FIFA
The draw for next year's FIFA Women's World Cup will take place in Auckland on October 22.
New Zealand and Australia will co-host the Fifa Women's World Cup in 2023. Here's all you need to know about next year’s tournament.
When is the World Cup?
The World Cup will begin on July 20 with the Football Ferns kicking off the tournament against Norway at Eden Park in Auckland. The World Cup will run for one month with Sydney’s Accor Stadium hosting the final on August 20.
How big is the tournament?
It will be the biggest sporting event held in New Zealand. The 2019 tournament drew a reported global audience of 1.12 billion people. That is 150 million more than the Rugby World Cup in Japan two months later.
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New Zealand and Australia will co-host next year’s Women's World Cup.
What nations have qualified?
The World Cup has expanded from 24 teams to 32, making the 2023 edition the biggest ever. 29 have been confirmed so far, with the final three to be decided at a 10-team playoff tournament in Auckland and Hamilton in February.
AFC: Australia [hosts], China, Japan, Philippines, South Korea, Vietnam
CAF: Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia
CONCACAF: Canada, Costa Rica, Jamaica, United States
CONMEBOL: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia
OFC: New Zealand [hosts]
UEFA: Denmark, England, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Republic of Ireland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
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Tell me about this playoff tournament?
The final three places will decided at a playoff tournament featuring seven matches in Auckland and Hamilton from February 18-23. The 10 teams vying for the final three spot are Cameron, Thailand, Portugal, Senegal, Haiti, Chile, Chinese Taipei, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay and Panama.
Joe Allison/Getty Images
Wellington’s Sky Stadium is one of four New Zealand venues selected to host Women's World Cup matches.
Which cities will host games?
Nine cities have been chosen to host matches; four in New Zealand and five in Australia.
Auckland - Eden Park
Wellington - Sky Stadium
Dunedin - Forsyth Barr Stadium
Hamilton - Waikato Stadium
Sydney - Accor Stadium and Allianz Stadium
Brisbane - Suncorp Stadium
Melbourne - AAMI Park
Perth - HBF Park
Ricky Wilson/Stuff
Football Ferns coach Jitka Klimkova.
How many games will be played in New Zealand?
A total of 29 matches will be played on this side of the Tasman, including a semifinal at Eden Park.
Eden Park will also host a round of 16 match and a quarterfinal, as will Sky Stadium.
The 48 group stage games have been split evenly across the two countries.
New Zealand will host group A, which includes the Football Ferns, and groups C, E, and G.
Auckland fixtures
Thursday, July 20: Football Ferns v Norway
Saturday, July 22: United States v Vietnam
Monday, July 24: Italy v Argentina
Wednesday, July 26: Spain v Zambia
Sunday, July 30: Norway v Philippines
Tuesday, August 1: Portugal/Cameroon/Thailand v United States
Saturday, August 5: Round of 16 – group A winner v group C runner-up
Friday, August 11: Quarterfinal
Tuesday, August 15: Semifinal
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Fifa reveal mascot for 2023 Women's World Cup in New Zealand and Australia.
Hamilton fixtures
Saturday, July 22: Zambia v Japan; Waikato Stadium
Tuesday, July 25: Switzerland v Norway
Thursday, July 27: Portugal/Cameroon/Thailand v Vietnam
Monday, July 31: Costa Rica v Zambia
Wednesday, August 2: Argentina v Sweden
Wellington fixtures
Friday, July 21: Spain v Costa Rica
Sunday, July 23: Sweden v South Africa
Tuesday, July 25: Football Ferns v Philippines
Thursday, July 27: United States v Netherlands
Saturday, July 29: Sweden v Italy
Monday, July 31: Japan v Spain
Wednesday, August 2: South Africa v Italy
Saturday, August 5: Round of 16 – group C winner v group A runner-up
Friday, August 11: Quarterfinal
Dunedin fixtures
Friday, July 21: Philippines v Switzerland
Sunday, July 23: Netherlands v Portugal/Cameroon/Thailand
Wednesday, July 26: Japan v Costa Rica
Friday, July 28: Argentina v South Africa
Sunday, July 30: Football Ferns v Switzerland
Tuesday, August 1: Vietnam v Netherlands
RYAN ANDERSON/STUFF
Football Ferns players were buzzing after an early wake-up call last June to watch the announcement of who would host the Fifa Women's World Cup in 2023. [First published June 2020]
Who is in what group?
Each group contains either co-hosts New Zealand or Australia or one of the six highest-ranked nations.
Group E contains both of the finalists from 2019, the United States and the Netherlands.
Group A: New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Switzerland
Group B: Australia, Republic of Ireland, Nigeria, Canada
Group C: Spain, Costa Rica, Zambia, Japan
Group D: England, Chile/Haiti/Senegal, Denmark, Japan
Group E: United States, Vietnam, Netherlands, Portugal/Cameroon/Thailand
Group F: France, Jamaica, Brazil, Panama/Papua New Guinea/Paraguay/Taiwan
Group G: Sweden, South Africa, Italy, Argentina
Group H: Germany, Morocco, Colombia, South Korea
Alex Grimm/Getty Images
The United States celebrate winning the Women's World Cup in France in 2019.
Who are the previous winners?
The United States are the two-time defending champions and will be looking to become the first team to win three times in a row.
2019: United States
2015: United States
2011: Japan
2007: Germany
2003: Germany
1999: United States
1995: Norway
1991: United States
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How have the Football Ferns fared at previous World Cups?
The Football Ferns have never won a game at a World Cup. They have played 15 World Cup matches across five tournaments, including each of the last four, but their best results to date have been three draws – 2-2 against Mexico in 2011 and 0-0 against Canada and 2-2 against China in 2015.
Jenny Chuang/PHOTOSPORT
The Football Ferns automatically qualified as co-hosts.