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WELLINGTON: The prime ministers of Australia and New Zealand have sent a letter to FIFA emphasising their support for a joint bid to host the 2023 Women's World Cup as football's global governing body prepares for the final vote this week. FIFA's Executive Council will make a decision on hosting rights on Thursday (Jun 25). Colombia is the only other bidder after the Japanese Football Association withdrew on Monday. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern wrote in an open letter to FIFA on Tuesday that the two countries would host a tournament to be proud of. "An Australia-New Zealand FIFA Women's World Cup would embody our passion for women's football and proud commitment to equality and fairness, creating a profound and enduring legacy for the future of women's football within the region and beyond," they said in the letter. The joint bid is the first from across confederations and would be the first Women's World Cup to be … [Read more...] about Australia, New Zealand prime ministers push joint Women’s World Cup bid

SYDNEY: Thousands of people across Australia and New Zealand on Saturday (Apr 25) honoured their country's military personnel in private ceremonies held in driveways and on balconies as the coronavirus outbreak forced traditional ANZAC Day memorials to be cancelled for the first time in decades. Scores of people in Australia and New Zealand typically attend dawn services or marches on Apr 25 to commemorate the bloody battle on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey during World War One. But with mass gatherings now banned in order to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus, authorities asked locals to hold mini-services at their homes. Dubbed "stand at dawn," New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern stood on her driveway along with her fiancé and his father. "This year a new threat faces all nations as the impact of the coronavirus deepens worldwide," Ardern said in an emailed statement. "As we face these significant challenges, we remember the courage of those who have served … [Read more...] about Australia, New Zealand honour military personnel from home as coronavirus scuppers ANZAC day parades

WELLINGTON: Any decision on whether the Twenty20 World Cup has to be rescheduled from its October start date due to the COVID-19 pandemic will not be made until July, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) board chief David White said on Thursday. The International Cricket Council will discuss contingency plans for the tournament in Australia, as well as ways of restarting the sport once the pandemic subsides, at a meeting later in the day but White said "no decisions will be made". Travel restrictions and border controls aimed at containing the spread of the novel coronavirus have brought sport to a standstill around the world and left many events scheduled for later in the year in doubt. "Cricket Australia is working very closely with the government authorities and they are planning for it (T20 World Cup) to go ahead in October and November," White told reporters. "There's contingency planning going on and lots of discussions but no decisions will be made. "If decisions are made ... … [Read more...] about No decision on T20 World Cup before July – New Zealand chief

MELBOURNE: Separated from their families and holed up in a hotel in rural eastern Australia, the New Zealand Warriors team face a stiff test of character in coming weeks as the National Rugby League looks to restart its season during the coronavirus. The Warriors boarded a charter plane in Auckland on Sunday and touched down in Tamworth, a town of 43,000 people in New South Wales state, where they will spend two weeks in quarantine before the NRL's planned resumption on May 28. Strict travel curbs remain in both Australia and New Zealand, as the countries edge closer to stamping out COVID-19. But the Warriors, the only non-Australian team in the NRL, were granted special dispensation to travel to NSW, where authorities are keen for sport to resume and ease frustrations after more than a month of self-isolation. The Warriors are seen as trailblazers for an eventual trans-Tasman link-up in which Australia and New Zealand might resume travel between each other, providing a boost … [Read more...] about New Zealand’s locked-down Warriors a test for ‘trans-Tasman’ bubble

WELLINGTON: The Wellington Phoenix have been cleared to travel from New Zealand to Australia to begin their preparations for the resumption of the A-League next month, the team said on Friday. The Phoenix had been waiting for clearance from Australia's government to base themselves in Sydney for the final six rounds, which will resume on July 17 and be wrapped up by the end of August. "It's huge for us to see that the season can resume," Phoenix general manager David Dome said in a statement on Friday. "This is the best outcome for the fans, sponsors, players and everyone involved in football across Australia and New Zealand." The Phoenix are third in the league, which was suspended in March due to the COVID-19 shutdowns. The team leave New Zealand on Saturday and will spend 14 days in quarantine in Sydney, although they will be allowed to train in isolation. Local media reported on Friday that six players were already in Australia, while two others were en route from … [Read more...] about New Zealand’s Phoenix cleared to travel to Australia for A-League resumption