The FIFA Women’s World Cup in New Zealand and Australia is less than a week away.
But before the action gets started on the field at Eden Park in Auckland on Thursday, with the home team, the Football Ferns, taking on the 1995 champions Norway, there was another tournament to be played.
One where each of the teams based in Tāmaki Makaurau – with one exception – were asked to say hello to each other in their native tongues as loudly as possible, by Clay Hawke of Ngati Whatua Ōrākei, during the official pōwhiri welcoming them to Aotearoa.
Portugal coach Francisco Neto had been tasked with responding to the local iwi’s whaikōrero with his own speech in Portuguese, on behalf of all of those who have gathered in the largest city in Nova Zelândia for the world’s biggest women’s sports event.
His team were then invited to say hello first: Olá. The United States, Vietnam, the Philippines, Norway and Italy then took their turns. The seventh foreign team staying in Auckland, Argentina, are yet to arrive.
Last came the Ferns, their co-captains Ali Riley and Ria Percival among the dignitaries on stage, with a “kia ora” that was the loudest of the lot.
As the teams waited for the pōwhiri to begin at Spark Arena on Auckland’s downtown waterfront, within walking distance of most of the team hotels, the foyer filled up with some of the biggest names in world football.
American forward Megan Rapinoe, the player of the tournament and one of the three leading scorers at the last World Cup in France in 2019, tends to stand out from a crowd, as a result of her bubblegum blue hair.
Nearby was Norwegian midfielder Guro Reiten, the most influential player on the best team (Chelsea) in the best league in the world (England’s Women’s Super League) during the season just gone.
After all the teams said hello, Wilkinson, and one of the Ferns’ World Cup training partners, Ava Collins, led the teams in the waiata Te Iwi E.
With the ceremony complete, the teams were invited for kai back in the foyer – and, if they wanted, to get their photos taken with the kapa haka group, who joined Wilkinson, Collins and the rest of the Ferns in continued song.
All that star power back in one place, able to enjoy some typical Kiwi offerings for afternoon tea: Mussel and paua fritters with onion dip and mini lamb and horopito pies for those after something savoury; Salted caramel slice and Ginger crunch with pistachios for those with a sweet tooth.
“You can really feel the energy – the mauri – right now,” Wilkinson said as her team-mates and their rivals partook around her. “It’s incredible.”
“It’s amazing to be a host, to welcome people, rather than being a guest.
“We usually are overseas far from home, so to welcome other countries here, it’s quite amazing.”
The global nature of football and New Zealand’s small place in the world means that most of the country’s top players live overseas, with just four of the 23 in their World Cup squad based here.
“You can really feel how truly spiritual that was,” Wilkinson said, on the eve of her fourth World Cup. “I think we’re feeling more connected to Aotearoa than we ever have been before and we’re just loving it.”
A 43,000-strong sell-out crowd is expected when the World Cup kicks off on Thursday, with the home team up against it, given the attacking talents Norway have at their disposal.
It has been almost two months since the end of the club football season in Europe, where many of these players – and all the big names – ply their trade.
Therefore it was no surprise to see two of the stars from French club Lyon – one of the powerhouses of European women’s football – making the most of the opportunity to catch up afterwards, before they potentially face off in the weeks ahead.
US co-captain Lindsey Horan and Norwegian forward Ada Hegerberg used to be rivals in France, when the American midfielder played for Paris St Germain, but since last year, they have been team-mates.
If they meet on the field in New Zealand, it will be in a quarterfinal or semifinal at Eden Park or Wellington Regional Stadium in early August, but those big stages are a while away yet.
Right now, the action is only just beginning.
FIFA Women’s World Cup
The first matches in New Zealand
Thursday, July 20, 7pm: Football Ferns v Norway; Eden Park, Auckland
Friday, July 21, 5pm: Philippines v Switzerland; Dunedin Stadium
Friday, July 21, 7.30pm: Spain v Costa Rica; Wellington Regional Stadium
Saturday, July 22, 1pm: United States v Vietnam; Eden Park, Auckland
Saturday, July 22, 7pm: Zambia v Japan; Waikato Stadium
Sunday, July 23, 5pm: Sweden v South Africa; Wellington Regional Stadium
Sunday, July 23, 7.30pm: Netherlands v Portugal; Dunedin Stadium