Moncton to host 7 Women's World Cup soccer games

Monctonwill host seven games during the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada in June 2015.

The official soccer match schedule was approved in Zurich on Thursday.

Details about which teams will be playing in Monctonhave notyet been released, but city manager Jacques Dub doubts Canada will be among them, having just played apre-Olympic friendly gamein the city last year against China.

Still, Monctonis guaranteed some high-calibre competition, said Dub.

"We've been given two high level, or highly-ranked teams to come to Moncton,two out of seven, which means just about a third of all high-ranking teams are coming to Moncton during that time, which is fantastic," he said.

"Typically, your highly-ranked teams are places like England and France and all those countriesItaly and Spain."

The games, which will include a Round of 16 matchup,will all be played at the Moncton Stadium at the Universit de Moncton.

Tickets will go on sale in the third quarter of 2014, officials said.

'Incredible opportunity'

Richard Saillant, the university's vice-president of administration and human resources is excited.

"It's a great opportunity for us to showcase the university to the world both to build our reputation as an institution, but also to attract the attention of some potential students in many countries where soccer, football is a very well loved sport," he said.

The Moncton Stadium captured international attention during the 2010 World Junior Track and Field Championships.

"The Womens World Cup is one of the most significant sporting events in the world and this will further enhance Monctons reputation as the sports and entertainment capital in the Maritimes," Deputy Mayor Merrill Henderson stated in a release.

It will be an "incredible opportunity to showcase" Moncton and the province to a worldwide audience, agreed Dorothy Shephard, the minister responsible for sport and recreation.

World Cup games will also be held in Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver between June6 and July 5.

The event will feature a record number of 24 countries, up from 16,and 52 matches, up from 32.

FIFA is the governing body ofinternational soccer.