The FIFA 2007 Women's Football World Cup is opened in
Shanghai, east China, on Sept. 10, 2007. (Xinhua/Fan Jun)

The biggest women's football competition will reach another milestone when it kicks off in Shanghai on 10 September 2007.

The fifth FIFA Women's World Cup, returning to its birthplace of China, is expected to reach new heights in global TV viewership. Women's football has gained a passionate following outside of its traditional hotbeds over the last decade, a fact that is underlined by the new record of more than 200 territories covered by the TV rights holders across all confederations, including countries such as Vanuatu and American Samoa, Canada, Burundi, Ghana as well as Germany and England - to name but a few.

This represents not only an increase of 25% in terms of transmission to territories compared to 2003, but also significant growth in the number of broadcasters in the various regions with sometimes up to three TV stations in the same country covering the competition live. The FIFA Women's World Cup has certainly become a standard-bearer on the international football scene.

"This year's event will set yet another benchmark in terms of event coverage. The impressive interest of broadcasters and the extent of coverage of the FIFA Women's World Cup makes us very proud about what has been achieved over the last decade, particularly with regard to the level of play. I am convinced that the performances of the 16 teams over the next three weeks will further enhance this trend," said Worawi Makudi, the chairman of the Committee for Women's Football and the FIFA Women's World Cup and a member of the FIFA Executive Committee.

Only eight years ago, the FIFA Women's World Cup 1999 was broadcast in 67 countries. By 2003, the TV audience had grown to 144 territories worldwide, covering nearly 3,000 hours of tournament play with a total cumulative TV audience of 526 million viewers worldwide.

More and more people from every walk of life are coming to appreciate the beauty and skill that this game has to offer. It is not just television audiences for women's football that have grown, however, as research conducted in 2006 revealed that more than 26 million women, in other words 10 per cent of all footballers, now play the "most beautiful game".

Germany's Kerstin Garefrekes (R) jubilates with teammates after scoring a goal against Argentina during the opening match of 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup in Shanghai, Sept. 10, 2007. Germany won the match 11-0. (Xinhua/Guo Yong)