OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - March 3, 2011) - On behalf of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the Government of Canada, and all Canadians, I want to congratulate the Canadian Soccer Association on its successful bid to host the FIFA Women's World Cup 2015 and the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup 2014.

This exciting news means that Canadians will once again welcome the world to communities across the country, as we watch and cheer our national teams at the highest level of competition.

Awareness and pride in our national teams is at an all-time high, as participation in soccer continues to grow steadily in municipalities across Canada. The 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup will build on that enthusiasm. The tournament—the largest women's sport event in the world—will give Canada's athletes an opportunity to strive for excellence at the highest level of competition.

Hosting such prestigious events will reinforce and build on our Government's sport initiatives. Initiatives such as our Women in Sport policy and our Playground to Podium initiative are both leading edge in the development of sport participation. These events will allow us to showcase the richness of our cultural diversity and to bring sport, social, and economic benefits to all Canadians.

Our Government is proud to be a key supporter of these tournaments and has committed up to $15 million towards the events. They are certain to be hugely successful, and we look forward to watching our teams play "the beautiful game" with the world's best, right here at home.