Optus is bolstering its investment in football offering after securing the exclusive Australian rights to select UEFA World Cup Qualifiers for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, with matches to commence on Optus Sport the morning of Friday 17th (AEST) through to the end of 2022.
The pre-eminent package of European qualification matches involves some of the best teams in the world and includes all home qualifiers of three of the top six ranked FIFA teams in England, Germany and the Netherlands.
“Optus Sport customers will now be able to watch the elite of European football battle it out in qualification to play on the game’s biggest stage in Australia and New Zealand’s hosted FIFA Women’s World Cup,” Optus head of tv & content Corin Dimopoulos said.
“Securing these new rights again expands Optus Sport’s ongoing and unparalleled commitment to women’s football and changing the future young Australians see, which already includes the Women’s Super League, Women’s Euros 2022 and Women’s World Cup 2023.”
The new rights include live coverage of 27 European World Cup Qualifiers played by England, Germany, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands. With those five federations playing in separate pools through the qualification stage, it will give viewers the opportunity to see a wider range of nations vying for their World Cup place. In addition, Optus Sport will also transmit selected Friendly matches played by these teams during the lead up to the Women’s World Cup in 2023.
The first match of the World Cup Qualifiers live on Optus Sport is imminent, with Denmark in action against Malta on Friday morning.
UEFA World Cup Qualifiers viewing schedule for September:
17 September: Denmark v Malta, Norway v Armenia
18 September: England v North Macedonia, Netherlands v Czech Republic
19 September: Germany v Bulgaria
22 September: Germany v Serbia, Luxembourg v England
In other live matches to view on Optus Sport this weekend, the Premier League Matchweek 5 is live from Saturday morning, as is the J.League.