The Women’s World Cup is bigger than ever, literally and figuratively. The expansion to a 32-team field—up from the dozen that played in the inaugural tournament in 1991—will bring eight first-time participants to Australia and New Zealand this summer. The women’s game has truly gone global, making this the most intriguing Women’s World Cup ever played. The U.S. has owned international soccer for more than three decades, with four World Cup stars on the national team jersey to show for it. The Americans are, indisputably, still the best team in the world. But, unlike years past, they can no longer be penciled into the semifinals. There are simply too many great players—and great teams—in the rest of the world.
2023 PREVIEW WOMEN’S WORLD CUP
THE GLOBAL GAME GROWS UP • THE USWNT HAS DOMINATED international soccer for more than 30 years, but the rest of the world is finally ready for that to change
THE BEAUTIFUL GAME • THE USWNT IS STILL FAVORED, but a raft of challengers and young stars—as well as a few decorated veterans—make this World Cup one of the most intriguing in history
LAND OF HOPE AND DREAMS • THERE’S NO SHORTAGE OF TALENT ON THE U.S. ROSTER, but how exactly it will be used will likely determine if the Americans can win a third straight World Cup
BRING ON THE WORLD • EIGHT GROUPS, 32 COUNTRIES and 30 thrilling days of soccer—here’s a primer on every team playing this summer
GROUP A • A EUROPEAN POWER looks to rejoin the ranks of the elite, while one of the World Cup cohosts has a chance to break through to the knockout stage for the first time
NOR
NZL
SUI
PHI
GROUP B • THE REIGNING OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALISTS are ready for a run at the Cup, but cohost Australia, with its strongest team yet, lies waiting in what some consider the “group of death”
CAN
AUS
IRL
NGA
GROUP C • ARGUABLY THE BEST PLAYER IN THE WORLD will battle it out with one of the most accomplished nations in women’s soccer history in a deceptively deep group
ESP
JPN
CRC
ZAM
GROUP D • THE REIGNING EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS are one of this tournament’s heavyweights, while the top team from Asia and a first-time qualifier from the Caribbean will also be battling for a spot in the knockout round
ENG
DEN
CHN
HAI
GROUP E • DEFENDING CHAMPION TEAM USA and the side it defeated in the 2019 World Cup final highlight a top-heavy group that also includes two first-time qualifiers
USA
NED
POR
VIE
GROUP F • AFTER A TUMULTUOUS START TO THE YEAR, France is poised to take its place among the world’s best, while two of the sport’s biggest stars look to power their teams to the knockout stage
FRA
BRA
JAM
PAN
GROUP G • IN THE LONE GROUP THAT FEATURES FOUR TEAMS THAT PLAYED IN THE LAST WORLD CUP, two European countries are favored to push through to the knockout round
SWE
ITA
ARG
RSA
GROUP H • ONE OF EUROPE’S TOP TEAMS IS ON THE SHORT LIST of World Cup title contenders, while a rising team from Asia and two teams with intriguing individual stars fill out the rest of the group
GER
KOR
COL
MAR
Women’s World Cup 2023 Preview
PHOTO CREDITS
WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2023 • THE USWNT HAS OWNED international soccer for more than three decades. But the global game is bigger than ever—a record 32 countries will be playing in Australia and New Zealand this summer. The Americans are still the best women’s team in the world, but the gap is closing—fast.
