The highly anticipated ninth edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup commences in Auckland on Thursday with New Zealand facing off against Norway as co-hosts.
Spanning from July 20 to August 20, a total of 32 teams will vie for victory in 64 matches across 10 different venues, making this tournament the largest in history.
The US Women’s National Team (USWNT), the reigning champions, enters the competition as favorites, aiming for an unprecedented third consecutive title and a record-breaking fifth overall.
Nonetheless, this year’s World Cup is expected to deliver a more closely contested tournament, as European nations have significantly narrowed the gap with the formidable US team.
As we approach kick-off, here’s a comprehensive guide to everything you need to know about the upcoming tournament.
The 2023 Women’s World Cup will be hosted in two countries: Australia and New Zealand. This marks the first time in the history of the tournament that it will be co-hosted across two nations. Additionally, it will be the first Women’s World Cup held in the Southern Hemisphere, adding to the excitement and significance of the event.
Matches of the 2023 Women’s World Cup will take place in six stadiums across Australia, namely Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne, and Sydney. Additionally, four stadiums in New Zealand will also host matches, specifically in Dunedin, Auckland, Hamilton, and Wellington. This distribution allows for widespread accessibility and diverse locations throughout the two host countries.
The highly anticipated final of the 2023 Women’s World Cup will take place at Stadium Australia in Sydney, which has an impressive capacity of 81,500 spectators.
Ticket sales for the tournament have already surpassed the previous edition held in France, indicating that this is likely to become the most attended standalone women’s sporting event in history, as confirmed by FIFA, the governing body of football.
By June, over a million tickets had already been sold, with the majority being purchased for matches in Australia. However, ticket sales in New Zealand have been comparatively lower, which FIFA attributes to the sport having a lower profile in the country.
For viewers around the world, various broadcasting networks have secured the rights to air the matches. In the United States, FOX Sports will broadcast the games, while Telemundo will provide Spanish-language coverage. In Australia, Seven Network and Optus Sport are the designated broadcasters, and in the United Kingdom, the rights belong to the BBC and ITV. For a detailed breakdown of media rights holders in each country, the FIFA website provides comprehensive information.
A record-breaking 32 teams will be competing in the World Cup, which is eight more teams compared to the previous two editions. Among the participants, familiar powerhouses include the United States, a two-time champion, Germany, England (the reigning European champion), and the Netherlands, who were runners-up in the 2019 edition. Additionally, eight teams will make their World Cup debut, including Haiti, Morocco, Panama, the Philippines, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland, Vietnam, and Zambia.
In terms of favorites, according to sports data company Gracenote, the United States holds the top position with an 18% chance of winning the tournament. However, this year’s competition is expected to be highly competitive. Gracenote gives both Sweden and Germany an 11% chance of success, while France has a nine percent chance. England, Spain, and Australia are all credited with an eight percent chance of winning, highlighting the level of competitiveness among these strong contenders.
The group stage consists of eight groups, each comprising four teams. The top two teams from each group will advance to the round of 16.
Group A:
– New Zealand
– Norway
– Philippines
– Switzerland
Group B:
– Australia
– Republic of Ireland
– Nigeria
– Canada
Group C:
– Spain
– Costa Rica
– Zambia
– Japan
Group D:
– England
– Haiti
– Denmark
– China
Group E:
– United States
– Vietnam
– Netherlands
– Portugal
Group F:
– France
– Jamaica
– Brazil
– Panama
Group G:
– Sweden
– South Africa
– Italy
– Argentina
Group H:
– Germany
– Morocco
– Colombia
– South Korea
Players to watch
Australia and Chelsea forward Sam Kerr will be carrying the expectations of a nation as the star player for the Matildas and the team’s top scorer with 62 goals.
This tournament is likely to present Australia’s best chance of getting beyond the quarterfinals of a Women’s World Cup for the first time and captain Kerr is at the heart of the home nation’s grand ambitions.For some veterans of the women’s game, this tournament will mark the end of an era. Brazilian superstar Marta, 37, is set to end her international career having scored a record 17 Women’s World Cup goals, while the USWNT’s Megan Rapinoe has also announced that she will retire after what will be her fourth and final World Cup.
At 34, Alex Morgan is also among the senior players in the US squad and is joined by young forwards Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Alyssa Thompson, all looking to make an impression during their World Cup debuts.
Spain’s Alexia Putellas is a back-to-back Ballon d’Or Féminin winner – awarded to the best player in the women’s game – and earlier this year made a comeback from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.
Two other Barcelona stars – England midfielder Keira Walsh and Nigerian striker Asisat Oshoala – will both also be crucial for their nations’ chances.
Ada Hegerberg, the inaugural Ballon d’Or Féminin winner in 2018, is part of a talented Norwegian team alongside Caroline Graham Hansen, while Wendie Renard (France), Pernille Harder (Denmark) and Alexandra Popp (Germany) are all expected to feature prominently for their countries.
ACL curse
The same injury is preventing some of the biggest names in the women’s game from competing at the World Cup this year.
The Netherlands’ all-time leading women’s scorer Vivianne Miedema, England captain Leah Williamson and her teammate Beth Mead are all set to miss the tournament with ACL injuries.
Also on the ACL injury list are USWNT star Cat Macario, Germany’s Giulia Gwinn and Swiss teenager Iman Beney.The ACL is one of the key ligaments inside the knee, helping to stabalize the joint by joining the thigh and shin bone. Tearing an ACL is one of the most serious injuries an athlete can suffer, but the plight, as this year’s World Cup absentee list will testify, is especially common in women’s football.
Also missing the World Cup is USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn, who has sustained a foot injury, and international teammate Mallory Swanson, who tore the patellar tendon in her knee last month.
How much is the prize money?
FIFA has announced that prize money for the tournament will increase to $110 million. A further $31 million has been awarded to teams for preparations and $11 million to clubs for their players.
The $110 million prize money is a nearly three-fold increase on the 2019 figure and almost seven times more than in 2015, but still considerably lower than the $440 million total prize money awarded at the men’s World Cup in Qatar last year.
How much is the prize money?
FIFA has announced that prize money for the tournament will increase to $110 million. A further $31 million has been awarded to teams for preparations and $11 million to clubs for their players.
The $110 million prize money is a nearly three-fold increase on the 2019 figure and almost seven times more than in 2015, but still considerably lower than the $440 million total prize money awarded at the men’s World Cup in Qatar last year.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said earlier this year that he hopes the 2026 men’s and 2027 women’s World Cups will have equal prize money.
