The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 will take place next summer in Australia and New-Zealand and we now know where the Arsenal players will play their Group games.
Here is the full draw:
https://twitter.com/FIFAWWC/status/1583733581238525953
Note: all timing are local (Australia and New-Zealand)
Group A:
Frida Maanum (Norway) and Lia Wälti and Noëlle Maritz (Switzerland) will be action in New Zealand as they were drawn in the host group.
Norway will actually the tournament opening game against the host in Auckland. This group is very open and all four teams are capable of qualifying as well as finishing in fourth place.
New-Zealand v Norway, Thu 20 Jul 19.00, Auckland
Phillipines v Switzerland, Fri 21 Jul 17.00, Dunedin
Switzerland v Norway, Tue 25 Jul 20.00, Hamilton
Norway v Phillipines, Sun 30 Jul, 19.00, Auckland
Switzerland v New-Zeland,Sun 30 Jul 19.00 Dunedin
Group B:
Stephanie Catley and Cailtin Foord (Australia) will compete against Katie McCabe (Republic of Ireland). This group’s games will all take place in Australia. Australia being the host will be slightly favourite to win the Group ahead of Olympics champions Canada. Republic of Ireland and Nigeria will not give an easy game to the top two seeded teams.
Australia v Ireland, Thu 20 Jul 20.00, Sydney
Canada v Ireland, Wed 26 Jul, 20.00, Perth
Australia v Nigeria, Thu 27 Jul 20.00, Brisbane
Canada v Australia, Mon 31 Jul 20.00, Melbourne
Ireland v Nigeria, Mon 31 Jul 20.00, Brisbane
Group C:
Mana Inwabuchi (Japan) will play all her group games in New-Zealand. Japan should top the group and qualify alongside Spain who currently have 15 top quality players who are not available for selection due to a conflict with management. Zambia have a world-class striker in Barbra Banda and Costa-Rica will provide an interesting opposition to the top two teams.
Zambia v Japan, Sat 22 Jul 19.00, Hamilton
Japan v Costa Rica, Wed 26 Jul 17.00, Dunedin
Japan v Spain, Mon 31 Jul 19.00, Wellington
Group D
Lotte-Wubben, Leah Williamson, Beth Mead and maybe Jordan Nobbs (England). The Lionesses will play all their games in Australia. They will be favourites to win their group even if Denmark and China are difficult opponents to play. The final opponent will be decided in February between Chile, Senegal or Haiti.
England v play-off Group B, Sat 22 Jul 19.30, Brisbane
England v Denmark, Fri 28 Jul 18.30, Sydney
China v England, Tue 1 Aug 20.30, Adelaide
Group E
Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands) will take on the USA, Vietnam, and either Portugal, Cameroon or Thailand. The Netherlands are certainly in rebuilding mode with a generation change, while the USA are also having a change of guard and not at the same level as before. The top two teams should win the group easily. All the games will be played in New-Zealand.
Netherlands v Play-off group A, Sun 23 Jul 19.30, Dunedin
USA v Netherlands, Thu 27 Jul 13.00, Wellington
Vietnam v Netherlands, Tue 1 Aug 19.00, Dunedin
Group F
Rafaelle Souza’s Brazil has been drawn with France, Jamaica and their many ex England youth players. The fourth teams will come from the play-offs and it will be Chinese Taipei/Paraguay or Papua New Guinea/Panama. France and Brazil should be favourite to get out of the group. All the games will be played in Australia.
Brazil v Play-off Group C, Mon 24 Jul 20.30, Adelaide
France v Brazil, Saturday 29 Jul 20.00, Brisbane
Jamaica v Brazil, Wed 2 Aug 20.00, Melbourne
Group G
Stina Blackstenius and Lena Hurtig (Sweden) will be favourite against South Africa, Italy and Argentina. They are strong contenders to win the tournament. All the games will be played in New-Zealand.
Sweden v South-Africa, Sun 23 Jul 17.00, Wellington
Sweden v Italy, Sat 29 Jul 19.30, Wellington
Argentina v Sweden, Wed 2 Aug 19.00, Hamilton
Group H
Germany, Morocco, Colombia and Korea Republic. Germany will be favourite to win the group and are also a strong contender to win the tournament on the back of their runner-up place at Euros 2022.
This is the first Women World Cup tournament with 32 teams, the top two teams from each group with play in the round of 16 and so on until the Final that will be played in Sydney on Sunday the 20th of August at 20.00, while the third place play-off with take place on Saturday the 19th of August in Brisbane at 18.00
Download the full schedule here