The 32 teams are prepared to compete in Australia for the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
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From today, Thursday, through August 20, Australia and New Zealand will host the tournament.
The United States will attempt to defend their two consecutive victories, while top challengers for the trophy include Canada, England, Germany, Norway, and France.
Haiti, Portugal, Zambia, the Philippines, Ireland, and three more teams making their tournament debuts will also try to leave a lasting impact.
Co-hosts New Zealand will play Norway in the tournament’s opening match today in Auckland’s Eden Park as they attempt to win their first-ever match.
New Zealand is competing in their sixth tournament, whereas its opponents, the 1995 Women’s World Cup champions, Norway, have never missed a finals.
In Group A, the Philippines will draw motivation from their recent triumph at the AFF Championship, and Switzerland, under the direction of new coach Inka Grings, will aim to avoid another embarrassing group stage exit like it did at the European Championship.
Many think that the Super Falcons are in the group of death in Group B, which also includes co-hosts Australia, Canada, Ireland, and Nigeria, but striker Ifeoma Onumonu is optimistic that Randy Waldrum’s team can go one step further than they did at the Women’s World Cup in 2019, when they lost to Germany in the Round of 16.
Before that, at the 1999 American edition, the Falcons came within a whisker of the semifinals before falling to Brazil 4-3 in extra time.
Onumonu, 29, who will represent the Falcons in her second international competition in Australia, is prepared to help Nigeria achieve glory.
This will be my first major international competition because I’ve never been to a World Cup, the Gotham FC attacker told ESPN.
“At the World Cup, I want to make an impression. I want to compete at the World Cup, not simply watch it. I’m there to genuinely win, not just to claim that I went to a World Cup.
“I’m still attempting to understand that. Simply said, I have no idea what that looks like. I am aware that deciding what I want to leave at the event will be a component of my preparation as the time draws near.
The Gotham FC striker also thinks she can make a name for herself in the group’s loaded forward line, which also has Rasheedat Ajibade, Desire Oparanozie, and Asisat Oshoala.
Since I have never attended a World Cup, this will be my first major international competition. I’m preparing for the difficulty because it will be difficult,” she added.
“I want to compete at the World Cup, not simply watch it. I’m there to genuinely win, not just to claim that I went to a World Cup.
The Australians will be relying on ace striker Sam Kerr to help them beat their best result from the Women’s World Cup in the Falcons group, in addition to their home crowd’s success at the World Cup.
Australia has participated in the last seven tournaments, however they have only once advanced to the quarterfinals.
As a result of their Olympic victory at the Tokyo Games, Canada is the favourite to win the competition. Ireland will mainly rely on their captain Katie McCabe for success at the tournament as they make their debut at the women’s championship.
Apart from Nigeria, other African nations who will compete in the tournament for the first time are Zambia, Morocco, and South Africa.
