The FIFA WWC 2019 World Cup draw has been made so here is a breakdown of when you will be able to watch Arsenal players during the tournament along with quotes from the England and Scotland managers.
Leah Williamson, Beth Mead (England)
The Lionesses, who will look to qualify Team GB for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, are placed in a group with the Auld enemy, Scotland, Falklands foes Argentina and Japan, who beat England in the last World Cup semi-finals with a last gasp own goal by Laura Bassett.
They will open their tournament with the UK-derby against Scotland in Nice on 9 June. They will then play Argentina on 14 June in Le Havre before heading back to Nice to play Japan on 19th June.
Phil Neville was really clear about England’s ambition for the tournament. They are going there to win it.
“I think if I stood out here and say I want to go to the World Cup in France and win a bronze medal, I think I would get 28 players texting me you are not the right manager for us to manage because players are ambitious and they want to pushed and challenged,” Neville says. “They want to try and win the World Cup and that what I was brought in to do and the works starts now.
“If you go into a competition wanting to win bronze or silver I think you are going with the wrong mentality, especially if they are the third fourth best team in the world like we are.”
Pauline Peyraud-Magnin (France)
The hosts are placed in Group A which is the dreaded Group of Death.
The draw has been very unkind to France with three strong teams in their group.
They will play the opening game on 7 June against the Korea Republic in Paris before moving to Nice to face Norway on 12 June.
They finish in Rennes against Nigeria on 17 June.
Tabea Kemme (Germany)
Germany are placed in Group B with China, Spain and South Africa.
They will open their tournament against China in Rennes on 8 June before facing a strong opponent and the tournament’s dark horse, Spain, in Valenciennes on 12 June.
Their final, and easiest, game will be played in Montpellier against South Africa on 17 June.
Sari van Veenendaal, Dominque Bloodworth, Danielle van de Donk, Anna Miedema (Netherlands)
The European champions are placed in Group E .
They should definitely qualify for the knock-out stages as they are strong enough to beat all their opponents.
The NEtherlands will open their tournament in Le Havre on 11 June against New-Zealand.
They then meet the group’s weakest team (supposedly) Cameroon in Valenciennes on 15 June and will close their group against the toughest team in their group, Canada, in Reims on 20 June.
Emma Mitchell, Lisa Evans, Kim Little (Scotland)
The World Cup debutants are placed in Group D and have a tough draw with England, Argentina and former World Cup winners and recent runners-up Japan.
Scotland will open their tournament in Nice with a derby against England on 9 June.
They will then travel across France to Rennes to play Japan on 14 June before finishing their group with their easiest game against Argentina in Paris on 19 June.
Here is the Scotland and ex-Arsenal manager Shelley Kerr’s reaction to the draw – “We wanted to avoid the USA, we have done that, but we have got an extremely hard group and a very very tough first game and a very tough second game and it will be a tough third game too.
“But when you are player you want to perform on the world stage and when you are a manager you want to compete on the world stage. That’s what football is all about – playing the best players and the best team in the world”
Jessica Samuelsson (Sweden)
Sweden are placed in Group F with the USA who they will meet for the fifth time in eight tournaments.
They will also play Chile and Thailand, two easier teams to beat.
Sweden will open their tournament in Rennes on 11 June, then play Thailand in Nice on 14 June before finishing with the biggest game against the USA in Le Havre on 20 June.
Single game ticket go on sale on Monday 10 December at 2pm UK time for all VISA card holders, while ity packages are on sale right now (not sponsored).