FIFA boss visits Parliament House with Women's World Cup trophy in Canberra

It was a bittersweet affirmation when the capital of the nation co-hosting the historic tournament with New Zealand has no games, and didn't have training bases for visiting teams for the month-long event.

The closest ACT soccer fans got to an official taste of Cup fever was at the University of Canberra, with the tournament trophy having a rare public viewing on campus after its visit to Parliament House earlier in the day.

The trophy travels with its own security team, is carefully kept behind a perspex case that cannot be touched, and can only be held without gloves by past winners and dignitaries like Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

But you tell the long line of soccer fans above the university's refectory there's not something special about getting up close and personal with the Women's World Cup trophy.

In lieu of hosting a Women's World Cup game, Canberrans grinning ear-to-ear, some donning green and gold, waited patiently - some well over an hour - to get their Kodak moment with the iconic silverware.

Like the successful watch parties on the campus throughout the tournament, and the bumper crowd expected at Garema Place on a chilly Monday night to watch the Matildas take on Denmark in the round of 16, it's hard not to think what could have been had Canberra been more involved in the Women's World Cup.

"I think it helps the people in Canberra feel more connected to the World Cup," UC Sport Strategy co-lead Michelle Lincoln said.

"We're really excited to have the trophy here.

"We're very happy to showcase anything to do with women in sport and it sits beautifully with our 'Play On' exhibition celebrating the history of women in football in the ACT.

"We've had a great turnout of people coming to our watch parties here too with a really nice atmosphere and they're only going to get bigger."

The ACT government didn't think it would be good bang for buck bringing games to Canberra but as the tournament has proven - particularly in Australia - the appetite for games has exceeded expectations with one million fans already through the turnstiles.

While joint-host New Zealand has had five attendances under 10,000 people, Australian venues have welcomed an average crowd of nearly 30,000 at every fixture, with east-coast locations in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne attracting higher attendances than Perth and Adelaide.

"The World Cup has been received greatly in Australia and New Zealand," Infantino said at Parliament House where he also met with Football Australia chief executive James Johnson.

"To see the heart of all of them is beating for soccer, the World Cup and the Matildas, it's fantastic.

"This will become the number one sport in Australia, as it is all over the world.

"In Australia after the latest result of the Matildas going through the group stage, this creates special excitement in the country."

The Matildas continue their Women's World Cup campaign with an elimination clash against Denmark on Monday.

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