Sixty-three percent of men are looking forward to the event from June 26 to July 17 compared to 43 percent of women. -AFP Photo

BERLIN: Men are more excited about the upcoming women's football World Cup than women, a poll published in host country Germany showed on Wednesday, 11 days before the event kicks off.

Sixty-three percent of men surveyed are looking forward to the event from June 26 to July 17 compared to 43 percent of women, according to the poll conducted by German weekly Die Zeit.

Sixty percent of men thought women's football was attractive, compared to just 45 percent of women.

Around half of both sexes thought the event would be as successful as the men's World Cup in Germany in 2006, the poll showed.

The men's event six years ago not only went smoothly but it was also credited with boosting Germany's image abroad and with making Germans get over a postwar unease about overt displays of national pride.

The opening match of 32 takes place on June 26 in Berlin's Olympic Stadium as hosts Germany, hoping for their third successive title, take on Canada.

Seventy percent of those polled think Germany will at least reach the final.