The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup kicked off on Thursday, July 20, with Portugal and the Netherlands playing in the first round on July 23 and with Vietnam on July 27.
Another exciting match will be Portugal facing the United States on Tuesday, August 1, at 3:00 AM (ET) in Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand.
This is an especially significant moment for Portugal, as it marks their debut in the Women’s World Cup. They missed the opportunity to qualify for the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France but secured their place in the group stage this time by defeating Cameroon Women 2-1 in the inter-continental playoffs final in February.
Portugal’s team is led by coach Francisco Neto, who has been instrumental in guiding Portugal to major competitions. Key players to watch are Jessica Silva, Dolores Silva, Kika Nazareth.
The United States currently ranks No. 1 in the world according to the latest FIFA rankings, and is a dominant force in women’s soccer, having won four titles overall, the most by any nation. Their victories include the 2015 event in Canada and the 2019 tournament in France.
Other top contenders include Germany, ranked No. 2, which won back-to-back World Cups in 2003 and 2007, as well as third-ranked Sweden, who eliminated the United States in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Olympics. Additionally, seventh-ranked Canada, who won the gold medal at the Tokyo Games, is expected to perform well.
The tournament, jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand, features a total of 32 teams, including eight first-time participants: Portugal, Haiti, Panama, the Philippines, the Republic of Ireland, Morocco, Vietnam, and Zambia. Throughout the competition, there will be 64 matches played. The 32 teams have been divided into eight groups of four teams each.
The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament will showcase the world’s best teams competing in six stadiums in Australia and four in New Zealand, with a 12- to 16-hour time difference from the United States depending on the location. In the United States, Fox Sports holds the English-language broadcast rights, while Telemundo has the rights for the Spanish-language broadcast.
Carolina Matos/Editor
