The Ultimate Guide to Watching and Keeping Up with the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia

FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023: What to Know Before You Watch

The FIFA Women’s World Cup is one of the biggest and most prestigious sporting events in the world, featuring the best female soccer players competing for the ultimate prize—the World Cup trophy. The quadrennial soccer tournament will be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand this year, with an expanded field of 32 teams, and will begin on July 20. As the United States seeks to win an unprecedented third consecutive title, here is all you need to know before watching the tournament.

How to Watch

In the United States, Fox holds the English-language media rights for the Women’s World Cup while Telemundo has the Spanish-language rights. Fox will broadcast 29 matches over the air on its main network, with the rest of the games being aired on FS1. All matches will be streamed on the Fox app. However, due to the time difference, many matches will be aired during early hours in the U.S.

The Schedule

The 32 teams will be divided into eight groups, with each team playing a three-game, round-robin group stage running from July 20 to Aug. 3. The top finishers will advance to the round of 16 from Aug. 5-8, with the quarterfinals scheduled for Aug. 11-12 and the two semifinal matches on Aug. 15-16. Ahead of the final, a third-place game is scheduled for Aug. 19 in Brisbane, with the final airing at 6 a.m. ET on Aug. 20 in the United States. The U.S. team is in Group E along with Vietnam, the Netherlands, and Portugal.

Players to Watch

The Women’s World Cup boasts a range of outstanding players to watch. Among the veterans to keep an eye on are Canada’s Christine Sinclair, Brazil’s Marta, Australia’s Sam Kerr, France’s Wendie Renard, and U.S.’s Alex Morgan. Meanwhile, the tournament will also see the emergence of young talents like 22-year-old U.S. forward Sophia Smith, 21-year-old Jody Brown of Jamaica, and 19-year-old Melchie Dumornay of Haiti.

Betting Favorites

Based on odds from FanDuel Sportsbook, the United States is the betting favorite to win the World Cup at +270, followed by England at +340 and Spain at +650. The oddsmakers also say that a big group of teams have little chance of lifting the trophy, including Jamaica, Vietnam, Argentina, Zambia, Nigeria, Costa Rica, Morocco, Philippines, South Africa, Haiti, and Panama. All are at +43,000 but if one of them happens to emerge as a Cinderella winner, the payoff would be astounding.

Editorial & Advice

The FIFA Women’s World Cup is not only an exciting sporting event but also a platform to shine a light on the social, cultural, and economic challenges that women face globally. This tournament offers us an opportunity to celebrate and support female athletes worldwide. In the context of the pandemic, the Women’s World Cup is even more significant, as it represents the resilience and perseverance of female athletes and their teams. We must recognize and appreciate the hard work, dedication, and talent of these women who have inspired younger girls to pursue their dreams.

As we enjoy watching the games, we should also reflect on the progress that women’s soccer has made globally and the work that still needs to be done to achieve gender equity and social justice. We must urge governments, sports organizations, and individuals to continue to invest resources, provide equal opportunities, and defend the rights of female athletes.

Lastly, let us cheer on our favorite teams and players while respecting and appreciating the sportsmanship and diversity of all teams involved.