page_title: 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup
section_title: Final
hierarchical_section_title: 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup / Knockout stage / Final
caption_attribution_description: Brandi Chastain answering questions at Inside SportsCenter on the Sorcerer Hat Stage at Disney's Hollywood Studios during ESPN the Weekend, February 26, 2010
context_page_description: The 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup was the third edition of the FIFA Women's World Cup, the world championship for women's national association football teams. It was hosted as well as won by the United States and took place from 19 June to 10 July 1999 at eight venues across the country. The tournament was the most successful FIFA Women's World Cup in terms of attendance, television ratings, and public interest.
  The 1999 edition was the first to field sixteen teams, an increase from the twelve in 1995, and featured an all-female roster of referees and match officials. It was played primarily in large American football venues due to expected demand following the successful 1996 Olympics women's tournament. The average attendance was 37,319 spectators per match and the total attendance was 1.194 million, a record that stood until 2015. The tournament earned a profit of $4 million on its $30 million operating budget.
  The final, played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, was attended by 90,185 people, setting an international record for spectators at a women's sporting event. The United States won the tournament by defeating China in a penalty shootout after a scoreless draw.
context_section_description: The 1999 final at the Rose Bowl was played in front of 90,185 spectators, claimed to be a world record for a women's sports event, while its U.S. television broadcast averaged 17.9 million viewers and peaked at 40 million. The two finalists, the United States and China, had previously met in the gold medal match at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, which the U.S. won 2–1. With several unsuccessful attempts at the goal made by the hosts, the match was scoreless after regulation time and moved into extra time. China shot twice towards the U.S. goal in extra time, but saves by midfielder Kristine Lilly and goalkeeper Briana Scurry preserved the tie until the end of extra time.
  In the ensuing penalty shootout, the first four players scored on their shots before Liu Ying had her attempt in the third round saved by Scurry. Scurry was accused of cheating by Chinese media outlets because she had intentionally stepped ahead of the goal line before saving Liu's shot, but stated that "everybody does it". Lilly and Mia Hamm successfully converted their penalties and gave the Americans a lead, but Zhang Ouying and Sun Wen were able to convert theirs and keep it tied 4–4. Brandi Chastain, who had missed a penalty kick in the Algarve Cup against the Chinese months earlier, beat goalkeeper Gao Hong and won the shootout 5–4 for the United States. Chastain celebrated by removing her jersey and revealing her sports bra underneath, creating one of the most iconic moments in women's sports history as it appeared on the covers of major magazines and newspapers.
  10 July 1999
  12:50 PDT (UTC−7)
  Rose Bowl, Pasadena
  Attendance: 90,185
  Referee: Nicole Petignat (Switzerland)
caption: U.S. defender Brandi Chastain scored the winning penalty in the final
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