So what do you think of it so far?

The Women’s World Cup has been a fan-tastic experience so far for the thousands who have attended including, left, these New Zealand supporters who were part of a New Zealand record crowd for the Football Ferns’ cup-opening game against Norway. Group play is hotting up as nations chase a spot in the round of 16, including New Zealand, who have a crunch match against Switzerland tomorrow. NZ fans picture by Kerry Marshall/www.photosport.nz; other pics by AP

Nine days into the Women’s World Cup and the numbers don’t lie.

The 2023 edition is well on its way to becoming the “most attended stand-alone women’s sporting event ever”, organisers say.

The average attendance of over 28,700 after 16 games is 54 percent up on 2019.

The 42,137 who watched the Football Ferns stun Norway in the cup opener was a record for any football match in New Zealand.

Viewership numbers worldwide have shattered that of previous cups.

The US women’s match against Vietnam averaged more than six million viewers compared with the two million who viewed their 2019 opener against Thailand.

Similar is England’s opener and Australia’s opening-day win over Ireland which received more than three times the viewership of the Ashes test being played at the same time.

And we’re only halfway through it.

As to the football itself, well, the best is yet to come as the cream rises to the top.

Meanwhile, let’s mark the show so far out of 10.

Drama:  8 — You can’t go past the Football Ferns’ stunning win over Norway — a roller-coaster, edge-of-the-seat ride combining desperation, courage and most of the other emotions that go with an action movie climax.

Football Ferns: 9 — Obviously they are not going to win it. And after the Philippines inexplicably brought them crashing back to Earth on Tuesday, their campaign may well fizzle out against the Swiss (tomorrow, 7pm). Whatever happens, the Footy Ferns have raised the profile of the women’s game to soaringly new heights NZ Football must cash in on. Surely.

Skill: 6 — No Messi, Zidane, Maradona or Ronaldo has emerged and some of the first-touch skills are questionable. But thankfully we haven’t had to endure 50 passes in their own half before heading upfield and only a handful of Hollywood performances when tackled. The women appear to want to get on with the game although one new fan to the sport did question why they don’t shoot more often.

Japan: 9 — Wonderfully skilled and probably the best-looking attacking unit so far. Add to that their humility and impeccably behaved fans — ever seen other fans cleaning up the stadium after the game — and only the runners-up fans will be complaining if “Nadeshiko Japan” are hoisting the trophy on August 20.

VAR: 5 — Yes, it’s accurate. Yes, you probably can’t argue with it. But, boy, the Video Assistant Referee system takes up time and as NRL fans well know, slow-motion replays often make things worse than they are. And if there wasn’t VAR, the Football Ferns would be sitting pretty heading into tomorrow. Dammit.

The Americans: 7 — Yet to display their best but the Stars and Stripes are experts in charm offensive and have  endeared themselves to the fans. On what they have shown so far, a hat-trick of world cup victories is going to be tough, but as Billy Ocean sang while Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner searched for The Jewel of the Nile   — “When the going gets tough . . .”

Overall: 8 - It’s not Welcome to Wrexham. It’s not Manchester City. But there are bits of Bend It Like Beckham. It’s a spectacle, a show, a rare experience that is on our doorstep, and promoting New Zealand to the rest of the world.

And who’s going to emerge triumphant?

. . . Germany. Maybe. — Gisborne Herald Sports