The wait is nearly over, some of the most talented footballers across the globe will come together to compete for the most prestigious award you can achieve. All the teams will hope to bring pride and success home for their nations.
The World Cup is to be hosted in Australia/New Zealand; the major event will start 20th July at 8:00AM with co-hosts New Zealand leading the way against Norway. An incredible 32 teams will take place, they are split up into eight different groups: Group A to Group H.
Tournament Favourites
USA
America are once again the favourites for the competition, USA are ranked first in the world winning the World Cup four times. Megan Rapinoe has been influential for USA in previous years, the American is classed as one of the best players ever to play women’s football,
The superstar has announced she is retiring at the end of the 2023 NWSL season and this year's Women's World Cup will be her last. The iconic attacker, a clutch player and the team's superstar at the 2019 World Cup, began her international career back in 2006.
Another recognizable face and name on the roster is Alex Morgan, she will play in her fourth World Cup this summer. She is one of the most dependable players for the team with 121 goals in 206 appearances.
The next generation is here and leading the charge is reigning NWSL MVP Sophia Smith. She holds the title of being the first player born in the 2000s to appear for the national team. Her stats from 2022 were tremendous with 11 goals in 17 games for the USWNT and 18 goals in 25 appearances for the Portland Thorns. The 2023 World Cup will be her first major tournament and she looks set to light up the world stage.
USA have quality all over the pitch with youth and experience, you think anybody who can stop the US will have a huge chance of lifting the trophy.
England
England's fixtures
England vs Haiti- 22nd July: 10:30
England vs Denmark- 28th July: 09:30
China vs England- 1st August: 12:00
As the tournament will be hosted in Australia and New Zealand the times will be quite unconventional in local time; games will take place in the morning.
England's triumph at Euro 2022 turned the England squad into superstars that summer. With the recent success England are now one of the favourites to walk away with the cup in a months’ time.
This squad has a few changes to their 2022 success, the main exclusion of the squad is Euro 2022 top scorer Beth Mead. This is down to fitness issues, Mead having not fully recovered from an anterior cruciate ligament injury. The Arsenal forward, 27, has not played since November and was a major doubt.
England will hope to bring in their newcomers and make a real difference, England have yet to lift the World Cup. With already winning the Euros they have the knowhow to win under huge pressure.
Spain
The Spanish are always a threat when it comes to these competitions. However, Late last year, 15 of Spain’s regulars walked away from the national side in protest the head coach, Jorge Vilda, and his backroom team.
This forced Vilda to turn to players further down the pecking order. Since then, a reshaped and eager group is pulling in the same direction. Recent results have been impressive.
Spain is in possession of the Ballon d’or winner Alexia Putellas. Spain's superstar underwent knee surgery on 12 July 2022, and after nine months of recovery, she returned to action at the end of April with Barcelona and now she can lead her national team to new heights at the World Cup.
Germany
Captain Alexandra Popp will lead the two-time World Cup winners. The German nation’s squad has been one of the best teams in women’s football in the past, so the squad preparing for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 will be under a lot of pressure.
Although Germany have already claimed the Women’s World Cup repeatedly (in 2003 and 2007), they have not recently exhibited the same level of supremacy.
But this team was returning to the top after their run to the Euro 2022 final. Germany demonstrated that their present generation of footballers are capable of competing against the greatest although succumbing to England in extra time.
With a lot of new players breaking through, coach Martina Voss-Tecklenberg has been supervising something of a shifting of the guard.
Lena Oberdorf, a 21-year-old defensive midfielder for Wolfsburg, is regarded as one of the greatest in the world. At 20 and 22, respectively, Jule Brand and Klara Bühl are two of the most dangerous wingers in women’s football.
World Cup Debut Teams
With the expansion of the competition now allowing 32 nations to compete, there are plenty of countries making their maiden appearance on the world stage. Vietnam, Zambia, Haiti, Morocco, Panama, the Philippines, Portugal, and the Republic of Ireland. This is a great testament of Women's football spreading further across the globe. All teams will all be making their debut and provide pride on the global stage down under.
Dark Horse
Australia
The World Cup could not have come at a better time for Australia. There has been an incredible buzz around the Australian team; having a squad that many claim to be a golden generation. A World Cup that is also on home soil, and an encouraging run of sustained good form have piqued interest and heightened anticipation in a country where football usually struggles for relevance.
Star players is Sam Kerr who has been instrumental for Chelsea in previous years. The striker is in the form of her life and coming off the back of a goal-laden, double-winning season with Chelsea, during which she also claimed a host of individual accolades.
Australia will hope that they can achieve incredible heights at this years World Cup; they will have the whole country behind them.
World Cup Stadiums
Ten stadiums will be used during the event, the final set to played at the iconic Stadium Australia. The FIFA Women’s World Cup will take place over two countries for the very first time, Australia and New Zealand sharing hosting duties in a ground-breaking edition of the illustrious tournament.
A record 10 venues have been chosen to host the competition, with some truly spectacular arenas set to display the best of the beautiful game.
Australia:
Brisbane Stadium
Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Capacity*: 56,851 Opened: 1934
Eight games will take place at Brisbane Stadium during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™. Five of those will come during the group stage - including Australia's matchday two meeting with Nigeria - while the Play-off for third place will round off the arena's three knockout fixtures.
European champions England will take to the pitch against Haiti to kick off the stadium's tournament, before France and Brazil do battle in Group F on 29 July.
Hindmarsh Stadium
Location: Hindmarsh, Adelaide, Australia Capacity*: 13,327 Opened: 1960
A total of five games will head to Adelaide's Hindmarsh Stadium during the Women's World Cup split across four group-stage affairs and one knockout round match.
The stadium's first game will see Brazil take on Women's World Cup newcomers Panama in Group F on 24 July, before fellow first-timers Haiti lock horns with China PR four days later. Fellow newbies Morocco will also play at the stadium when they face Korea Republic on 30 July. China PR will return to the venue on 1 August as the Asian champions do battle with European champions England in a heavyweight bout from Group D.
The arena's final act at the tournament will be to host the the round of 16 clash between the winners of Group F and the runners-up of Group H on 8 August.
Melbourne Rectangular Stadium
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Capacity*: 28,870 Opened: 2010
Melbourne Rectangular Stadium will host six games, including Australia's heavyweight Group B finale with Canada.
The opening-day bout between Nigeria and Canada will kick off the ground's hosting duties, before two-time winners Germany take on Morocco three days later in Group H. Jamaica-Brazil on 2 August will be the final group-stage match at the venue.
Two Round-of-16 clashes are set to take place at the ground, beginning with the winner of Group G taking on the runners-up from Group E, before the team that tops Group H does battle with the second-placed side from Group F.
Perth Rectangular Stadium
Location: Perth, Western Australia, Australia Capacity*: 13,932 Opened: 1910
Perth Rectangular Stadium will play host to five game group-stage matches, kicking off with the Group D battle between Denmark and Asian champions China PR.
The ground will host four Women's World Cup newcomers in total during the group phase, starting with Republic of Ireland, who take on Olympic gold medallists Canada in Group B on 26 July.
Stadium Australia
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Capacity*: 69,314 Opened: 1999
Stadium Australia will host the nation's opening game of the World Cup when the Matildas take on Republic of Ireland in Group B. Three knockout ties and the final itself will also head to the venue as football's trip Down Under concludes at this colossal arena.
The Stadium Australia will host numerous knockout fixtures including the Semi Final and the showpiece final which will be held on 20th August.
Sydney Football Stadium
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Capacity*: 38,841 Opened: 2022
Sydney Football Stadium is gearing up to host six matches comprising of five group-stage fixtures and one knockout tie – beginning with the opening Group F clash between France and Jamaica on 23 July.
Colombia will visit the venue twice in Group H to face Korea Republic and Germany, with European champions England's Group D showdown against Denmark sandwiched in between. The venue's first-round roadshow will finish where it began, in Group F, as France once again makes the journey to Sydney Football Stadium.
The ground's final game at the tournament will be the last-16 clash between the side which tops Group E and the nation that finishes as runners-up in Group G on 6 August.
New Zealand: Dunedin Stadium
Location: Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand Capacity*: 24,243 Opened: 2011
The stunning Dunedin Stadium, which staged matches at the FIFA U-20 World Cup™ in 2015, will host six group games at Australia & New Zealand 2023™.
Philippines takes on Switzerland in Group A there on the opening day. The Swiss will return to the venue for the pool's final matchday, when they take on co-hosts New Zealand on 30 July.
The Netherlands will also visit Dunedin Stadium for two of their three Group E games, taking on Portugal on 23 July before facing Vietnam on 1 August. Japan will do battle with Costa Rica on 26 July, before Argentina-South Africa takes place at Dunedin Stadium two days later.
Eden Park
Location: Kingsland, Auckland, New Zealand Capacity*: 40,536 Opened: 1900
Auckland’s Eden Park will host New Zealand against Norway in the opening game of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup™, as well as five other group matches and three knockout ties.
The historic stadium will also play host to two of USA’s group-stage matches as Vlatko Andonovski’s USWNT side aim to become the first female or male team to win three consecutive FIFA World Cup™ titles.
The first knockout stage match of this year’s tournament will also be played at the ground, as the winners of New Zealand’s group get the last-16 action under way. The city’s premier football stadium will then host one quarter-final and one semi-final as we draw closer to discovering who will lift the trophy and be crowned as world champions.
Waikato Stadium
Location: Hamilton, New Zealand Capacity*: 16,271 Opened: 2002
Five group matches will head to Hamilton's Waikato stadium during the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 Australia & New Zealand™, kicking off with the Group C battle between Zambia and 2011 champions Japan.
Fellow former winners Norway is in action on 25 July when they take on Group A rivals Switzerland, before Portugal and Vietnam do battle two days later in Group E.
Zambia will return to the venue for the pool's final matchday to face Costa Rica, while Argentina-Sweden of Group G rounds off the stadium's hosting duties on 2 August.
Wellington Regional Stadium
Location: Wellington, New Zealand Capacity*: 31,089 Opened: 2000
A total of nine games will take place at Wellington Regional Stadium over the course of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 Australia & New Zealand™. These include New Zealand's clash with the Philippines and a mouth-watering re-run of the 2019 final between USA and the Netherlands.
Spain takes on Costa Rica on 21 July to kick off Wellington's hosting duties, before La Roja return to the venue to face Japan in the Group C finale. Sweden will face reigning African champions South Africa in Group G on 23 July. Both nations will return to face Italy at the venue on 29 July and 2 August, respectively.
Whichever side tops Group C will face the runners-up of Group A at the ground, with a quarter-final set to follow on 11 August to bring the curtain down the stadium's tournament.
