A complete information to every squad

The Women’s World Cup is lastly right here as the largest event ever kicks off in Australia and New Zealand.

The first 32-team Women’s World Cup is about to be one of the crucial open but, with a number of groups difficult to dethrone the two-time defending champions United States.

England head ‘Down Under’ filled with perception after their Euros success on dwelling soil final summer season, however that can also be set to encourage co-hosts Australia and their star ahead Sam Kerr.

Here’s all the things it’s good to know forward of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, together with group guides, gamers to observe, and find out how to observe on TV .

Group guides

Women’s World Cup historical past hangs over co-hosts New Zealand

The inspiration behind Australia’s shot at dwelling World Cup glory

Can Spain regroup from mutiny to problem for the Women’s World Cup?

Who are the threats to the Lionesses on the Women’s World Cup?

Are the United States nonetheless the staff to beat on the Women’s World Cup?

Can France deal with accidents after overcoming Women’s World Cup disaster?

Can Sweden flip heartbreak into Women’s World Cup historical past?

Germany are out for revenge – the World Cup is the right probability

Players to observe

New Zealand: If New Zealand are going to wish one thing particular to interrupt their cycle of World Cup disappointment on dwelling soil, don’t be stunned if they’re impressed by the fearlessness of youth. The Football Ferns completed a formidable third on the Under-17 World Cup 5 years in the past and striker Gabi Rennie, the staff’s No 9, is a breakthrough prospect.

Norway: It’s a testomony to the talent, pace and elusiveness of Barcelona’s Caroline Graham Hansen that Guro Reiten isn’t even essentially the most harmful winger on the Norway staff. Arguably the perfect dribbler within the recreation, the 28-year-old took a break from the worldwide aspect following the Euros final summer season however is now again to finest – as Chelsea as soon as once more discovered on this season’s Champions League.

Switzerland: The clean and composed Lia Walti attracts the attention within the centre of midfield and the captain is the pillar of the aspect. “Lia is such a magnetic player. Everyone passes to her,” stated the Switzerland head coach Inka Grings. “She always demands the ball and, when she has it, it sticks to her feet.”

Philippines: Sarina Bolden took a very powerful kick within the historical past of the Philippines with the profitable penalty towards Chinese Taipei that secured their qualification for the World Cup. The Philippines will want extra moments of historical past to make an impression in New Zealand.

Australia: There’s no query about this. Sam Kerr is the face of the World Cup and the star of the Australia staff. As essentially the most deadly striker on the planet, who all the time appears to ship on the massive event, the Chelsea ahead could possibly be the distinction for the Matildas as they give the impression of being to advance previous the quarter-finals for the primary time. The 29-year-old makes the hosts a real contender.

Canada: Christine Sinclair has been setting information for many of her life. At 40, and now into the twenty second 12 months of her worldwide profession, the striker is about to turn out to be the primary participant to play at six World Cups – though Brazil’s Marta might later equal that file this event. In Australia, Sinclair and Marta even have the possibility to turn out to be the primary participant to attain at six totally different World Cups.

Nigeria: Asisat Oshoala doesn’t simply have a declare to be the best African participant on the planet, however the perfect of all time. The Nigeria striker and Barcelona star has received the African participant of the 12 months award 4 occasions and has hit at the least 20 targets in every of her final two seasons in Spain. The Super Falcons might have been drawn within the group of loss of life, however Oshoala will likely be a risk to each Australia and Canada.

Ireland: Katie McCabe. The Arsenal fan favorite famously wears her coronary heart on her sleeve and embodies what Ireland would require in Australia: defensive nous, aggression, loads of effort, and high quality when it counts. McCabe has all of it and alongside Denise O’Sullivan will likely be key.

Spain: Aitana Bonmati. When an ACL harm robbed two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas of the possibility to play on the Euros final summer season after which took away virtually the entire following season, it handed her worldwide and membership team-mate Bonmati the chance to play additional ahead for Barcelona. How she took it. Arguably the perfect participant on the planet over the previous 12 months.

Japan: Yui Hasegawa. Signed by Manchester City final summer season to interchange England’s Keira Walsh, the 26-year-old impressed along with her class and composure on the ball and tenacity in midfield, ending the season as one of many prime performers within the Women’s Super League. Japan will depend on Hasegawa to set their tempo from the center of the pitch.

Zambia: Barbra Banda made historical past on the 2021 Olympics when she turned the primary participant to attain back-to-back hat-tricks on the Games. The 23-year-old is captain of the Zambia aspect and is essential to their probabilities of making it out of the group, as her beautiful two-goal show towards Germany earlier than the event confirmed.

Costa Rica: Raquel Rodriguez is Costa Rica’s file scorer with 55 targets, together with the nation’s first at a World Cup on their solely earlier look in 2015. The Portland Thorns midfielder, who has received over 100 caps for Costa Rica, has urged her team-mates to battle with ardour and dedication as they give the impression of being to assert a first-ever World Cup win.

England: Keira Walsh was the participant of the match within the Euros last and stays England’s most essential participant along with her capacity to set the staff’s tempo and tempo in midfield. Walsh  moved to Barcelona final summer season for what was stated to be a world-record price and after profitable the Champions League on her first season on the membership, the 26-year-old has returned to the Lionesses to set larger requirements.

Denmark: Pernille Harder is likely one of the prime gamers on the planet and will likely be a well-known face to England followers after three profitable seasons spent within the Women’s Super League with Chelsea, who she joined for a world-record price in 2020. The skillful and tireless attacker leads the road for Denmark, who can’t afford to go away her remoted. One of the sport’s most embellished gamers, Harder will likely be making her World Cup debut.

China: Captain Wang Shanshan is a marvel: a veteran striker with an inclination to attain essential targets, the 33-year-old may also assist out defensively by taking part in at centre-back for the staff.

Haiti: There is appreciable pleasure across the 19-year-old Melchie Dumornay, who has signed a pre-contract with European powerhouse Lyon forward of the brand new season. The midfielder scored twice as Haiti beat Chile within the inter-continental play-offs to qualify for the World Cup and is thought to be among the best younger gamers on the planet.

USA: Alex Morgan, the face of the US staff and joint prime scorer in France 4 years in the past, is again for her fourth World Cup, arguably higher than ever. Since serving to the US to back-to-back titles, Morgan has given delivery to her first little one and at 33 remains to be scoring recurrently within the NWSL.

Netherlands: With Vivianne Miedema dominated out with an ACL harm, the Netherlands will flip to a comparatively unknown prospect for targets. Fenna Kalma solely made her worldwide debut in September however comes into the World Cup having scored 30 targets in simply 20 appearances for FC Twente final season.

Portugal: Jessica Silva is a baller who belongs on the World Cup stage. The Benfica ahead has a tall and languid type however is devastating on the ball and is likely one of the most skillful attackers within the recreation.

Vietnam: As the one participant within the Vietnam squad to play their soccer outdoors of the nation and in Europe, striker Huynh Nhu will likely be conversant in a few of her Group E rivals. The 32-year-old, who’s Vietnam’s file goalscorer, performs for Portuguese aspect Lank Vilaverdense.

France: With Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Delphine Cascarino out of the World Cup attributable to harm, extra emphasis and duty will likely be positioned on the shoulders of Kadidiatou Diani. The PSG ahead, who can play throughout the entrance line, might want to assist the returning Eugenie Le Sommer, France’s file goalscorer.

Brazil: While Marta may be very a lot the chief and inspiration within the Brazil staff, control the Barcelona ahead Geyse, who troubled England in April along with her fast turning and dribbling. Geyse has been linked with a transfer to the WSL and Manchester United in current weeks.

Jamaica: Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw scored 20 targets in 22 appearances within the Women’s Super League final season, second solely to England’s Rachel Daly, and the Manchester City striker is a shining gentle within the Jamaica staff. Shaw thrives on the duty. She is Jamaica’s file scorer, males’s or girls’s, and her targets secured qualification to a second consecutive World Cup.

Panama: Marta Cox is the captain of the aspect and stands because the inspirational power behind Panama’s qualification for the World Cup. The 25-year-old midfielder devoted Panama’s victory towards Paraguay within the inter-continental qualifiers to her late mom, who had handed away 9 months earlier.

Sweden: Converted right into a left again by Barcelona, Fridolina Rolfo stays one of the crucial harmful gamers on the planet and is given full licence to assault by her nationwide staff. With a superb left foot and engine, Rolfo comes into the World Cup on a excessive after scoring the profitable objective in final season’s Champions League last.

South Africa: With key ahead Thembi Kgatlana injured, Hildah Magaia scored a scientific brace as South Africa beat Morocco to win the ladies’s Africa Cup of Nations, their first main title. Magaia was additionally named participant of the event and will likely be key to their hopes in Group G.

Italy: Barbara Bonansea. The Juventus ahead is a top quality outlet on the wings and stays from the Italy staff that reached the quarter-finals in France 4 years in the past. The 32-year-old Bonansea has overseen a interval of change this then, with the Italy home league turning skilled in 2022 and a brand new era coming via, however she stays simply as essential to her aspect.

Argentina: Estefania Banini is a star for Atletico Madrid in Spain and made the FifPro World XI in 2021. The difficult huge midfielder has returned from harm a earlier falling out with the nationwide staff and is about to be match for what is anticipated to be her final World Cup on the age of 33.

Germany: Alexandra Popp turned the primary participant in Euros historical past to attain in 5 consecutive video games earlier than her story took an sudden twist, with harm ruling the 32-year-old out of the ultimate towards England. The Wolfsburg striker, who’s pushed by targets, is among the many contenders for the golden boot.

Morocco: Ghizlane Chebba was named participant of the event as Morocco reached the ultimate of the ladies’s Africa Cup of Nations for the primary time, the place they misplaced to South Africa. The 32-year-old scored three targets through the event and the captain of the Morocco staff has turn out to be a star in her nation.

Colombia: The rise of Linda Caicedo has been extraordinary. The 18-year-old is about to star within the World Cup having performed in each of the U-17 and U-20 World Cups in 2022, in addition to the Copa America. There, Caicedo received the event’s Golden Ball and helped Colombia attain the ultimate, earlier than an enormous transfer to Europe beckoned. The midfielder selected Real Madrid, who’ve secured one of many greatest abilities within the recreation.

South Korea: Ji So-Yun was hailed as an “icon”, a “magician” and the “best international player in the WSL ever” by Chelsea supervisor Emma Hayes after she made the choice to deliver eight years with the Blues to an finish in 2022. Ji’s impression on Chelsea’s success below Hayes was clear, however the artistic midfielder has created an excellent finer legacy in her personal nation. Ji is South Korea’s biggest ever participant and file scorer, and that is set to be her final World Cup.

How can I observe the Women’s World Cup?

For UK viewers, each recreation will likely be out there to observe on the BBC and ITV.

For the BBC, there will likely be reside protection on tv in addition to the BBC Sport web site with reside audio commentary out there on BBC Radio 5 Live, 5 Sports Extra and the BBC Sounds app.

For ITV, reside protection will likely be out there on tv in addition to on-line through ITVX.

At current, the BBC and ITV have solely introduced the schedule for the group phases, though the BBC have stated they may broadcast each semi-finals with the ultimate out there on each channels.