Women's World Cup Predictions
Spain Women vs England Women
Match Result and Both Teams To Score - England Women and Yes
Sarina Wiegman’s England face Spain in the 2023 Women’s World Cup final on Sunday with the opportunity to rewrite the history books once again.
The Lionesses have improved with each game at the tournament and they were excellent in the 3-1 victory over Australia in the semi-finals.
Ella Toone, Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo were on the scoreboard in that success and the latter could be the player to watch in goal scoring sports betting odds here.
Russo has enjoyed a fantastic World Cup campaign ahead of her move to Women’s Super League giants Arsenal and she can make the difference for England on Sunday morning.
Meanwhile, Spain edged past Sweden in their semi-final despite dominating the lion’s share of possession. La Roja needed an 89th minute winner from Olga Carmona to reach the final.
Sweden defended resolutely but Spain were worthy winners on the balance of play. All eyes now turn to Sydney and the Women’s World Cup showpiece fixture this weekend.
England will need to shore up defensively to give themselves the greatest chance of World Cup glory – Australia squandered plenty of chances in the semi-final.
Mary Earps is having a sublime tournament in goal and Millie Bright is a real leader at the back and both players will be central to the Lionesses’ hopes of keeping a clean sheet.
For what it’s worth, I’m expecting this to be a relatively open contest and neutrals could be treated to an exciting clash on the biggest stage of all.
There will be plenty of support for both teams in the stadium but will Spain benefit from the additional day of recovery? Only time will tell.
Both teams to score is my best bet for this fixture. Gun to the head, I’ll go for an England win and both teams to score in 90 minutes. Fingers crossed for the Lionesses!
A Brief History Of The Women's World Cup
The Women’s World Cup was first played in China in 1991. There have been eight editions of the tournament since then, with six different countries taking on hosting duties.
The USA and China have each hosted two tournaments, while the 2023 World Cup will be the first time ever that two nations have shared hosting.
The United States are the most successful team in Women's World Cup history with four titles to their name. They enter the 2023 edition as two-time defending champions after dominating in France in 2019.
Germany are the only other country with multiple titles, going back-to-back in 2003 and 2007. Japan and Norway have one World Cup apiece, while 10 different teams have reached the semi-finals of the competition.
Over the course of its existence, the Women’s World Cup has expanded considerably. Just 12 teams were involved in each of the first two tournaments. There were 16 teams in the next four editions before increasing to 24 for 2015 and 2019. The 2023 edition will be the first with 32 teams.
While interest in women’s football has soared around the world, the highest average attendance actually came at the 1999 World Cup in the USA. Attendances for World Cups depend hugely on the host country and the stadia being used.
Marta, one of the best female players of all-time, is the Women’s World Cup leading goal scorer with 17 to her name. Inevitably, the USA have the best overall record in World Cup play with 40 wins from 50 matches.
Women's World Cup Format
The 2023 Women’s World Cup features 32 teams after an arduous qualifying process, with a total of six federations represented in this summer's tournament.
In 2019, it was suggested to increase the field from 24 to 32 teams, and double the overall prize money. This enabled more nations to be involved in the World Cup, engaging a higher percentage of the world with the tournament in Australia and New Zealand.
As a result, there will be 64 matches (12 more than four years ago) in the 2023 World Cup. The 32 teams are initially split into eight groups of four, with the top two teams in each group progressing to the knockout rounds, starting with a round of 16.
It is a single-game elimination from then through to the final, with the two semi-final losers meeting in a third-place playoff.
2023 Women's World Cup Key Dates
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20th July – Tournament starts
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22nd July – England open their campaign against Haiti
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3rd August – Final group stage fixtures
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5th-8th August – Round of 16
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11th-12th August – Quarter-Finals
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15th-16th August – Semi-Finals
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19th August – Third Place Playoff
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20th August – Final
Previous Women's World Cup Winners
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1991 – USA
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1995 – Norway
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1999 – USA
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2003 – Germany
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2007 – Germany
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2011 – Japan
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2015 – USA
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2019 – USA
Women's World Cup Golden Ball Winners
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1991 – Carin Jennings
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1995 – Hege Riise
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1999 – Sun Wen
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2003 – Birgit Prinz
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2007 – Marta
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2011 – Homare Sawa
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2015 – Carli Lloyd
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2019 – Megan Rapinoe
Women’s World Cup 2023 News
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Why The 2023 Women's World Cup Could Be The Best Edition Yet
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Five Players To Look Out For At This Summer's Women's World Cup
