Women’s World Cup 2023 live scores, results and latest updates

The biggest ever Women’s World Cup is finally here in Australia and New Zealand.

The top 32 Women’s World Cup is still open, with several teams challenging to unseat two-time defending champions USA.

England head ‘Down Under’ full of confidence after their Euro triumph on home soil last summer, but it is set to inspire co-hosts Australia and their star forward Sam Kerr.

Everything you need to know ahead of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, including team guides, players and how to follow on TV.

Kelly Smith explains who he thinks will lead England in their opener against Haiti:

‘Competitive football is about solving problems quickly and efficiently. As Sarina Wikman, assistant Arjan Werring and the rest of the coaching staff draw up plans to see off England’s World Cup opponents, a lot comes down to how teams react to what’s in front of them on the pitch.

‘That’s especially true when facing teams who like to sit deep against a side of England’s undoubted strength, where opening up the back lines with 10 or 11 behind the ball will be vital.

‘It will be important to take chances – against the cautious opponents England will face in the group stage when they play Haiti, Denmark and China. Scoring not only energizes you, but also changes the game, trying to get the opposition back forward, and has a psychological impact. There’s nothing more frustrating than defending well for 20 or 30 minutes and conceding from the first real chance…’

Goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan is sure his grandparents would be beaming with pride if they lived long enough to see him play in the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup debut.

The Girls in Green opened their campaign against hosts Australia at 1100 BST in front of a sell-out crowd at Stadium Australia.

The Everton keeper is eligible for the Republic through his paternal grandparents, Margaret and Brendan, who were born in Roscommon and Kerry but later moved to America, where Brosnan was born and raised.

There is considerable excitement surrounding 19-year-old Melchie Dumornay, who has signed a pre-contract with European powerhouse Lyon ahead of the new season.

The midfielder scored twice as Haiti beat Chile in the intercontinental play-offs to qualify for the World Cup and is regarded as one of the world’s best young players. “You can’t compare Melchi to any other player, he’s special,” teammate Jennifer Limage told FIFA.

Haiti have nothing to lose in their World Cup debut, and with players like the exciting Dumorne, if they can balance their ambition with a defensive system, they have the talent to cause an upset.

Frenchman Nicolas Delepine helped spark scenes of national celebration as Haiti qualified for their first World Cup after beating Chile in the play-off final.

With the majority of the Haitian squad already playing for France, Delepine took the job from French club Grenoble Football 38 and wants his team to play fast, attacking football.

Shui Qingxia took charge of China after the 2021 Olympics and led China to victory in the 2022 Asian Cup, where they defeated Korea Republic in the final and Japan in the semi-finals.

A former midfielder who won five Asian Cups and an Olympic silver medal, Qingxia once again graced the team as China’s first female coach and manager. He admitted that their European opponents in Group D are ahead of China, but their Asian Cup victory should give them confidence.

China reached the World Cup final in 1999, losing to the United States during the team’s heyday.

China captain Wang Shanshan is a prodigy: a veteran striker with a knack for scoring important goals, the 33-year-old can help the team defend by playing at centre-back.

Denmark are making their first appearance at the Women’s World Cup since 2007 and will be desperate to make up for lost time. They will be hoping to test England in Group D and clinch a spot in the last-16.

Head coach Lars Søndergaard will bid farewell to Denmark after the World Cup after seven years in charge, but recent wins over Norway, Japan and Sweden have boosted the team’s confidence. Sondergaard prefers to field a 3-4-3 formation that can switch to a 4-3-3 during successive attacks, asking his side to sit deep before breaking through on the counter-attack.

Bernille Harder, meanwhile, is one of the world’s best players and will be a familiar face to England fans after three successful seasons in the Women’s Super League with Chelsea, joining Chelsea for a world-record fee in 2020.

A talented and tireless attacker leading the way for Denmark, she cannot be singled out. Harder, one of the game’s most decorated players, made his World Cup debut.

England are World Cup favorites to win the game’s biggest prize after the Lions overcame their triumph at last summer’s European Championships.

England have reached the semi-finals of the last World Cup in 2015 and 2019 and are dreaming of going one step further in Australia and New Zealand.

The Lions gained the valuable experience of winning a major title after their historic win on home soil at the Euros under Sarina Wickman.

The USA are looking to win their third straight World Cup, but England come into this summer’s tournament as a major contender for their crown.

Here’s everything you need to know.

England head to Australia and New Zealand as one of the favorites to win the Women’s World Cup after winning the European Championship on home soil last summer.

The Lionesses defeated Germany at a sold-out Wembley last year and established themselves as one of the strongest teams in the world under Sarina Wikmann.

The U.S. has won the last two World Cups and is the defending champion, beating the Netherlands coached by Wiegman at the 2019 World Cup in France. The Lions reached their second World Cup semi-final in a row, losing to the United States, but will be looking to go one step further this time.

Irish debutantes fighting scene

The Matildas were expected to have an easier ride than their co-hosts, but Ireland were in no mood to secure a safe route to three points on their World Cup debut in Sydney.

After Marissa Sheva pushed Hayley Razo to the ground, Vera Pau’s freshmen were awarded a second-half penalty by Steph Catley.

Australia were without Chelsea forward Sam Kerr for their next game against Nigeria and struggled to break the Republic down in the first half with few chances.

Ireland manager Vera Pau said: “Sam Kerr is definitely one of the best strikers in the world and we were surprised he didn’t play, but Australia have a lot of pace and attacking players so our game plan hasn’t changed.”

Expectations for 1995 champions Norway are not what they once were, especially with a group stage exit at Euro 2022 and an 8-0 defeat at the hands of England, but few expected them to fall to New Zealand at Eden Park.

But in front of more than 42,000 ecstatic supporters, Hannah Wilkinson’s 48th-minute goal for Zhitka Klimkova’s backs was a memorable curtain-raiser, a record for a football tournament in the country.

The win would have been the team’s 16th attempt in the final had Ria Percival not hit a post from the penalty spot after being awarded a handball against Dua Hanson.

“Expectations, we put first,” said goal scorer Wilkinson. “We will take the momentum from this first win into the next game.

“It’s incredibly important to secure a place out of this group and let’s do it in the next game.”