Sydneysiders were left stunned as an enormous four-metre ball was flown over the harbour to launch the official match ball for the Women's Football World Cup before it kicks off in Australia and New Zealand in July.

Sports stars, including swimmer Ian Thorpe, canoeing champion Jess Fox and rugby great Dan Carter, turned out for the launch of the ball in Marks Park Tamarama, which had been transformed into a giant football pitch for the occasion.

The Adidas ball is named 'OCEAUNZ' - combining the names Oceania, Australia and New Zealand.

The green-blue colour palette and visuals nod to the stunning natural landscapes of the host nations, celebrating their coming together for this historical moment in women’s sport. 

The graphics are inspired directly by the vast mountains of New Zealand and Australia’s connection with the Indian Ocean.

As far as technology goes, the OCEAUNZ will be fitted with Connected Ball Technology, a ground-breaking innovation that provides officials with precise ball data to help faster and more accurate decision-making.

Adidas will see 1% of net sales of the ball contributed towards Common Goal’s ‘Global Goal 5 Accelerator’; a collective project to increase female participation, representation and leadership in the grassroots game.

'With record viewing figures for the Women’s Euros tournament last year, the upcoming World Cup is set to be a massive moment for the game that we love,' said Franziska Loeffelmann, Design Director Football Graphics at Adidas.

'We’re turning up with a match ball that we’re incredibly proud of - featuring our innovative technology and with a design that represents the natural beauty of the landscape in which it will be played.'

'The game is always evolving, and the design of the OCEAUNZ is built to help players cope with the pace and demands of the modern game. We’re hugely excited for the FIFA Women’s World Cup and to see the women’s game lifted to even further heights, in two fantastic host nations.'

Last week FIFA announced that over half-a-million tickets have been sold to fans from over 120 countries for the Women's World Cup. 

The first-ever 32-team will welcome teams qualified for the first time ever in their history from Morocco, Zambia, Philippines, Vietnam and the Republic of Ireland.

FIFA's Chief Women's Football Officer Sarai Bareman said the World Cup will do wonders for the popularity of the sport in Australia and New Zealand.

'Domestically, this World Cup is going to create a huge acceleration of growth for football here,' Bareman told Daily Mail Australia in 2022.

'In England, which wasn't even one of the 2019 World Cup hosts, 850,000 more women and girls laced up their boots in the month following that World Cup just because of the impact off that world packed atmosphere.

'So you can imagine here in Australia, the number of participants that are going to come to the game that aren't currently playing is going to be incredible.

'And what it does is lift the entire system, right? The grassroots, but also the A-League women and Matildas.

'I promise you, in 10, 15 years time, you're going to see some more little Sam Kerrs coming up through the system as a result of having this World Cup here in Australia.'