in 2019. With 24 years of involvement in football, Jo has gained extensive experience at various levels of the game. In her spare time, Jo is on the sidelines at her son’s football matches – clearly, Jo lives and breathes the round ball game.

Samantha Lewis - Digital Sports Journalist, ABC

Samantha Lewis (she/they) is a digital sports journalist at the ABC who specialises in Australian women’s football and women’s football more broadly. She has covered all aspects of the sport from grassroots and community through to Olympic Games and World Cups, with a particular love of history, profiles, analysis, and long-form feature writing. Her work has been published by outlets including The Guardian, ESPN, Optus Sport, and SBS, and has been recognised by international organisations such as The International Sports Press Association (AIPS). She lives and works on Gadigal land.

Brodie Wales - Co-founder, Matildas Active Support

Matildas Active Support exists to bring active support to Matildas' matches and also as a space for all fans to come together, active or not. Matildas Active was born out of a Facebook community of fans travelling to the 2019 World Cup. Co-Founder of the group, Brodie Wales, was heavily involved in coordinating the activity in France and beyond, and is now looking at how Matildas Active can contribute to a positive fan culture at the 2023 World Cup.

Paula Hansen - General Manager, Women's World Cup Legacy and Inclusion, New Zealand Football

After 20 years of volunteering in the football community in various roles in Hawes Bay, Paula started her role as General Manager Women's World Cup Legacy and Inclusion in July 2021.

Paula and her team are responsible for the multitude of hosting agreements NZF has as co-host of the FIFA WWC 2023. This includes the training site and match venues, working closely with the FIFA teams, Host Cities and Host Authorities, Crown, and Sport NZ (for gender-neutral facility upgrades), as well as the six football Federations and wider football whānau.

Paula leads the Football in Aotearoa Leverage and Legacy Plan – Legacy Starts Now. With a clear focus on people and opportunities, the plan will see football be bigger, better, and bolder, reaching into broader communities, increasing participation across all game areas, and growing club capability to provide positive and inclusive experiences for all.