Tracy David, who began her playing career before there even was a Canadian national women’s soccer team, couldn’t have imagined back then that there would be a female FIFA World Cup.

But here it is, established in 1991, and coming to Canada bigger than ever this summer.

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David, the University of Victoria Vikes women’s soccer head coach, stated it unequivocally: “The FIFA World Cup is the greatest women’s sporting event in the world. Make no mistake about that.”

David was the keynote speaker as the organizing committee of the 2015 FIFA women’s World Cup rolled into Victoria to meet officials, coaches and players after doing the same Saturday in Nanaimo and Courtenay.

“The support has been fantastic wherever we go,” said Rita Rogers, the venue manager for B.C. Place, which will host seven games, including the final on July 5.

“We are so thrilled to have the championship final because we have the seats [54,320 at B.C. Place] and the [soccer] culture for that in this province.”

Rogers said 400,000 spectator visits in total have already been guaranteed by group multi-game ticket package sales and the goal is to have 1.5 million spectators in total for the 52 games from June 6 to July 5 at six venues across the country.

Individual-game tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. on Feb. 26 at FIFA.com/Canada2015, with the lowest ticket price fixed at $20.15.

“Our whole message is built around affordability,” said Rogers.

To put into perspective what it all means for women’s soccer in Canada to host the 2015 FIFA World Cup, David hearkened back to 13 years ago. That’s when the 2002 FIFA U-19 World Cup was held at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Centennial Stadium in Victoria and Swangard Stadium in Burnaby.

“That 2002 U-19 World Cup was a turning point for women’s soccer in our country,” noted David. “Before that happened, we never heard a peep [about the women’s game]. That’s the first time we heard names like Christine Sinclair and Kara Lang.”

And, of course, the senior World Cup is a lot bigger than the U-19 (now changed to U-20) version.

“Every soccer player dreams of winning a World Cup. If you win it at home, it’s even better,” said David.

Canada, the 2012 London Summer Olympics bronze medallist and currently ranked No. 9 in the world, will be a factor on home turf this summer.

“And we will have an Island connection through Emily Zurrer [the national team veteran defender from Crofton] while my UVic players will have a CIS connection through [former University of Manitoba Bisons star] Desiree Scott,” added David.

cdheensaw@timescolonist.com