# Celebrating the Start of the Women’s World Cup: Highlights from the Opening Ceremony
The Women’s World Cup is finally here, and the opening ceremony was a spectacular way to kick off the tournament. Co-hosts New Zealand and Australia put on an incredible show to celebrate the start of the competition, and we’ve rounded up some of the best moments from the ceremony.
## The Opening Ceremony
The opening ceremony was held at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium, and featured a range of performances from both countries. The show was hosted by former Australian cricket captain, Ricky Ponting, and featured a number of musical performances from both countries.
The ceremony began with a performance from New Zealand’s Te Reo Maori group, who performed a traditional haka. This was followed by a performance from Australian singer-songwriter, Jessica Mauboy, who sang her hit single ‘We Got Love’.
The ceremony also featured a number of other performances, including a traditional Aboriginal dance, a performance from the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team, and a performance from Australian pop star, Guy Sebastian.
## Celebrating Women in Sport
The opening ceremony was also a chance to celebrate women in sport, with a number of inspiring speeches from female athletes. This included speeches from Australian cricketer Ellyse Perry and New Zealand netballer Maria Folau.
The ceremony also featured a performance from the Australian women’s cricket team, who sang their team song ‘We Are Champions’. This was followed by a speech from Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who praised the achievements of female athletes and encouraged them to continue to strive for excellence.
## Follow the Women’s World Cup
The Women’s World Cup is sure to be an exciting tournament, and you can follow all the action on BBC iPlayer, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app. The tournament will feature some of the best female athletes in the world, so make sure you don’t miss out on any of the action!
The opening ceremony was an incredible way to kick off the tournament, and we can’t wait to see what the rest of the competition has in store. Be sure to follow all the action on BBC iPlayer, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app – available to UK users only.