The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is just around the corner.
Nations will soon descend on Australia and New Zealand in an attempt to win football’s most coveted trophy on the international stage.
It will be one of our two hosts, on this occasion the Kiwis, to get the ball rolling with action from Group A as they face Norway on July 20.
The Philippines and Switzerland make up the rest of Group A, with the former one of several debutant nations this year.
Ahead of the tournament commencing, here is the lowdown on Group A including players to watch and their complete schedule.
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Women’s Football World Cup 2023: Group A Preview
For New Zealand, it doesn’t get much bigger than a World Cup on home soil. After four consecutive fourth-place finishes in the group stages, the Football Fearns will be eyeing the chance to make it beyond this point for the first time in history. Their squad offers a blend of both youth and experience, as head coach Jitka Klimková looks to strike the right balance. Though winless in their last eight, the Fearns will undoubtedly be encourage to perform in front of their own, which could make for quite the story.
They will face group favourites Norway in their opener. After the disappointment of 2022’s European Championships, which saw the Scandinavian outfit crash out in the group stages, Norway will be hoping to bounce back with a far better showing on the world stage. The Norwegians have plenty of world-class talent bolstering their roster, including forwards Ada Hegerberg and Caroline Graham Hansen; though it will be a test of their mental foritude to put the Euros behind them and come back fighting with all eyes on them in that opening fixture specifically.
Group A boasts a World Cup debutant in the Philipines, who are continuing to break new ground under the guidance of head coach Alen Stajcic. Ahead of their maiden appearance in the competition, goalkeeper Inna Palacios believes there has been a ‘shift’ in their mentality of late. Despite narrowly missing out on the semi-finals of the SEA Games, the Filipinas will be enthused about their showing ahead of the summer.
Switzerland make up the fourth spot in this group, and their road to the World Cup was one that came with late, late drama. In their playoff game against Wales, their opponents took the lead before Ramona Bachmann levelled in the first half. The tie went to extra time, where Fabienne Humm scored in the dying moments to send her country through. The Swiss may wish for more comfortable wins on the big stage, but that ‘never say die’ attitude will serve them well for their ambitions come July.
Women’s World Cup 2023: Group A players to watch
With four teams in Group A, there are plenty of talented stars to look out for as the World Cup descends down under–with some yielding the power to influence their nation’s bid for glory. Here are two in particular that are sure to make an impact for their respective nations…
Guro Reiten
While the aforementioned Hegerberg and Graham Hansen are tipped to be game-changers for Norway, Guro Reiten is among those star-studded names at their disposal.
The Norwegian and Chelsea forward is on course to win the domestic double with her club, after delivering a standout campaign across Europe’s top five leagues. In 21 league games alone, Reiten has registered 18 goal involvements–10 assists and eight goals.
She has been a mainstay in Emma Hayes’s side across the campaign and has been a key figure in their dominance across the English league.
While she and the Blues fell short of the coveted Champions League trophy, Reiten comes into the World Cup in high-flying form and will no doubt be a relentless threat to any opposition.
Ali Riley
New Zealand international, and Angel City FC defender, Ali Riley will bring a wealth of experience to the Football Fearns this summer.
As well as playing on home turf, Riley is likely to lead her teammates out as captain of the national team, making for a simply unforgettable experience.
The 35-year-old has the benefit of honing her craft in multiple different leagues across the world, including England and Germany, and most recently in the United States.
She has also been a regular feature for her national team, recently earning her 150th cap for the Kiwis back in February.
With the added responsibility of the armband, the seasoned vet will play her role both on and off the pitch as they look to make history by making it out of the group stages for the first time ever.
Women’s World Cup 2023: Group A schedule and how to watch
Here’s how the group stages are shaping up for these four nations (all local times–UTC+12)…
20 July 2023: New Zealand vs Norway, 19:00 KO at Eden Park, Auckland
21 July 2023: Philippines vs Switzerland, 17:00 KO at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
25 July 2023: New Zealand vs Switzerland, 17:30 KO at Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington
25 July 2023: Switzerland vs Norway, 20:00 KO at Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
30 July 2023: Switzerland vs New Zealand, 19:00 KO at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
30 July 2023: Norway vs Philippines, 19:00 KO at Eden Park, Auckland
As is expected for the World Cup, all eyes will be on this tournament and you can find the full list of confirmed broadcasters so far here.
