Nau mai haere mai.

Just down the road from where I live, the local football club will soon become the New Zealand base for the Norwegian team during the FIFA Women’s World Cup. My kids both played on those pitches. It’s exciting to make a connection, however slight, with the elite level of the sport.

But the same club has recently been involved in a controversy over unequal treatment of its top men’s and women’s teams. It’s a microcosm of the gender equity issues facing sport globally – and which FIFA has pledged to make a focus of its own funding and development policies.

Indeed, the successful trans-Tasman bid for this year’s World Cup hosting rights – branded “As One” – made much of the tournament’s potential to raise the profile of the women’s game and drive participation at all levels by young players.

But as Julie Brice and Holly Thorpe explain, there is precious little evidence of any trickle-down or “inspiration” effect from major events like World Cups and Olympics. “In fact,” they write, “many of the promises made during bids and later promotion of the events – increased participation, more investment in leagues – go unrealised.”

That’s not to say the World Cup, kicking off in just over a fortnight, won’t have a positive impact. But it will depend on long term investment and a commitment to “building opportunities for girls and young women to participate in safe, supportive, and truly inclusive sporting environments”.

Please also take the time to enjoy Jennifer Curtin’s excellent and personalised view of the new citizenship rules across the Tasman, which this week restored a little good faith and fair go to our neighbourly relations. Until next week, mā te wā.