IRELAND’S WORLD CUP opener with hosts Australia looks set to be moved to Sydney’s 83,500-seater Accor Stadium later this year.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Fifa president Gianni Infantino is a strong supporter of the plan, which would see Vera Pauw’s side play in front of the second biggest crowd in Women’s World Cup history.

The curtain raiser for the tournament, to be played on 20 July, is currently fixed for the 42,500-seater Sydney Football Stadium at Moore Park in the city.

Should the change in venue get the green light, and the clash sell out, it also means both Ireland and the Matildas will play in front of the biggest crowd in their respective histories.

It would also be good news for any travelling Ireland fans, who had been faced with the possibility of receiving a paltry 1,700 tickets for the original venue – just four per cent of the capacity.

Allied with the significant diaspora already based in the country, the SMH reported that this was significant in considering the switch.

“While Ireland is not considered one of the powerhouse nations of the women’s game, the country’s massive diaspora in Australia, the propensity for Irish fans to travel in huge numbers, and the Matildas’ popularity has left Football Australia and FIFA of the view that a sellout is a fait accompli,” the report says.

“Infantino is eager to boost as many metrics as possible for the first Women’s World Cup that FIFA is selling to broadcasters and sponsors as a standalone event, rather than bundled together with the men’s event, and sources say he wants the tournament to begin with the biggest bang possible.”