Wednesday, June 26, 2019

USA v France Women's World Cup quarterfinals - The only thing hotter than the play on the field may be the weather as dangerous heat wave to engulf Europe


Dream match to shatter attendance, viewers and temperature records.




Fox Preview France v USA







Women's World Cup: France v USA could be 'wild and crazy' - Megan Rapinoe
By Tom Garry
BBC Sport in Reims

United States midfielder Megan Rapinoe said Friday's Women's World Cup quarter-final against hosts France could be "wild and crazy".

Rapinoe scored two penalties in Monday's 2-1 victory over Spain, as the holders set up the tie in Paris.

The two sides were the pre-tournament favourites and both topped their groups, with a semi-final against England or Norway awaiting the winners.

"This is the game everyone had circled," said Rapinoe.

"This is incredible for the women's game. You have two heavy-hitters meeting.

"I hope it's wild and crazy. I hope the fans are crazy, there is tons of media around it and it is just a big spectacle."

The USA are top of the world rankings and their only defeat since 2017 came against France in January.

Their Britain-born head coach Jill Ellis, who was in charge when they won the World Cup in 2015, added: "It's going to be an amazing game. I'm sure a lot of people would want it later in the tournament.

"It's probably going to be crazy with a lot of intensity, but that's as it should be because I truly think this is the world game for women, so what a showcase piece."

France are bidding to win their first major tournament, while the USA are attempting to lift a record fourth Women's World Cup.

Despite the two teams being the favourites from the outset, neither has appeared invincible so far in the knockout stages.

Less than 24 hours after France needed extra time to overcome Brazil in their last-16 tie, the defending champions were thoroughly tested by Spain in Reims.

Against Spain, Ellis' team conceded a goal for the first time at these finals, and occasionally appeared sloppy at the back, in a game some bookmakers had them down as 1-10 odds-on favourites to win.

Former USA goalkeeper Hope Solo said there were many things to question about her former side's display, telling BBC Radio 5 Live: "When you have that much attacking prowess, to not get a goal in normal play is concerning.

"People don't bow down to the United States like they used to. They don't come in and put everyone on edge like they used to.

"Many teams have proved they can beat the USA. If you want to beat the USA you have to press the backline.

"That's where they are truly vulnerable. It's the decision-making, it's the quality of passing - and I think there are nerves back there."


France Heat Wave Warning








Women's World Cup: In search of a major tournament in Paris

By Tom Garry
BBC Sport in Paris


 Fans at Euro 2016 (left) could watch matches on a big screen at the Eiffel Tower but these Chile supporters (right) could not do the same at the Women's World Cup

On a warm Saturday evening in the summer, whether gazing towards the Eiffel Tower from the crowded Place du Trocadero, strolling alongside the River Seine or approaching the Jardin des Tuileries from the Place de la Concorde, you can enjoy some of the finest views in Paris.

What you cannot see are any obvious indications that the Women's World Cup is in town, despite there being no city hosting more games at the 2019 tournament than the French capital.

As the sun sets, Canada's Jessie Fleming opens the scoring against New Zealand in Group E in Grenoble, but there is no reaction from the thousands of people enjoying picnics on the Champ de Mars - an iconic spot where big screens had shown matches to packed fan zones during both the 2016 men's European Championship - hosted in France - and the 2018 men's World Cup in Russia.

Women's football is now as popular globally as the sport of golf, according to a report released on 4 June by the data analytics company Nielsen, while Paris is among the world's busiest tourist destinations.

And therefore, while there is a smaller fan zone - albeit one that does not fully open until 14:00 local time - opposite the Forum des Halles shopping centre across town, is the so-called 'City of Light' illuminating the Women's World Cup to as many people as it could be?

On one hand, the attendances and atmospheres at the Parc des Princes have been very impressive - not least at the hosts' spine-tingling opening win over South Korea.

But - aside from the areas immediately around the stadium, south west of the city - banners boosting the event's visibility are hard to come by in the capital.


On the day of world champions USA's match here, free maps of Paris's Metro routes display information on a rugby sevens tournament that finished two weeks previously, while most central station platforms are devoid of any posters of Women's World Cup stars.

The Paris Metro maps available on the network on 16 June were still promoting the Paris Sevens Rugby tournament, which finished a week before the Women's World Cup started.

Adverts for June's Champs-Elysees Film Festival - not the World Cup - are draped along the city's most famous avenue.

At other host cities, promotion for the tournament varies, but is far more visible at some, with the eye-catching roadside electronic adverts for the matches in Reims tough to miss in the champagne region, while almost every shop in the centre of the north-eastern city of Valenciennes has been decorated with flags, scarves or World Cup banners.

Yet, at the spectacular vantage point that can be enjoyed from Place du Trocadero, where large crowds of people hold their smartphones aloft for a picture of the Eiffel Tower, low-cost, unofficial merchandise is displayed for sale on sheets lying on the floor - but there are no football shirts among the miniature towers, the glow sticks and the handbags with semi-recognisable branding.


Even where there are sports tops for sale, at a string of shops near the Louvre, only those displaying the names Mbappe and Neymar can be found among Tour de France jerseys.

"Avez-vous quelque chose des equipes feminines de Coupe du Monde?" I asked hopefully.
"Non, monsieur."

Around Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris which crosses the River Seine, France kits with players' names on are readily available - but only for the men's team.

However, look closely to one side of the Place du Trocadero and there you will see it, directly overlooking the Eiffel Tower - at last, some Women's World Cup branding. It's US broadcaster Fox Sports' studio for the duration of the tournament.

Then there are other moments to lift your spirits, like the small band of Chile fans enjoying a drink on the grass of the Champ de Mars 24 hours before their goalkeeper Christiane Endler's stunning performances against the United States.

Like the enthusiastic, Marseille-supporting taxi driver who declared France's midfield star Amandine Henry to be "magnifique" and warned that Les Bleues were much better than "Monsieur Neville's" England.

Like the hordes of USA fans who swamped the Parc des Princes with their stars and stripes on Sunday, as over 45,000 saw the holders - and the Chile keeper - put on an exhibition.

And like the sea of orange that flooded into the northern cities of Le Havre and Valenciennes from the Netherlands - dancing left, dancing right - to support the European champions.

This is a truly global festival.

So why have the local authorities not adorned Paris' central areas with more visible promotion of the event?

A Fifa spokesperson told BBC Sport: "One of the main promotional objectives is to maximise the audiences, both in front of their screens and in the stadiums. Even though outdoor advertising is a part of that campaign, it is only one of several platforms deployed in this phase.

"In Paris, the outdoor advertising is centralised around the stadium and around the Fifa fan experience."

When questioned about the subject, a spokesman for the Local Organising Committee pointed out that because Paris is the biggest host city and does not possess a clear city centre, efforts were focused on the areas linked to the World Cup like the stadium and the Fifa Fan Experience.
They also pointed out that Paris City Hall had been adorned with World Cup colours.


The Champs-Elysees is full of huge banners promoting a film festival - but not the Women's World Cup.

The Chatelet district houses the temporary Women's World Cup museum - a free and relatively well-produced, educational cuboid of historical information, complete with a shop - as well as the adjacent fan zone, which is closed until midday and only partially open until 14:00.

Fifa says it has also been marketing on radio and TV, as well as hosting a women's football convention in Paris earlier in June, and a spokesperson added: "For the first time in Women's World Cup history, there is a Fifa fan experience in each host city.

"The choice of the location of the fan experience and whether to include a big screen was determined by each host city."

As for the TV audiences, French channel TF1 has had record viewing figures of about 10 million in France for the host nation's first two group matches, and - although the games not involving Les Bleues are not on free-to-air channels here - the home supporters do seem to be gripped by their side's bid for a first title.

UK viewers have similarly set new records for women's football, while Fox Sports in the US has reportedly seen an 11% rise in their audience compared to four years ago.

Indeed, the world is watching the beautiful game in France this summer - you just have to be in the right place to notice it in the nation's most beautiful city.


Media Headlines on World Cup

Europe heatwave: record high of 45C expected in France


Temperature records expected to be broken as minister warns heatwaves could become norm

'Hell is coming': week-long heatwave begins across Europe

Temperatures could hit 40C from Spain to Switzerland, with authorities urging children and older people to stay indoors

A heat wave killed 15,000 in France in 2003. As temperatures soar again, officials are taking no chances.
France is postponing exams, opening pools and urging residents to stay hydrated.


Where's FIFA? Failing to promote a fun, high-quality Women's World Cup, that's where
Columnist
   
Women's World Cup: Record-breaking peak of 6.9m watch England beat Cameroon


WWCup: Nearly 11 million TV viewers watch France’s opener
June 8, 2019

LOS ANGELES — The Americans’ 3-0 win over Chile set a record for the most-watched group-stage Women’s World Cup match on U.S. English-language television.
Fox drew 5,324,000 viewers for Sunday’s game, topping 4,492,000 for the Americans’ 0-0 group-stage draw against Sweden in 2015. The game was the most-watched English-language soccer telecast in the country since last year’s men’s World Cup final.

The 2019 Women's World Cup has become the UK's most viewed women's football tournament on television.
The event has achieved a combined TV reach of 17.2 million people, beating the 12.4 million total set for the whole of the 2015 tournament in Canada.
England's win over Scotland set an audience record for a women's football game on UK TV of 6.1 million.
Women’s World Cup TV Viewership Is on a Record Pace
750 million people watched the tournament in 2015; FIFA estimates that nearly 1 billion could tune in this summer 

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