The 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup kicked off on Thursday, with co-hosts New Zealand stunning Norway in the opening fixture.
England are among the main hopefuls to take down the tournament in Australia and New Zealand, are entering the World Cup with their Euro 2022 success still fresh in the memory – though Sarina Wiegman’s side have a very different look to the one that triumphed at Wembley.
Lioness stalwarts Jill Scott and Ellen White retired after the Euros. Captain Leah Williamson and her Arsenal teammate, Beth Mead, who both tore their ACLs last season, are missing through injury, as is Chelsea’s Fran Kirby, who is undergoing knee surgery.
Their opening match is on Saturday 22 July against Haiti. Here’s how to watch that game – plus every other game of the tournament this summer – and who the pundits and commentators will be.
How can I watch the Women’s World Cup?
The Women’s World Cup runs from 20 July until 20 August, with all games being shown live on the BBC and ITV. You will also be able to stream them online via BBC iPlayer and ITVX.
The UK is seven hours behind the west coast of Australia, nine hours behind the east coast, and 11 hours behind New Zealand, meaning that the majority of the games will be played in the morning in UK time, with some around lunchtime. There are also occasional games that kick off at 2am.
Who is on the BBC team?
Gabby Logan will be the lead anchor for the BBC’s coverage of the World Cup. Also on hosting duties are regular BBC Sport presenter Reshmin Chowdhury and former England defender Alex Scott, who is now the host of Football Focus.
Here’s the BBC’s team of pundits for the tournament:
- Steph Houghton – ex-England and current Manchester City captain
- Ellen White – England’s all-time leading goalscorer
- Fara Williams – England’s most capped player
- Rachel Brown-Finnis – former England goalkeeper and regular co-commentator
- Anita Asante – ex-England defender and current Bristol City coach
- Karen Bardsley – former England goalkeeper
- Laura Georges – represented France at seven major tournaments and now secretary-general of the France Football Federation
- Jonas Eidevall – Arsenal head coach
- Scott Booth – head coach of Women’s Championship side Lewes
Commentating will be Robyn Cowen, Jonathan Pearce, Vicki Sparks, Conor McNamara and Steven Wyeth.
Who is on the ITV team?
Laura Woods, who has just taken on a new role at TNT Sports, will be the lead presenter for ITV. Channel regular Seema Jaswal and Michelle Owen, lead presenter of Sky Sports’ EFL coverage, will also host.
Here’s who will make up ITV’s punditry team:
- Eni Aluko – former England international with 102 caps
- Karen Carney – ex-England midfielder
- Jill Scott – Lionesses legend and winner of I’m a Celebrity… last year
- Emma Hayes – head coach of WSL champions Chelsea
- Fran Kirby – Chelsea and England midfielder missing the World Cup through injury
- Lucy Ward – former WSL player
- Siobhan Chamberlain – ex-England goalkeeper
- Emma Byrne – record 134 appearances for the Republic of Ireland as a goalkeeper
- Vicky Losada – AS Roma midfielder who represented Spain at multiple World Cups
- Jen Beattie – Arsenal defender and former Scotland international
Seb Hutchinson, Sam Matterface, Pien Meulensteen and Tom Gayle are on commentary duty.
2023 Women’s World Cup schedule
Here are the groups for the initial stage of the tournament:
- Group A: New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Switzerland
- Group B: Australia, Republic of Ireland, Nigeria, Canada
- Group C: Spain, Costa Rica, Zambia, Japan
- Group D: England, Haiti, Denmark, China
- Group E: United States, Vietnam, Netherlands, Portugal
- Group F: France, Jamaica, Brazil, Panama
- Group G: Sweden, South Africa, Italy, Argentina
- Group H: Germany, Morocco, Colombia, South Korea
Here is the full match schedule (All kick-off times BST):
Group stage
Thursday 20 July
- Group A: New Zealand vs Norway (08:00, Auckland)
- Group B: Australia vs Republic of Ireland (11:00, Sydney)
Friday 21 July
- Group B: Nigeria vs Canada (03:30, Melbourne)
- Group A: Philippines vs Switzerland (06:00, Dunedin)
- Group C: Spain vs Costa Rica (08:30, Wellington)
Saturday 22 July
- Group E: USA vs Vietnam (02:00, Auckland)
- Group C: Zambia vs Japan (08:00 Hamilton)
- Group D: England vs Haiti (10:30, Brisbane)
- Group D: Denmark vs China (13:00, Perth)
Sunday 23 July
- Group G: Sweden vs South Africa (06:00, Wellington)
- Group E: Netherlands vs Portugal (08:30, Dunedin)
- Group F: France vs Jamaica (11:00, Sydney)
Monday 24 July
- Group G: Italy vs Argentina (07:00, Auckland)
- Group H: Germany vs Morocco (09:30, Melbourne)
- Group F: Brazil vs Panama (12:00, Adelaide)
Tuesday 25 July
- Group H: Colombia vs Korea Republic (03:00, Sydney)
- Group A: New Zealand vs Philippines (06:30, Dunedin)
- Group A: Switzerland vs Norway (09:00, Hamilton)
Wednesday 26 July
- Group C: Japan vs Costa Rica (06:00, Dunedin)
- Group C: Spain vs Zambia (08:30, Auckland)
- Group B: Canada vs Republic of Ireland (13:00, Perth)
Thursday 27 July
- Group E: USA vs Netherlands (02:00, Wellington)
- Group E: Portugal vs Vietnam (08:30, Hamilton)
- Group B: Australia vs Nigeria (11:00, Brisbane)
Friday 28 July
- Group G: Argentina vs South Africa (01:00, Dunedin)
- Group D: England vs Denmark (09:30, Sydney)
- Group D: China vs Haiti (12:00, Adelaide)
Saturday 29 July
- Group G: Sweden vs Italy (08:30, Wellington)
- Group F: France vs Brazil (11:00, Brisbane)
- Group F: Panama vs Jamaica (13:30, Perth)
Sunday 30 July
- Group H: Korea Republic vs Morocco (05:30, Adelaide)
- Group A: Norway vs Philippines (08:00, Auckland)
- Group A: Switzerland vs New Zealand (08:00, Dunedin)
- Group H: Germany vs Colombia (10:30, Sydney)
Monday 31 July
- Group C: Costa Rica vs Zambia (08:00, Hamilton)
- Group C: Japan vs Spain (08:00, Wellington)
- Group B: Ireland vs Nigeria (11:00, Brisbane)
- Group B: Canada vs Australia (11:00, Melbourne)
Tuesday 1 August
- Group E: Vietnam vs Netherlands (08:00, Dunedin)
- Group E: Portugal vs USA (08:00, Auckland)
- Group D: Haiti vs Denmark (12:00, Perth)
- Group D: China vs England (12:00, Adelaide)
Wednesday 2 August
- Group G: South Africa vs Italy (08:00, Wellington)
- Group G: Argentina vs Sweden (08:00, Hamilton)
- Group F: Jamaica vs Brazil (11:00, Melbourne)
- Group F: Panama vs France (11:00, Sydney)
Thursday 3 August
- Group H: Korea Republic vs Germany (11:00, Brisbane)
- Group H: Morocco vs Colombia (11:00, Perth)
Knockout stages
Saturday 5 August
- Match 49: Winners Group A vs Runners-up Group C (06:00, Auckland)
- Match 50: Winners Group C vs Runners-up A (09:00, Wellington)
Sunday 6 August
- Match 51: Winners Group E vs Runners-up Group G (03:00, Sydney)
- Match 52: Winners Group G vs Runners-up Group E (10:00, Melbourne)
Monday 7 August
- Match 54: Winners Group D vs Runners-up Group B (08:30, Brisbane)
- Match 53: Winners Group B vs Runners-up Group D (11:30, Sydney)
Tuesday 8 August
- Match 56: Winners Group H vs Runners-up Group F (09:00, Melbourne)
- Match 55: Winners Group F vs Runners-up Group H (12:00, Adelaide)
Friday 11 August
- QF1: Winner Match 49 vs Winner Match 51 (02:00, Wellington)
- QF2: Winner Match 50 vs Winner Match 52 (08:30, Auckland)
Saturday 12 August
- QF3: Winner Match 53 vs Winner Match 55 (08:00, Brisbane)
- QF4: Winner Match 54 vs Winner Match 56 (11:30, Sydney)
Tuesday 15 August
- SF1: Winner QF1 vs Winner QF 2 (09:00, Auckland)
Wednesday 16 August
- SF2: Winner QF3 vs Winner QF4 (11:00, Sydney)
Saturday 19 August
- 3rd place play-off: Loser SF1 vs Loser SF2 (09:00, Brisbane)
Sunday 20 August
- Final: Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2 (11:00, Sydney)
Who are the favourites to win the World Cup?
The United States are bidding to extend their golden era by winning an unprecedented third straight title.
Featuring an expanded 32-team lineup and eight nations making their debut, the first Women’s World Cup in the southern hemisphere will be an affirmation of how far the game has come since the US won the inaugural 12-team tournament in China in 1991.
Four years on from dominating in France, the top-ranked Americans remain favourites to secure a record-extending fifth World Cup triumph with a new generation of players.
However, the landscape has changed irrevocably through the World Cup cycle, with money, talent and professionalism shifting to the sport’s traditional European heartlands.
Germany, France, Sweden and European champions England all fancy their chances, while Australia’s in-form “Matildas” expect to go far behind star striker Sam Kerr and with the support of an army of green-and-gold fans.
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