Matildas dealt 'worst possible' World Cup draw

2 years ago 109

The Matildas person been dealt a nightmare gully for adjacent year's FIFA Women's World Cup aft the groups were officially decided connected Saturday.

Australia volition beryllium joined successful Group B by Canada, Ireland and Nigeria, portion reigning World Cup champions USA drew the Netherlands successful its group.

"Obviously, the teams are tough," Matildas vice-captain Steph Catley told Optus Sport of the draw.

"Ireland's tricky. Canada's truly tough. Nigeria has immoderate unthinkable players too, and African teams are truly pugnacious to play astatine large tournaments. It's a pugnacious group, but if you privation to win, you've got to bushed everyone."

Four-time champion the United States was drawn successful Group E with Vietnam, the Netherlands and a playoff victor inactive to beryllium determined successful a tourney expanded for the archetypal clip to 32 teams drawn into 8 groups of four.

The US volition play each of its radical matches successful New Zealand successful the tourney to beryllium played astatine 10 stadiums successful Australia and New Zealand successful July and August 2023. The lucifer against the Netherlands volition beryllium astatine Wellington connected July 27. The US bushed the Dutch 2-0 successful the 2019 last successful France.

Second-ranked Sweden is drawn successful Group G with South Africa, Italy and Argentina. Third-ranked Germany is successful Group H with Morocco, Colombia and South Korea and European champion England successful Group D with Denmark, China and a playoff winner.

The 3 playoff winners volition beryllium determined done inter-continental qualifying matches successful Auckland successful February.

CONFIRMED 2023 WOMEN'S WORLD CUP GROUPS

Group A: New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Switzerland.

Group B: Australia, Ireland, Nigeria, Canada.

Group C: Spain, Costa Rica, Zambia, Japan.

Group D: England, Group B playoff winner, Denmark, China.

Group E: United States, Vietnam, the Netherlands, Group A playoff winner.

Group F: France, Jamaica, Brazil, Group C playoff winner.

Group G: Sweden, South Africa, Italy, Argentina.

Group H: Germany, Morocco, Colombia, South Korea.

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