Australia could launch their Women’s World Cup campaign in front of more than 80,000 fans after FIFA responded to the huge demand to see Sam Kerr’s Matildas by moving their opening fixture against Republic of Ireland to Sydney’s Accor Stadium.

Alongside New Zealand kicking off the Trans-Tasman tournament at Auckland’s Eden Park, more than 100,000 people will attend the World Cup’s opening day.

“FIFA’s mission is to organise the biggest and best Women’s World Cup in history this year, and fans, those who bring colour, passion, and atmosphere to stadiums will be such an integral part of the tournament’s success,” FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura said, announcing the decision.

“We have taken a decision that will enable over 100,000 fans to attend the opening matchday, providing more opportunities for supporters to engage with the FIFA Women’s World Cup as a month of football we will never forget gets underway.”  

Accor Stadium’s 82,000 capacity is almost double that of the Allianz Stadium and the switch is a response to the growing demand to see the tie.

If more than 80,000 attend it will be a record for a stand-alone Women’s World Cup match, exceeded only by the 90,185 who watched the 1999 final and third-place play-off double-header at Pasadena’s Rose Bowl in the United States.

It would also put the match in the top 10 attendances for a women’s match anywhere.

The record for any women’s match outside Europe and North America is 70,454, at Brazil’s Maracana for the 2016 Olympic Games semi-final.

The kick-off time and date of the Australia v Republic of Ireland match remains Thursday, July 20 at 8pm AEST. 

New Zealand host Norway a few hours earlier.

Tickets that had already been purchased for the for the Australia v Ireland match remain valid but many more will go on sale from midday AEDT on Friday, February 24. 

The Matildas will face Nigeria at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on July 27 and Olympic champions Canada at Melbourne’s AAMI Park on July 31 in their other two group games.