Canada will face Australia, Ireland and Nigeria in the group stage of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which will take place simultaneously in Australia and New Zealand from July 20 to August 20.
“It’s getting real!!! “Wrote Canadian defender Vanessa Gilles on Twitter.
The draw held Saturday in Auckland, New Zealand, proved relatively favorable for the Canadians. Seventh in the FIFA rankings, they avoided several “heavyweight” countries by being placed in group B, alongside Australia.
Of the eight countries whose names were in pot number 1, only New Zealand (22nd) ranks lower than Australia (13th) in the FIFA rankings. Pot number 1 brought together the two host countries and the six highest ranked nations in the world.
Also, Canada will play all its matches in Australia, including the duels that it could play during the elimination phase, and will therefore avoid travel to New Zealand.
“I’m excited,” said Canadian team head coach Bev Priestman, from Auckland, of the draw. “It could be worse, it could be better. »
Canada beat Australia twice in September, 1-0 and 2-1 in Brisbane and Sydney respectively. Since the turn of the 21st century, Canada have posted a 6-2-2 record against Australia.
Ireland, ranked 24th, will make their World Cup debut. The only game between Canada and Ireland ended in a 2-1 victory for the Canadians in 2014.
However, the draw was a little less forgiving for Canada with the inclusion of Nigeria who, by virtue of their 45th place in the FIFA rankings, were the highest rated team among the countries whose names were in the jar number 4.
Nigeria have never been kicked out of the World Cup and made it to the quarter-finals in 1999. Canada are 2-1-2 in their lifetime record against the Nigerians, including a 2- 0 and a 2-2 draw in two friendlies last April in British Columbia.
“Nigeria are a very difficult team to play against,” admitted Priestman.
Two of the other three games between Canada and Nigeria were played at the World Cup. In 1995, the two countries drew 3-3. In 2011, Canada suffered a 1-0 loss in a disastrous tournament that ended in last place.
Canada will also play its first match of the group stage against Nigeria on July 21 at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.
Five days later, the Canadians will travel to Perth to cross swords with Ireland. Then, on July 31, they will return to the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium to face the Australians.
The teams occupying the first two places at the end of the group stage will qualify for the elimination stage. The two nations from Group B will then face the two qualified countries from Group D.
So if the Canadians finish atop the Group B standings, they will battle the second-placed Group D holders in the round of 16 on August 7 in Sydney. If they finish second, they will then have to face the first-place club in Group D, also on August 7, but in Brisbane.
Group D includes England (4th in the world), China (15th) and Denmark (18th). The fourth nation will be known after an eliminatory tournament which will take place in February 2023.
Priestman also admitted that Canada’s aim will be to finish top of their group to avoid a likely meeting with England, a club that is having a good time and has beaten the world first Americans. , last month.
If the Canadians make it to the quarter-finals, they could face off against third-ranked Germany or fifth-ranked France.
Canada had its best showing at the Women’s World Cup with a fourth-place finish in 2003 in the United States.