The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand is the biggest one yet, and the competition, which kicks off on Thursday, July 20, at the 50,000-capacity Eden Park, is expected to draw the attention of many football fans across the globe.
The Mundial, which features 32 teams from six confederations, provides traditionally smaller teams the opportunity to compete at the tournament, thereby improving the level of competition.
With the tournament edging ever closer, Afrosport takes a look at the crucial details that make up the most-anticipated event of the summer.
- Youngest Player – Casey Phair
At just 16 years old, Korean-American teenager Phair will be the youngest player at this edition of the Women’s World Cup. She will be representing South Korea at the Women’s World Cup, where they will be up against Germany, Morocco, and Colombia.
The forward, who turned 16 on June 29, has yet to make her debut for the Taegeuk Ladies and will have the perfect opportunity to showcase her skills when the tournament begins.
- Oldest Player – Onome Ebi
Super Falcons captain, Ebi, is the oldest player heading to Australia and New Zealand. At 40 years old, the Nigerian defender will be participating in her sixth Women’s World Cup and will become the first African to achieve such a feat, both in the men’s and women’s categories.
Although Canada’s women’s captain and top scorer Christine Sinclair also heads into the tournament at 40, Ebi is about a month and four days older than the forward whom she will be up against in the group stage.
- Highest goal scorer – Marta da Silva
Brazilian football legend Marta da Silva, who is one of the two stars heading into their sixth Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, is the leading scorer in the tournament’s history with 17 goals in 20 appearances.
At 37, the six-time FIFA Women’s Player of the Year will look to add to her tally when Brazil kicks off their outing in Group F.
- Current champions – United States
The United State Women’s national team heads to Australia and New Zealand as the team to beat following their triumph in France in 2019.
Last time out, the USWNT were 2-0 winners over the Netherlands in the final thanks to goals from Megan Rapinoe and Rosemary Lavelle.
- Most successful team – United States
Their success in 2019 was their fourth in the competition’s history, making them the most successful team at the Women’s World Cup with two more titles than Germany in second.
The USWNT won the inaugural edition of the competition in 1999 in China. Two editions later, they claimed their second title as hosts in 1999 before sealing back-to-back triumphs in 2015 and 2019.
- Most appearances (9) – Nigeria, United States, Germany, Sweden, Japan, Norway & Brazil
The tournament in Australia and New Zealand is already a record-breaking event for the number of teams competing and the number of host countries involved. However, certain countries are celebrating their own personal records for being present in every edition of the competition.
Nigeria, the United States, Germany, Sweden, Japan, Norway, and Brazil will all be competing in their ninth Women’s World Cup, marking their presence in every tournament since the maiden edition in 1991.
- Most wins in tournament history – United States
The USWNT’s dominance in the Women’s World Cup cannot be overstated. Along with holding the record for the most titles and joint-most appearances, they also head into the ninth edition of the tournament with the most wins in the competition’s history.
The United States has 40 wins in the tournament, along with the most top four finishes (8), medals (8), and final appearances (5), including the longest streak of three consecutive finals in 2011, 2015, and 2019.
