In nine months, the U.S. Women’s National Team will join 31 other nations at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. While the countdown to kickoff is in full swing, another key event for the USA’s World Cup preparations is fast approaching – the Final Draw. The Draw, at which all the teams will learn their group stage opponents and paths through the tournament, will take place on Saturday, Oct. 22 in Auckland, New Zealand at 2:30 a.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. local. Broadcast coverage will begin at 2 a.m. ET / 7 p.m. local on FS1, Telemundo, Universo and Peacock.
As the USA prepares to learn its path Down Under, here are Five Things to Know about the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Draw.
BIGGER THAN EVER
The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Draw serves as a major event in the ongoing festivities for the 2023 World Cup, setting the stage – and the schedule – for the record 32 countries which will be participating in the latest edition of the tournament that has been expanded from 24 teams in both 2015 and 2019. Entering the Final Draw, 29 of the 32 teams have qualified for the World Cup: Australia (co-host), New Zealand (co-host), Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China PR, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Korea Republic, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Philippines, Republic of Ireland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, USA, Vietnam and Zambia.
The remaining three slots will be filled from the 10-team Inter-Confederation Playoff Tournament, which will be played from February 18-23 in Auckland, New Zealand. The field is comprised of two teams from Asia (Chinese Taipei and Thailand), two from Africa (Cameroon and Senegal), two from Concacaf (Haiti and Panama), two from South America (Chile and Paraguay), one from Oceania (Papua New Guinea) and one from Europe (Portugal).
Seven teams in the 2023 World Cup field – Brazil, Germany, Japan, Nigeria, Norway, Sweden and the USA – have qualified for every Women’s World Cup contested and will be making their ninth appearances on the sport’s grandest stage. On the other end of the spectrum, five teams in this year’s field – Morocco, Philippines, Republic of Ireland, Vietnam and Zambia – will be making their Women’s World Cup debuts..
DRAW PROCEDURES
The 29 qualified teams and three playoff tournament placeholders have been placed into four pots of eight teams each, based on the latest FIFA Women’s World Rankings. The highest ranked teams – along with co-hosts Australia and New Zealand - will be in Pot 1, followed by the next eight teams in Pot 2 and so forth. The three placeholders for the playoff tournament winners will be allocated to Pot 4. From there, the teams will be randomly drawn into eight groups, A through H, with each group containing four teams. Each group will contain one team drawn at random from each pot, except for New Zealand and Australia, which will head Groups A and B, respectively.
|
Pot 1 |
|
Pot 2 |
||
|
Team |
Rank |
|
Team |
Rank |
|
Australia (co-host) |
13 |
|
Canada |
7 |
|
New Zealand (co-host) |
22 |
|
Netherlands |
8 |
|
United States |
1 |
|
Brazil |
9 |
|
Sweden |
2 |
|
Japan |
11 |
|
Germany |
3 |
|
Norway |
12 |
|
England |
4 |
|
Italy |
14 |
|
France |
5 |
|
China PR |
15 |
|
Spain |
6 |
|
Korea Republic |
17 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pot 3 |
|
Pot 4 |
|
|
|
Team |
Rank |
|
Team |
Rank |
|
Denmark |
18 |
|
Nigeria |
45 |
|
Switzerland |
21 |
|
Philippines |
53 |
|
Republic of Ireland |
24 |
|
South Africa |
54 |
|
Colombia |
27 |
|
Morocco |
76 |
|
Argentina |
29 |
|
Zambia |
81 |
|
Vietnam |
34 |
|
Group A Play-Off Winner |
TBD |
|
Costa Rica |
37 |
|
Group B Play-Off Winner |
TBD |
|
Jamaica |
43 |
|
Group C Play-Off Winner |
TBD |
DETAILS, DETAILS, DETAILS
As co-hosts, New Zealand and Australia have been pre-assigned positions A1 and B1, respectively. The remaining six teams in Pot 1 – the USA, Sweden, Germany, England, France and Spain – will be drawn into position 1 of each of the remaining groups, C through H.
Once all the teams have been drawn from Pot 1, the random draw will continue with Pot 2. For teams in Pot 2 and beyond, the group and the position in the group - 2,3 or 4 – will also be determined by random draw.
Except for Europe, which will have a minimum of 11 teams in the World Cup, as a general principle, two teams from the same qualifying zone cannot be drawn into the same group. This means that the USA cannot be in a group with fellow Concacaf foes Canada (Pot 2), Costa Rica (Pot 3) or Jamaica (Pot 3). As there are 11 teams from Europe (possibly 12 pending inter-confederation play-off results), each group will have a minimum of one team from UEFA with three (and potentially four) groups having two European teams.
As the results of the inter-confederation playoff will not be known at the time of Saturday’s draw, there may be a scenario, albeit an unlikely one, where two teams from the same Confederation end up in the same group for the Final Tournament.
The official match schedule for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup can be found here. Kickoff times and a complete TV broadcast schedule will be announced at a later date.
DESTINATION DOWN UNDER
Not only will 2023 mark the most teams ever to participate in a Women’s World Cup, it will also be the first time the Women’s World Cup will have two host nations, with the tournament being split between Australia and New Zealand. In total, the 64 games of the tournament will be played across ten different venues in nine different cities – five cities in Australia and four in New Zealand.The host cities in Australia are Adelaide/Tarntanya (Hindmarsh Stadium), Bristbane/Meaanjin (Brisbande Stadium), Sydney/Gadigal (Stadium Australia and Sydney Football Stadium), Melbourne/Naarm (Melbourne Rectangular Stadium), Perth/Boorloo (Perth Rectangular Stadium). The matches in New Zealand will be played across Auckland/Tamaki Makarurau (Eden Park), Dunedin/Otepoti (Dundein Stadium), Hamilton/Kirikiriroa (Waikato Stadium) and Wellington/Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington Regional Stadium).
The Opening Match and Opening Ceremony for the tournament will feature co-hosts New Zealand and will be played at Eden Park in Auckland/Tamaki Makarurau on July 20. The World Cup Final will be played on August 20 at Stadium Australia in Sydney/Gadigal.
Groups A, C, E and G will play all their group stage matches in New Zealand while Groups B, D, F and H will play all their group games in Australia. Knockout round matches will be split between the two countries through the semifinal, with the Third-Place Match (Aug. 19 in Brisbane/Meaanjin) and Final (Aug. 20 in Sydney/Gadigal) both taking place in Australia.
ALL THE ACTION
The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be televised in the United States across FOX (English-language) and Telemundo (Spanish-language) networks.
Fans wishing to attend the World Cup in person can apply for tickets through U.S. Soccer’s ticketing allotment for Australia and New Zealand. U.S. Soccer receives a limited number of tickets to USWNT matches at the World Cup, including each of the USA’s three Group Stage matches.Fans also have the opportunity to request conditional tickets for the USWNT’s possible Knockout Round games, including the Round of 16, Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Final/Third Place Game, each conditional on advancement.
Due to high demand, tickets will be distributed via a Random Weighted Draw exclusive to U.S. Soccer Insiders. U.S. Soccer Insiders can apply for tickets to all USWNT matches by accessing a Ticket Office portal exclusive to U.S. supporters. The application window will run through the end of October. The application process is not first come, first serve. Fans can apply at any point during the application window.
Ticket packages are available directly for purchase now through FIFA, with single-match purchasing options available following the conclusion of the Final Draw.
U.S. Soccer does offer an exclusive VIP travel program, called the Patrons Program, which includes accommodations, match tickets, behind-the-scenes access, ground transportation, gear and more. Space is very limited, and participation is made possible through a meaningful donation supporting the U.S. Soccer Development Fund. Contact vip@ussoccer.org for details. FIFA also provides a travel program through its official hospitality partner MATCH Hospitality.
Please visit the World Cup Ticketing FAQ or email worldcuptickets@ussoccer.org for additional information.