After the fierce success of the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup held in Qatar, 2023 is the women’s team’s turn to showcase their skills in football’s top-flight tournament.
The game’s biggest stars will travel to Australia and New Zealand for the first time this July, making it the tournament’s best event yet.
The history of the Women’s World Cup dates back to 1970, but has been under the umbrella of FIFA since 1991. The following decade was when popularity really began to rise. Hosted for the first time in 1999, the USA was a pivotal moment in the direction of the sport, with more than 90,000 people in the final. Germany won the first two tournaments of the new millennium, but has since reverted to US dominance. They have advanced to the last three finals in a row by winning the previous two.
In the 2019 edition in France, the popularity of the women’s game reached unprecedented levels. But what can we expect in Oceania from 2023?
“For one, it will actually be winter here. Discovery Inc. “I think this will come as a shock to a lot of people,” sports reporter Narelle Sindos said.
“I was at the last Women’s World Cup in France and it was very evasive and very hot. And I think people will be a little shocked, especially being in New Zealand. Much colder than Australia, especially in the south. So bring a jacket, bring gloves. But New Zealand is known for really, really escapism. This is something we are always told. The coffee and the food are really good, so I think it’s a pretty good place to host a World Cup.”
10 stadiums from 9 cities in 2 countries will host the best players in the world when the competition starts on 20 July. Eden Park in Auckland will host the inaugural match between New Zealand and Norway, while Australia will kick off their campaign at the Sydney Football Stadium when they take on Ireland.
2011 winner Japan will play their first game at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton, while Euro 2022 winner England will start at Brisbane Stadium. Ballon D’or winner Alexia Putellas will return to Spain for the kick-off at the Wellington Regional Stadium. Meanwhile, Six matches will be played at Forsyth BarrJus Stadium. The Hindmarsh and Perth Rectangular stadiums will host a total of five matches.
Its owners are the USA and it’s hard to see a world where any team with the desire to win this tournament wouldn’t have to beat the Americans. They have a rivalry with England this year which we can see renewed at the end of the business and this saw them face off in the 2019 edition of the tournament in France as well. The United States overtook England on this occasion, but most recently England prevailed when the two clashed at Wembley in October.
“The history books show that England have never beaten the United States in a senior World Cup, men or women,” said Jonathan Tannewald, Chief Football Correspondent for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
“They played five times in 72 years. This summer when the series ends? We’ll have to learn. But we enjoy having this long undefeated streak against the British.”
The UK and the US are clearly ahead, but other European countries will have the same chance. Spain’s star forward Alexia Putellas was excluded from the European Championship last summer due to a knee injury. Germany will also be dangerous, taking England into overtime in the Euro final at Wembley.
“I think England and Germany are the two best teams in Europe right now,” Tannewald continued.
“So right now the UK and Germany are at the top, along with France and Spain. After them, I can get Norway very close even if it’s not in the group with France and Spain because Ada Hegerberg is back in the team.”
Another exciting World Cup is on the way this summer, in which many teams want to claim the world crown. We should also look forward to wonderful hosts in Australia and New Zealand. Will England and the USA clash again to win the tournament? Or could another unexpected contender take the trophy?