Women’s World Cup Capsules Group A-D

Best Finish: Group Stage in 1991, 2007, ‘11, ’15 and ’19

Coach: Jitka Klimkova

Key Players: Hannah Wilkinson, Ali Riley, Gabi Rennie

WHAT TO KNOW: New Zealand has yet to break through in World Cup play. The Football Ferns have never won a World Cup match or reached the knockout stage despite appearing in five previous editions. This year’s co-hosts have history and a home crowd behind them as they try to record their first win, celebrating 50 years of women’s soccer in New Zealand. Longtime national team members Ali Riley and Hannah Wilkinson headline the roster with more than 200 appearances between them. Wilkinson ranks fourth in all-time goals for the Ferns. Gabi Rennie’s goal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, on her first career touch at the senior international level, showed some promise but the squad lacks firepower overall. In its last 16 international matches, New Zealand has won only twice. New Zealand stands 1-5 all-time against Norway, 1-0 against the Philippines and has never faced Switzerland.

NORWAY

Previous World Cup Appearances: 8

World Cup Record: 24-12-4

Best Finish: Champion in 1995

Coach: Hege Riise

Key Players: Ada Hegerberg, Maren Mjelde, Guro Reiten

WHAT TO KNOW: Striker Ada Hegerberg missed the 2019 World Cup because of a five-year hiatus from Norway’s national team in protest of unequal conditions and treatment. Hegerberg, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2018, has 43 goals in 76 international appearances. Maren Mjelde is fourth in all-time appearances with 163 international matches. Since winning the World Cup title in 1995, Norway hasn’t finished higher than fourth place. Norway’s quarterfinal berth in 2019 was the team’s best result since a fourth-place finish in 2007. Norway is 5-1-1 all-time against host nation New Zealand, with the only loss occurring in a 2019 friendly. Norway has never played the Philippines.

PHILIPPINES

Previous World Cup Appearances: 0

World Cup Record: 0-0

Best Finish: N/A

Coach: Alen Stajcic

Key Players: Sarina Bolden, Hali Long, Quinley Quezada

WHAT TO KNOW: The Philippines beat Taiwan in a penalty shootout in the 2022 Women’s Asian Cup quarterfinals to clinch a spot in this year’s World Cup. Sarina Bolden scored the winning penalty. It’s the first time that a team from the Philippines, either women’s or men’s, has qualified for a World Cup. Bolden and Quinley Quezada are tied for most international goals scored, with 22 each. The Philippines played New Zealand once, in a 2022 friendly, and lost 2-1. The team has never played Norway or Switzerland. The Philippines dropped the moniker Malditas in 2022 and adopted the nickname Filipinas. Stajcic is a former head coach of the Australian women’s team.

SWITZERLAND

Previous World Cup Appearances: 1

World Cup Record: 1-3-0

Best Finish: Round of 16 in 2015

Coach: Inka Grings

Key Players: Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic, Ramona Bachmann, Lia Walti

WHAT TO KNOW: The team was struck a blow in May when midfielder Lia Walti, set to be captain for the World Cup, injured her ankle while playing for Arsenal in the Women’s Super League. But she could be back in time to help Switzerland. Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic is the team’s top scorer, with eight goals so far this year. Coach Inka Grings was appointed in November and officially took over in January. In Switzerland’s first match of the 2015 Women’s World Cup, both Ramona Bachmann and Fabienne Humm scored hat tricks, leading their team to a 10-1 victory over Ecuador. It was enough to get the Swiss to the second round, where they lost 1-0 to host Canada.

GROUP B

AUSTRALIA

Previous World Cup Appearances: 7

World Cup Record: 7-13-6

Best Finish: Quarterfinals in 2007, ‘11 and ’15

Coach: Tony Gustavsson

Key Players: Sam Kerr, Clare Polkinghorne, Emily van Egmond

WHAT TO KNOW: In February, the Matildas went undefeated in the Cup of Nations, beating Jamaica, Spain and the Czech Republic. In April, they ended England’s 30-game unbeaten streak with a 2-0 win. The Matildas hired Gustavsson as head coach in 2020 after his tenure as an assistant for the U.S. women’s national team, during which time he helped lead the team to two World Cup titles. Forward Sam Kerr, team captain since 2019, is Australia’s all-time leading international scorer with 63 goals in 120 appearances. Australia is 7-8-3 against Canada. The Matildas have played Nigeria and Ireland once each, beating Nigeria 2-0 in 2015 and losing to Ireland 3-2 in a 2021 friendly.

IRELAND

Previous World Cup Appearances: 0

World Cup Record: 0-0

Best Finish: N/A

Coach: Vera Pauw

Key Players: Louise Quinn, Denise O’Sullivan, Katie McCabe

WHAT TO KNOW: Ireland is making its World Cup debut after finishing second in its qualifying group and then defeating Scotland 1-0 in a playoff in Glasgow last October. Katie McCabe led all players in Ireland’s qualifying group with seven goals, while midfielder Denise O’Sullivan was second with six. In April, Ireland lost two friendlies to the United States to end a record nine-game unbeaten run. Ireland beat fellow Group B member Australia 3-2 in an international friendly in Dublin in September 2021. Louise Quinn scored the game-winner in what was Ireland’s first-ever match against Australia. Ireland has also faced Canada only once in its history, losing 2-1 in 2014. Nigeria is the only team in Group B that Ireland has not played before.

NIGERIA

Previous World Cup Appearances: 8

World Cup Record: 4-19-3

Best Finish: Quarterfinals in 1999

Coach: Randy Waldrum

Key Players: Ifeoma Onumonu, Onome Ebi, Asisat Oshoala, Chiamaka Nnadozie

WHAT TO KNOW: Nigeria is aiming to advance past the group stage for the third time, following the run to the quarterfinals in ’99 and the Round of 16 in 2019. The Super Falcons have been successful on the African continent, winning 11 of the 14 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations tournaments that have been contested. After losing seven consecutive games dating back to 2022, Nigeria has won three matches in a row including victories over Costa Rica, Haiti and New Zealand. Nigeria lost its only match against Australia, a 2-0 defeat in the 2015 World Cup. Nigeria has a record of 1-2-1 against Canada, with its lone victory coming at the 2011 World Cup. Nigeria has never played Ireland.

CANADA

Previous World Cup Appearances: 7

World Cup Record: 8-14-5

Best Finish: Semifinals in 2003

Coach: Bev Priestman

Key Players: Christine Sinclair, Sophie Schmidt, Kailen Sheridan and Julia Grosso

WHAT TO KNOW: Canada lost one of its key players, forward Janine Beckie, to an ACL injury while she was playing in a preseason match for the Portland Thorns earlier this year. Beckie recently made her 100th appearanace for Canada against Brazil at the SheBelieves Cup in February. Captain Christine Sinclair, who made her debut for Canada aged 16 in March 2000, is the all-time leading scorer in international soccer with 190 goals. Canada claimed its first Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo Games in 2021, beating Sweden in the final. Over the last few months, the team has been in dispute with Canada Soccer over issues of equal pay and budget cuts. The women’s national team reached an interim funding agreement, retroactive to last year, after threatening to boycott team activities at the SheBelieves Cup. The team ended up competing in the SheBelieves Cup, finishing with a victory over Brazil and losses to the United States and Japan. Overall, Canada is 8-7-3 against Australia. The Canadians have won the only match they’ve played against Ireland. Canada is 2-1-1 against Nigeria.

GROUP C

SPAIN

Previous World Cup Appearances: 2

World Cup Record: 1-2-4

Best Finish: Round of 16 in 2019

Coach: Jorge Vilda

Key Players: Alexia Putellas Salma Paralluelo, Alba Redondo

WHAT TO KNOW: Fifteen Spanish players informed the national federation last year that they would not like to be called up for any national team games until their concerns about head coach Jorge Vilda and other issues were addressed. Recently, those players have entered talks with the federation and three of them were named to the team’s preliminary World Cup squad. Alexia Putellas the team’s captain, recently returned from an ACL injury to help lead Barcelona to the Women’s Champions League title. Putellas has 27 goals in 100 appearances for Spain. The team’s only win in the World Cup came against South Africa in 2019, which helped move them out of the group stage. The Spaniards’ only contest against Costa Rica ended in a draw in the 2015 World Cup. The team will play Zambia for the first time. Spain has a record of 2-1-0 against Japan.

COSTA RICA

Previous World Cup Appearances: 1

World Cup Record: 0-1-2

Best Finish: Group stage in 2015

Coach: Amelia Valverde

Key Players: Raquel Rodríguez, Gloriana Villalobos, Katherine Alvarado

WHAT TO KNOW: Wins over Panama and Trinidad and Tobago secured Costa Rica’s spot in the 2023 Women’s World Cup, but it hasn’t seen much success since. Las Ticas lost to the United States 3-0 in the semifinals and to Jamaica 1-0 in the third-place match at the CONCACAF W Championship. Raquel Rodriquez has scored twice this year for the Costa Ricans and twice during the CONCACAF W Championship. Katherine Alvarado scored twice in the qualifying tournament. In the team’s only previous Women’s World Cup appearance, they surprised many with draws against Spain and South Korea and only losing to Brazil by a late goal. Costa Rica has only played Spain once. Las Ticas will face Zambia and Japan for the first time.

ZAMBIA

Previous World Cup Appearances: 0

World Cup Record: 0-0

Best Finish: N/A

Coach: Bruce Mwape

Key Players: Barbara Banda, Agnese Musesa, Grace Chanda, Racheal Kundanaji

WHAT TO KNOW: The Copper Queens will make their World Cup debut after a best-ever semifinal finish at the 2022 African Cup of Nations. Zambia played the tournament without striker and captain Barbara Banda, who was deemed ineligible to play by the African confederation because of high testosterone levels. But she is expected to play at the World Cup. Zambia made its Olympic debut in 2021, exiting in the group stage with two losses and a draw. Banda became the first player to score a hat trick in back-to-back matches at the Olympics. One of those hat tricks came in a 10-3 loss to the Netherlands in what made Olympic history as the competition’s highest-scoring match and the most goals scored by one team in a match. Zambia is yet to play any of its World Cup opponents.

JAPAN

Previous World Cup Appearances: 8

World Cup Record: 14-15-4

Best Finish: Champion in 2011

Coach: Futoshi Ikeda

Key Players: Mana Iwabuchi, Yui Hasegawa, Riko Ueki

WHAT TO KNOW: After struggling to find footing in its first five World Cup appearances, Japan has become a strong international contender. Mana Iwabuchi has played for Japan in the past three World Cups and has scored in each of the past two. Japan has won 11 matches in the past three World Cups, including winning the title in 2011 and finishing runner-up in 2015. In the 2011 final, Japan topped the United States on penalties, an emotional victory that came after the devestating earthquake and tsunami hit the country. It was Japan’s first victory over the United States and first FIFA tournament championship by either the men or women. Overall, Japan is 0-2-1 against Spain. Nadeshiko will face Costa Rica and Zambia for the first time.

GROUP D

ENGLAND

Previous World Cup Appearances: 5

World Cup Record: 11-5-3

Best Finish: Third place in 2015

Coach: Sarina Wiegman

Key Players: Mary Earps, Millie Bright, Keira Walsh

WHAT TO KNOW: The Lionesses won the European Championship last year over Germany, giving England its first major women’s tournament title. That victory positioned England as a favorite for this year’s World Cup, but injuries and retirements have clouded the outlook. Beth Mead, the Player of the Tournament at Euro 2022, is out with an ACL injury, as is captain Leah Williamson. Millie Bright, also recovering from a knee injury, will captain England’s World Cup squad. England finished fourth at the 2019 World Cup after beating Norway in the quarterfinals. England has never played against Haiti, Denmark or China.

HAITI

Previous World Cup Appearances: 0

World Cup Record: 0-0

Best Finish: N/A

Coach: Nicolas Delépine

Key Players: Melchie Dumornay, Danielle Étienne, Nérilia Mondésir

WHAT TO KNOW: Haiti qualified for its first Women’s World Cup this year with a 4-0 win over Senegal and a 2-1 win against Chile in the intercontinental playoffs in New Zealand. Haiti qualified for the Under-20 Women’s World Cup for the first time in 2018 and nine players from that team have progressed to the senior national team. Midfielder Melchie “Corventina” Dumornay has stood out for her play at French club Reims and was awarded the best young player in the 2022 CONCACAF Women’s Championship. Haiti has never played England, Denmark or China.

DENMARK

Previous World Cup Appearances: 4

World Cup Record: 3–10-1

Best Finish: Quarterfinals in 1991 and 1995

Coach: Lars Sondergaard

Key Players: Sanne Troelsgaard, Pernille Harder, Nadia Nadim

WHAT TO KNOW: Despite regular appearances at the European Championship, Denmark is returning to the Women’s World Cup for the first time since 2007. Denmark’s most impressive World Cup performance was a 5-0 win over Australia in the group stage in 1995. Pernille Harder is Denmark’s all-time leading scorer with 70 goals since joining the national team in 2009. She is recovering from a November surgery for a hamstring injury. Nadia Nadim is recovering from her second ACL injury in as many years. Forward Signe Bruun was Denmark’s top scorer during World Cup qualifying, with 13 goals in five games. Denmark has not played England or Haiti at previous World Cups. China beat Denmark in World Cup matches in 1995 and 2007.

CHINA

Previous World Cup Appearances: 7

World Cup Record: 16-10-7

Best Finish: Final in 1999

Coach: Shui Qingxia

Key Players: Wang Shanshan, Zhang Rui, Wang Shuang

WHAT TO KNOW: China qualified for its eighth World Cup by beating Vietnam in the quarterfinals of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup. Wang Shuang plays as a midfielder for Racing Louisville in the National Women’s Soccer League and has been a member of China’s national team since 2013. She has scored 37 international goals, including four against Zambia at the Tokyo Olympics and five during the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup. At the 2019 Women’s World Cup, China lost to Italy 2-0 in the round of 16. Twenty years earlier, the team advanced to the final after beating Norway 5-0 in the semifinals, but lost to the United States after a penalty shootout for the title. China is 2-0-1 against Denmark. This will be China’s first meeting against England and Haiti.

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The Associated Press

by Canadian Press

Women’s World Cup Capsules Group A-D

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