The women's Rugby World Cup final will be held at one of the game's major venues for the first time next year when Eden Park in Auckland stages the title-decider of the ninth edition.
Eden Park Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The semifinals and bronze medal match at the first women's World Cup to be held in the southern hemisphere will also be held at New Zealand's largest sports stadium, which has a capacity of 50,000 and hosted the 1987 and 2011 men's finals.
Former Black Ferns world-cup winning captain Dr Farah Palmer was a driving force behind getting the Rugby World Cup to New Zealand and she said she was blown away that it was finally getting closer.
"We've always wanted everybody to see what we have to offer here in Aotearoa New Zealand in terms of rugby and how much we really value and appreciate women in rugby but also as a nation," Palmer said.
"I see this as the spiritual home of rugby and it's nice to share that with the world."
Next year's tournament will run from 18 September to 16 October and World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont said women's rugby is the single-biggest opportunity to grow the game and he was confident that the New Zealand was the best place to host the tournament.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
"You know you're going to get enthusiasm for it, but also it will grow the women's game in New Zealand and that's what we have to do, we've still got to grow the game here and we've got to grow the game globally so coming here, having full houses, successful tournaments, I'm really confident we've come to the right place," he said.
Previous tournaments were held in Europe and Canada and Beaumont said continuing to take the showpiece event around the world made sense even if it impacted on the bottom line.
"It's commitment by World Rugby that we need to look at where we take the game strategically, not necessarily where we're going to make money or not not lose money and that's important."
The draw for the tournament will be held later this year when New Zealand, England, France, the United States, Canada, Australia, Wales, South Africa, Fiji will be joined by three more nations to take the total number of teams to 12.
Black Ferns Photo: Inpho / www.photosport.nz 2017
New Zealand's Black Ferns have won five of the last six global women's titles and will be strong favourites to add another to their haul on home soil next year.
World champion Black Fern Kendra Cocksedge said playing in front of home fans is something the New Zealand side are prepared for.
"The Black Ferns always have a bit of pressure to be honest, we're a talented side and we've had success in the past and we talk a lot about it, having a target on our back.
"Every team wants to beat us and motivations for other teams would be what would it be like to beat the Black Ferns on home turf, we embrace that though we talk about we don't shy away from it and that's what is probably important for the side. I'm a goal kicker and I thrive on that pressure and I think the other girls do too."
Last year World Rugby introduced gender neutral naming of Rugby World Cup tournaments, removing gender from the titles.
Beaumont said there should not be differentiation between men and women playing the game.
"Why should it be any different at all, we both play the same game, we play the game of rugby, so just because the game was played originally by men and predominantly by men, why can't women enjoy it - which they do."
Organisers said teams would play and train on fields on par with their male counterparts at the last world cup held in New Zealand and accommodation will also meet the same standards.
- RNZ/Reuters