Europe’s FIFA Women’s World Cup hopefuls: Denmark, England, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Republic of Ireland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland | Women’s World Cup

The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup runs from 20 July to 20 August in Australia and New Zealand with 11 European teams already assured of their places.

Qualifying group winners Denmark, England, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden have been joined by play-off winners Republic of Ireland and Switzerland. The play-off winners with the third best record, Portugal, will hope to be the 12th UEFA nation at the finals by beating Cameroon in the inter-confederation play-offs on Wednesday in Hamilton, New Zealand.

All the matches

Groups

Group A: New Zealand (hosts), Norway, Philippines, Switzerland

Group B: Australia (hosts), Republic of Ireland, Nigeria, Canada

Group C: Spain, Costa Rica, Zambia, Japan

Group D: England, Winner Group B play-off, Denmark, China PR

Group E: United States (holders), Vietnam, Netherlands, Winner Group A play-off

Group F: France, Jamaica, Brazil, Winner Group C play-off

Group G: Sweden, South Africa, Italy, Argentina

Group H: Germany, Morocco, Colombia, South Korea

*debut

Inter-confederation play-offs

A ten-team tournament will be held from 18 to 23 February in New Zealand to decide the last three finalists (the winners of each of the three group finals).

Group A

Saturday 18 February
Semi-final: 
Cameroon 2-0 Thailand (Hamilton)
Wednesday 22 February
Final: 
Portugal vs Cameroon (Hamilton)

Group B

Semi-final: Saturday 18 February
Senegal 0-4 Haiti (Auckland)
Final: Wednesday 22 February
Chile vs Haiti (Auckland)

Group C 

Semi-finals: Sunday 19 February
Chinese Taipei vs Paraguay (Hamilton)
Papua New Guinea vs Panama (Auckland)

Final: Thursday 23 February
Chinese Taipei/Paraguay vs Papua New Guinea/Panama (Hamilton)

Europe’s FIFA Women’s World Cup contenders

Denmark

Group D opponents: China PR, England, Winner Group B play-offs

Previous World Cup appearances: 4
Best result: Quarter-finals (1991, 1995)
Qualifying group record: W8 D0 L0 F40 A12 (Group E winners)
Top scorer: Signe Bruun 13
Women’s EURO 2022: Group stage

• Finished 13 points clear of the runners-up in their section, a record for any UEFA women’s qualifying group.

England

Group D opponents: Winner Group B play-offs, Denmark, China PR

Previous finals appearances: 4
Best result: Third place (2015)
Qualifying group record: W10 D0 L0 F80 A0 (Group D winners)
Top scorer: Beth Mead 13
Women’s EURO 2022: Winners

• The most goals scored in any UEFA women’s qualifying group, in addition to winning their first major tournament in July with the home EURO. Have reached last two World Cup semi-finals and got past group stage each time they have qualified.

France

Group F opponents: Jamaica, Brazil, Winner Group C play-offs

Previous finals appearances: 4
Best result: Fourth place (2011)
Qualifying group record: W10 D0 L0 F54 A4 (Group I winners)
Top scorer: Marie-Antoinette Katoto 10
Women’s EURO 2022: Semi-finals

• At Women’s EURO reached their first semi-final since the 2012 Olympics and 2011 World Cup.

Germany

Group H opponents: Morocco, Colombia, South Korea

Previous finals appearances: 8 (maximum)
Best result: Winners (2003, 2007)
Qualifying group record: W9 D0 L1 F47 A5 (Group H winners)
Top scorer: Lea Schüller 15
Women’s EURO 2022: Runners-up

• Only the United States (50) have played more World Cup finals games than Germany (44).

Italy

Group G opponents: Argentina, Sweden, South Africa

Previous finals appearances: 3
Best result: Quarter-finals (1991, 2009)
Qualifying group record: W9 D0 L1 F40 A2 (Group G winners)
 Top scorer: Cristiana Girelli 8
Women’s EURO 2022: Group stage

• Reached two straight World Cups for the first time.

Netherlands

Group E opponents: Winner Group A play-offs, United States, Vietnam

Previous finals appearances: 2
Best result: Runners-up (2019)
Qualifying group record: W6 D2 L0 F31 A3 (Group C winners)
Top scorer: Vivianne Miedema 8
Women’s EURO 2022: Semi-finals

• Sealed a finals spot with an Esmee Brugts goal deep in added time to snatch a 1-0 win against Iceland in their group decider when it seemed the 2017 European champions were headed to the play-offs (from which they qualified in 2015 and 2019). Injury to Miedema is a huge blow, however.

Norway

Group A opponents: New Zealand, Switzerland, Philippines

Previous finals appearances: 8 (ever-present)
Best result: Winners (1995)
Qualifying group record: W9 D1 L0 F47 A2 (Group F winners)
Top scorer: Lisa-Marie Utland 6
Women’s EURO 2022: Group stage

• Were the first European team to win the trophy in 1995.

Republic of Ireland

Group B opponents: Australia, Nigeria, Canada

Previous appearances: Debut
Qualifying group record: W5 D2 L1 F26 A4 (Group A runners-up)
Play-off round 2: W1-0 (a) vs Scotland
Top scorer: Katie McCabe 7
Women’s EURO 2022: Did not qualify

• Ireland’s first major tournament, though coach Vera Pauw has led her native Netherlands to the EURO 2009 semi-finals and South Africa at the 2016 Olympics.

Spain

Group C opponents: Costa Rica, Zambia, Japan

Previous finals appearances: 2
Best result: Round of 16 (2019)
Qualifying group record: W8 D0 L0 F53 A0 (Group B winners)
Top scorer: Amaiur Sarriegi 11
Women’s EURO 2022: Quarter-finals

• Won the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and 2018 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

Sweden

Group G opponents: South Africa, Italy, Argentina

Previous finals appearances: 8 (ever-present)
Best result: Runners-up (2003)
Qualifying group record: W7 D1 L0 F32 A2 (Group A winners)
Top scorers: Lina Hurtig, Fridolina Rolfö 5
Women’s EURO 2022: Semi-finals

• Took bronze in the 2019 World Cup and silver at the 2021 Olympics.

Switzerland

Group A opponents: Philippines, Norway, New Zealand

Previous appearances: 1
Best result: Group stage (2015)
Qualifying group record: W8 D1 L1 F44 A4 (Group I runners-up)
Play-off round 2: W2-1aet vs Wales
Top scorers: Anna-Maria Crnogorčević, Coumba Sow 8
Women’s EURO 2022: Group stage

• Their debut World Cup in 2015 included a 10-1 win against Ecuador with a Ramona Bachmann hat-trick.

Intercontinental play-off contender

Portugal

Potential Group E opponents: Netherlands, Vietnam, United States

Previous appearances: Debut
Qualifying group record: W7 D1 L2 F26 A9 (Group H runners-up)
Play-off round 1: W2-1 (h) vs Belgium
Play-off round 2: W4-1aet (h) vs Iceland
Top scorers: Diana Silva 5
Women’s EURO 2022: Group stage

• Had never reached a major tournament before EURO 2017 but now hope to reach their third.

Past World Cup finals (European teams in bold)

2019: United States 2-0 Netherlands; Lyon, France
2015: United States 5-2 Japan; Vancouver, Canada
2011: Japan 2-2 United States (aet, 3-1 pens); Frankfurt, Germany
2007: Germany 2-0 Brazil; Shanghai, China
2003: Germany 1-0 Sweden (aet, golden goal); Carson, United States
1999: United States 0-0 China (aet, 5-4 pens); Pasadena, United States
1995: Norway 2-0 Germany; Stockholm, Sweden
1991: United States 2-1 Norway; Guangzhou, China

Past Olympic medallists (European teams in bold)

2021: Canada (gold), Sweden (silver), United States (bronze); Yokohama, Japan (postponed from 2020, final moved from Tokyo)
2016: Germany (gold), Sweden (silver), Canada (bronze); Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2012: United States (gold), Japan (silver), Canada (bronze); London, United Kingdom
2008: United States (gold), Brazil (silver), Germany (bronze); Beijing, China
2004: United States (gold), Brazil (silver), Germany (bronze); Athens, Greece
2000: Norway (gold), United States (silver), Germany (bronze); Sydney, Australia
1996: United States (gold), China (silver), Norway (bronze); Atlanta, United States