FIFA president Sepp Blatter said today he favors expanding the
women's World Cup to 24 teams despite the embarrassing 11-0
scoreline in the 2007 World Cup opener.
Germany's one-sided destruction of South American champion
Argentina in yesterday's opener raised questions about the depth of
women's international soccer and whether even the current 16 team
format was too broad.
"Definitely I didn't like this result," Blatter said. "This is
not good when we look forward in the future."
"This will not enhance the chances to do it (expand), but it's
only the first match."
A decision on whether to expand the event will be taken after
this tournament, as well as hosting rights for 2011, with Germany
and Canada considered leading bidders, and Australia and Peru also
candidates.
"We have realized that in all countries of the world, women they
can play football," Blatter said. "And they also play football
where their culture will not permit them to play in public."
"By saying that the game is now universal we should look at
growing from 16 teams to 24 teams in order to give more countries
the possibility every four years to meet with the best of women's
football."
"For us it would be good if we could open this competition."
Australia coach Tom Sermanni is one of the most experienced
coaches in international women's soccer, leading Australia since
1994 over two stints and also coaching in the former professional
US league, and he strongly criticized the opening match.
"I was extremely disappointed to be honest," Sermanni said.
"It's not a good advertisement for women's football."
"Women's football in South America in general has not kept pace
with other parts of the world and I would hope this would be a
wake-up call for South America to say they need to put more
resources into it."
However rival coach Even Pellerud, who took Norway to the 1995
World Cup title and is now coaching Canada, said it would be a
mistake to read too much into the opening result.
"We shouldn't conclude after one game," Pellerud said. "I do not
expect a lot of big margins here, but it's very visible when it's
the first game."
(Shanghai Daily via Agencies September 11, 2007)