Key Points
- Queen Letizia of Spain and activist Malala Yousafzai are both confirmed to be attending the Women’s World Cup final.
- The King of Spain, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Prince William have declined to attend Sunday night’s match.
- Prince William has been criticised for not making the trip to support the English women’s team in person.
A number of prominent international figures, including the Queen of Spain, will fly to Sydney to attend the FIFA Women’s World Cup final this weekend, while English royals draw criticism for declining to make the trip.
The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) confirmed that Queen Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano of Spain will attend the match between Spain and England at Stadium Australia on Sunday, along with her 16-year-old daughter Infanta Sofia.
King Felipe will not be joining them, RFEF said in a statement, as he is busy with other official duties.
None of the British royals, nor United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, will be travelling to Australia to support the English women’s team in person, despite it being the first time England has appeared in a World Cup final since its men’s team won in 1996.
King Charles III, Queen Camilla and Prince William – who is president of the Football Association – all declined to attend Sunday’s match. While Charles and Camilla are on their annual holiday in Scotland, William “is understood to have made the decision not to fly due to the distance involved for such a short trip”, according to British newspaper the Telegraph.
The highest-profile British official in attendance will be Lucy Frazer, the British government’s sports and cultural minister, who told reporters the final “is just such an exciting moment for all of us here in England”.
Former British minister for sport Gerry Sutcliffe criticised Prince William’s decision not to fly to Australia for the final. “I think the Prince of Wales should be there,” Sutcliffe told the Telegraph.
“I know it’s a long way and I’m sure he has family commitments but this is a unique moment, it’s the World Cup final and he’s the president of the FA.”
Prince William has been a vocal advocate for climate change action, including cutting back on emissions from air travel. In November 2022, he and Princess Kate made headlines after flying to a Boston climate ceremony on a commercial airline rather than a more environmentally unfriendly private jet. Collectively, a trip from London to Sydney is among one of the longest flight times in the world.
Pakistani female education activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai will be attending the world cup final in Sydney on Sunday, having already attended the semi-final between Australia and England on Wednesday.
“An amazing semi-final match – and not just because I was rooting for the winning team,” she wrote on Instagram following that match. “Congratulations to the [Lionesses] and the [Matildas] for a game well played. Can’t wait to root for England in the final.”
Yousafzai will fly to Sydney after meeting members of the Afghan women’s football team in Melbourne on Saturday, where she’s expected to talk about supporting the team’s desire to represent their country at an international level, and take part in a kick-around and jumper presentation.
FIFA has to recognise the Afghan women’s football team, who are living in exile in Australia, saying it does not have the right to officially recognise any team unless it is first recognised by the concerned member association.