The Indigenous flags of New Zealand and Australia will be on display at all Fifa 2023 Women’s World Cup matches.

It means that in each of the four local venues – Eden Park, Waikato Stadium, Wellington Stadium and Dunedin Stadium – the tino rangatiratanga/national Māori flag will be flown alongside the official New Zealand flag.

Concurrently, in each of Australia’s six host stadiums, the Australian flag, Australian Aboriginal flag and Torres Strait Islander flag will be flown.

The initiative is believed to be a first at a major Fifa tournament, as football’s governing body typically avoids any kind of statement that intersects with a political sphere.

It’s also significant for New Zealand, as it’s understood the indigenous flag was not used at any other World Cups over the last decade, including the Women’s Rugby and Women’s Cricket showpieces in 2022.

Earlier this week Fifa president Gianni Infantino wrote to senior government officials in Australia and New Zealand to honour their support of a request received from the tournament’s all-women cultural advisory panel, as well as Football Australia and New Zealand Football.

The panel is comprised of three Aboriginal women and three Māori women.

“Fifa recognises the importance of First Nations in Australia and Māori as tangata whenua in Aotearoa New Zealand in the hosting of the Fifa Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023,” said Fifa president Gianni Infantino in a statement. “An important step in the delivery and preparation of the tournament was the establishment of an all-women cultural advisory panel to create enduring relationships in partnership with First Nations and Māori communities and to ensure meaningful engagement and inclusion for all cultural touchpoints across the tournament.”

“This week, during NAIDOC Week in Australia and just before Aotearoa New Zealand’s Matariki celebrations, Fifa has acknowledged the request made by the Fifa Women’s World Cup 2023 Cultural Advisory Panel, Football Australia and New Zealand Football, which was supported by the governments in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. These significant flags express a spirit of mutual respect, national identity and recognition of Indigenous cultures for our hosts.”

New Zealand Football chief executive officer Andrew Pragnell also acknowledged the significance of the decision:

“Hosting the Fifa Women’s World Cup 2023 provides an opportunity to shape the way the tournament evolves and interacts with its hosts in future editions and in particular recognising the rights of Indigenous people worldwide,” said Pragnell. “Flying tino rangatiratanga at the tournament alongside the official country flag is a powerful symbol, reflecting the partnership between the Crown and Māori that is the foundation of this country. I want to thank Fifa for this decision, as well as acknowledge the work of the New Zealand Government and the tournament’s cultural advisory panel in achieving this outcome.”

Fifa has taken further steps to recognise the unique cultures of both countries. All host cities feature the English wording alongside te reo Māori and first nations Australian traditional place name translations, whilst traditional cultures are represented across World Cup branding.

First Nations and Māori cultures will also be strongly represented throughout team welcomes and on matchdays, including in ceremonies and through team captains’ armbands.

Throughout the tournament, Fifa said they will unveil other initiatives connected to the UN International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, which is celebrated on 9 August.