Maccas gets in the World Cup spirit

Ahead of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 in Australia & New Zealand, McDonald's has unveiled an array of engaging events across the country, sparked off by the world-first giant Macca's Fries restaurant.

The event kicks off on Thursday, 20 July, coinciding with the tournament's opening. The world's first oversized Macca's Fries restaurant is situated at Tumbalong Park in Darling Harbour, Sydney. This colossal, five-meter-tall edifice, equipped with a working kitchen, serves Maccas' trademark hot and crispy fries to FIFA Fan Festival attendees and the general public alike.

Football fanatics can savour medium fries complemented by Maccas' exclusive 'Sauces of the World', featuring Outback BBQ Sauce and Wasabi-flavoured Mayo Sauce, specially curated in celebration of the participating nations at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

David Morris, Brand Manager for McDonald’s Australia, shared the brand’s enthusiasm for creating memorable experiences for football enthusiasts during the World Cup. “Based in Darling Harbour, our giant Maccas Fries, also known as the Fry-Thru, is the perfect spot for all football fans to come together to fuel up on our iconic Fries before or after a game,” said Morris.

Alongside the fries restaurant, there are also Golden Arches of the World and comfortable communal seating arrangements providing an idyllic backdrop for photographs. Maccas also has a range of experiences planned outside stadiums in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide. These include the Maccas All Stars interactive photobooth and Maccas Swings.

Adding to the soccer festivities, Maccas is promoting women’s football greatness with a new Panini Football Stickers Happy Meal. Fans can build their dream teams using one of 12 double-sided posters and a mix of five stickers, available in all restaurants nationwide until Wednesday, 23 August.

Edge of the Crowd partners with Her Game Too for the Women's World Cup, uniting our passion for diversity and inclusivity in sports. Together, we aim to dismantle barriers, tackle sexism, and amplify women's voices in the sporting realm. Join us in celebrating the spirit of the beautiful game, free of gender constraints. The love for the game knows no gender; let's make every game, Her Game Too. Head to @HerGameToo on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to learn more.

Last minute tickets

The FIFA Women's World Cup ticket frenzy has reached fever pitch in Australia, with die-hard football fans snatching up the lion's share of tickets sold for the tournament so far. Aussie enthusiasts are even devising ingenious tricks to secure their spots at any game amidst ticket scarcity.

Edge of the Crowd has unveiled a neat trick to upgrade a child's ticket to an adult's. FIFA's official customer support makes it a cinch: locate the kid's ticket you wish to bump up on your ticket summary, hit 'upgrade', and cover the price difference. FIFA's step-by-step instructions can be found at the link provided below.

Meanwhile, across the Tasman, tickets aren't quite sizzling off the shelves. New Zealand's ticket sales have been sluggish. As recently as the start of this month, over half of the nearly one million tickets available to Kiwis remained unsold.

Various elements are being blamed for the slow sales, including the Football Ferns' recent lacklustre form, and the sport's lesser prominence in New Zealand relative to Australia. Local organisers reckon it's cultural, with New Zealanders infamous for their last-minute ticket purchases.

In a recent radio appeal, New Zealand's Minister for Sport, Grant Robertson, urged the nation to step up their game, noting, “It’s fair to say there are some games where we want to see more people there".

In a bid to inject life into crowd numbers, tournament sponsor Xerox has committed to giving away a whopping 20,000 tickets across different locations throughout the competition.

To get the full experience of Edge of the Crowd's 70-Day Countdown to the FIFA Women's World Cup this July, don't forget to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Also don't forget to listen to the Australian World Cup Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. New episode out now!