ake Yono

JY Journalism 

7/15/23

2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Preview

With the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup beginning on July 20th, I will give you guys a preview of what to expect, who and what to watch for storylines, and of course my predictions. 

To begin, the women's World Cup this year will be played in Australia and New Zealand across 10 different stadiums. The favorites in the women’s world cup are the United States at +225, England at +275, Germany at +650, Spain at +700, France at +800, Sweden at +1400, the Netherlands at +1800, and Canada at +2500 (cbssports.com). I believe that these and the host country Australia valued at +1200 right behind France can win the world cup.

The headlining outright storyline of this tournament is “Can the United States 3-peat for the first time in men's or women's FIFA World Cup History”. I think Team USA can do it but it will be a lot harder because of the talent they lost when they cruises through the 2019 World Cup. First of all, at coach legendary coach Jill Ellis has stepped down and has been replaced by Vlatko Andonovski for the Tokyo 2020 Games in 2021 where the team finished with a bronze medal with Canada Beating Sweden in the final to take gold. Andonovski still needs to find this new team as last fall they lost 3 games in a row for the first time in 30 years (SI Kids Vol. 35 No. 4). In February of 2023 Team USA won the SheBelieves Cup to bounce back into the winner's circle. The notable former world cup athletes not playing for Team USA in the world cup are Tienna Davidson, Mallory Swanson, Samantha Mewis, and the Hall of Famer carli lloyd. Half of the entire team from the last world cup is not playing this year due to injury, retirement, and personal reasons. But the US has a lot of returning players from the 2019 championship team such as Alex Morgan, Meagan Rapinoe, Kelly O’Hara, Rose Lavelle, Lindsay Horan, Andi Sullivan, Julie Ertz, and more. The young players for Team USA are Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman, and breakout star Alyssa Thompson. Vlatko Andonovski stated that “he likes what he's seen between the vets and the kid's mix so far because their gonna half to pass that on” (SI Kids Vol. 35 No. 4). Hopefully, this can propel Team USA in the 2023 FIFA Womens World Cup.

The Notable players from Teams USAs compassion in the world cup are Merle Frohms (VFL Wolfsburg) from Germany, Wendie Renard (Club Lyon) from France, Sam Keer (Chelsea FC) from the host country Australia, Alexia Putellas (FC Barcelona), and the Affrican Asisat Oshoala (FC Barcelona). These players and many others should make a difference for their teams in the world cup. The groups I will be watching out for are Group B with the Aussies and Canada, Group E with the United States and The Netherlands, Group F with France and Brazil, and Group G with Italia, South Africa, and Sweden. I will be watching the 2019 Final rematch between the USA and the Netherlands on July 27th in Group E, and the Olympic Gold Medalist Canada facing off against the host country Australia in Group B on July 31st. 

This FIFA World Cup should not be a cakewalk for the USA as it was in 2019 because their team is still good but it has changed a lot, there are a lot of other contenders such as England, Spain, Germany, Canada, France, and Australia with other superstar players competing. I believe Team USA will pull off this world cup win as it will not be like the Olympic Games where their new players and coach were still developing. Now I think the team has jelled and starting on July 20th we should have an outstanding FIFA Women's World Cup hosted by the Nations of Australia and New Zealand.