Technology giant Cisco has agreed to an exclusive partnership with FIFA, making them the official network infrastructure provider for the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this July.

The deal will see Cisco construct the underlying network infrastructure for the entire tournament, connecting IT systems and key applications required for the operations, administration, and media, for both competition and non-competition venues.

With a focus on capability and scalability given the tournament takes place across nine host cities and ten competition venues, Cisco’s network, including physical hardware and software-defined innovation is set to ensure a seamless network delivery to connect the tournament ecosystem and protect against potential cyber threats.

Additionally, Cisco’s IP Fabric for Media solution will be deployed at the tournament’s International Broadcast Centre to ensure the efficient delivery of 4K content, connecting fans around the globe.

Commenting on the partnership, FIFA secretary general, Fatma Samoura, said they were thrilled to onboard Cisco’s expertise for the event:  “The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ will be a historic event, and we are thrilled to have another great company, Cisco, now on board as our Official Network Infrastructure Provider.”

Cisco’s senior VP and CMO, Carrie Palin, added: “The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ is unequivocally one of the marquee global sporting events, and we are proud that Cisco will be the trusted provider to connect and protect the network on which the entire ecosystem will operate.”

“We’re committed to enabling a connected experience for football fans worldwide and are proud of our role in supporting the game of football and using it as a platform to make a positive impact on players and fans,” Palin said.

The sponsorship will also see Cisco’s Networking Academy provide free IT educational courses to an all-female team of local students, offering hands-on experience by assisting with the servicing of the network in the leadup to the tournament.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 will kick off on July 20^th.

This announcement comes after FIFA partnered with Jacobs Creek ahead of the Women’s World Cup.