FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP PREVIEW: The ninth edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup kicks off on Thursday which sees 32 nations clash across host nations Australia and New Zealand.
The month-long tournament has been won by four-time champions the United States in the previous two editions, so each team competing will be looking to end their reign at the top over the next 31 days.
With that in mind, here are the prime candidates to take the 2023 renewal of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
🇺🇸 United States – World No.1 Ranked Team
Although the Americans will have a large target on their backs this year, it’s hard to look past the current favourites at 3.45 on Betdaq exchange.
On top of their impeccable record in this competition, the inaugural champions were unbeaten in 71 home games spanning five years before their loss to Germany in an exhibition match in November 2022.
The Stars and Stripes have beaten two UK nations so far this year thanks to two wins in four days over Ireland in April and a recent 2-0 success against Wales on July 9th.
Ranked the best team in the world, the United States are in Group E with Vietnam, Portugal, and their main rival the Netherlands whom they beat in the 2019 World Cup Final 2-0 in the Parc Olympique Lyonnais.
Their first match is against debutants Vietnam on Saturday.
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🏴 England – European Champions
On the back of their triumphant success in the UEFA European Championship in 2022, England are the second favourites in the market at 6.3.
Unlike their American counterparts, England have succeeded just once in their last three games when beating Brazil in the Finalissima on penalties in April.
Since then, a 2-0 loss against Australia and a scoreless draw at home to Portugal leave the Lionesses seeking better form ahead of Saturday’s match against rank outsiders Haiti.
However, between the start of the Euros in July 2022 and their final match of the same year in earlier September, Sarina Wiegman’s (pictured below) side conceded just two goals in eight games while also scoring a mammoth 34 times.
On that form, the nation’s fans could well be welcoming football back home for the first time since 1966.
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🇪🇸 Spain – Rising stars
Of the top three nations in the Betdaq market, priced at 6.5, Spain are the only side not to have finished in the top four in any of the previous renditions, though their recent form shows why they are fancied.
Having won nine of their last 10 games since departing from the Euros at the quarter-final stage, the Spaniards have only conceded in two games: once in defeat to Australia in February and the other two games later when beating Norway 4-2 at home in April.
Ranked sixth in the world, up one place having overtaken Canada in the standings, they are officially the best they have ever been thanks to their rich vein of form.
The worry for any supporters of La Roja is their record in competitive tournaments, as in two World Cup appearances since 2015, the Round of 16 has been their highest finish; that record is only slightly better in the European Championships as they have been beaten in the quarter-finals on their last three tournament appearances.
Despite this, Spain looks like a big player in this year’s competition.
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🇦🇺 Australia – Dark horse
At double-figure odds, the big-priced dark horse for the tournament look to be Australia at 11.0.
The three-time Oceanian Cup champions come into this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup on the back of two big recent successes against England in April (2-0) and Spain in February (3-2), two nations who are much shorter in the betting.
Furthermore, although they were surprisingly beaten by Scotland four days before their toppling of England, they have won nine of their last 10 matches while only conceding five goals.
With Chelsea’s Sam Kerr (pictured below) leading the line thanks to her 63 goals in 121 appearances, the Matildas have plenty going for them and could be the one to side with at a price.
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