Page 3 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.7 2022-23

England have been drawn against Denmark and China at the FIFA
Women’s World Cup 2023 in Australia and New Zealand, but their
third group opponent will not be decided until next February.
The draw for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Finals took place at
the Aotea Centre in Auckland, New Zealand on Saturday morning for
the tournament which commences in July next year.
England will have to wait until the FIFA Women’s World Cup
Play-Off tournaments in February are concluded to find out who they
will face in their opening match on Saturday 22nd July at the Brisbane
Stadium.
Group B Play-Off winners was the fourth ball pulled out for England’s Group D and
that mini tournament will see Senegal and Haiti face each other on Saturday 18th
February, before the winner of the match then faces Chile on Wednesday 22nd February
to decide who will reach the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.
England do know the dates and opposition for their other two Group D matches
though, with games against Denmark on Friday 28th July at Sydney Football Stadium
and China on Tuesday 1st August at Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide.
The Lionesses’ unbeaten run since Sarina Wiegman took charge in September
2021, which culminated in England winning their first major women’s tournament at
this summer’s EURO Finals, means they are currently ranked fourth in the FIFA World
Rankings, guaranteeing them a spot in Pot One for the draw.
There will be 32 nations competing in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, with 29
already qualified and three more to be decided at the ten-team Play-Off tournaments.
For the Republic of Ireland, who will be playing in their first major tournament,
the draw could hardly have been tougher. As well as host nation Australia, they will find
themselves up against Nigeria and Olympic gold medallists Canada. Reigning
Champions United States occupy Group E along with the Netherlands, beaten finalists
last time around, Vietnam and another Play-Off winner. New Zealand, the other hosts,
will be taking on Norway, the Phillippines and Switzerland.
The teams were split into four pots of eight teams for the draw based on the latest
World Rankings, with hosts Australia and New Zealand joined by the six top-ranked
teams in Pot 1.
2023 FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP DRAW
GROUP A GROUP B GROUP C GROUP D
NEW ZEALAND AUSTRALIA SPAIN ENGLAND
NORWAY REPUBLIC OF IRELAND COSTA RICA GROUP B *
PHILIPPINES NIGERIA ZAMBIA DENMARK
SWITZERLAND CANADA JAPAN CHINA
GROUP E GROUP F GROUP G GROUP H
UNITED STATES FRANCE SWEDEN GERMANY
VIETNAM JAMAICA SOUTH AFRICA MOROCCO
NETHERLANDS BRAZIL ITALY COLOMBIA
GROUP A * GROUP C * ARGENTINA SOUTH KOREA
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