WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Whose name will appear on Women’s World Cup trophy as Spain take on England?
The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 final on Sunday will see a new name etched on to the tournament trophy, as European duo Spain and England meet – for the first time in the competition – to do battle for the coveted crown.
The sides’ most recent meeting was in the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 quarter-finals, when England edged through in a 2-1 extra-time victory en route to winning the tournament.
After eliminating Switzerland, the Netherlands and Sweden to get to the final, Spain will not be daunted by the task and will look to assert their trademark passing game on this showpiece encounter.
England have overcome Nigeria, Colombia and Australia to reach the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ final for the first time and will be going all out to follow up on their Women’s EURO triumph and lift the trophy at Stadium Australia.
Both teams have grown stronger by the round, and it now all boils down to this one-off match, which promises to be a classic and the perfect way to round off what has been an exceptional tournament.
Last meeting:
- 20/07/2022, England 2-1 Spain, UEFA European Women’s Championship England 2022, American Express Community Stadium, Falmer (England)
Key facts
- The fact that both Spain and England will feature in the final for the first time brings the number of nations to have reached the FIFA Women’s World Cup showpiece to 10.
- This will be the third all-European FIFA Women’s World Cup final, after the showpieces at the 1995 (Norway 2-0 Germany) and 2003 (Germany 2-1 Sweden – aet) editions.
- The FIFA Women’s World Cup will be lifted by a European team for the first time since 2007, when Germany defeated Brazil 2-0 to clinch their second title following their triumph at the 2003 finals. Norway are the only other European side to have won the competition (1995).
- Germany are the only nation to have won both the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women’s World Cup, and Spain or England will match that achievement.
- This will be the first time since the inaugural instalment in 1991 that the FIFA Women’s World Cup final will be contested by two teams that have never previously featured in the tournament decider.
- Three of the nine FIFA Women’s World Cup finals have required extra time, with two of those being decided by a penalty shoot-out:
– 1999 – USA 0-0 China PR (aet) 5-4 PSO
– 2003 – Germany 2-1 Sweden (aet)
– 2011 – Japan 2-2 USA (aet) 3-1 PSO.
- Spain’sLa Roja are the leading goalscorers at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 with 17 goals – the most they have ever scored in a single edition of the tournament.
- Spain have emerged victorious in five of their six matches at this year’s finals (W5 L1). They had only won one of their seven FIFA Women’s World Cup encounters prior to this edition of the tournament.
- Spain have defeated European opposition in each of their knockout-stage matches en route to the final:Won 5-1 v. Switzerland (round of 16) Won 2-1 v. Netherlands (aet) (quarter-finals) Won 2-1 v. Sweden (semi-finals).
- Spain could become only the second team to secure the FIFA Women’s World Cup crown after suffering defeat en route to glory. Japan did so at the 2011 edition after slipping to a 2-0 group-stage defeat to England.
- Spain are the current FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup champions, having won both competitions in 2022. They could become the first country to hold all three titles at the same time. Japan are the only nation to have triumphed at all three tournaments: the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2011, the 2018 edition of the U-20 competition and the 2014 instalment of the U-17 tournament, but they did not hold all three titles at the same time.
- Spain’s Salma Paralluelo could become the first player to win the FIFA Women’s World Cup, FIFA U 20 Women’s World Cup and FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup – she tasted glory at the U-17 competition in 2018 and the 2022 edition of the U-20 tournament.
- Her strike against Sweden saw Salma Paralluelo become the first Spanish player to have scored in successive FIFA Women’s World Cup matches.
- Alexia Putellas and Irene Paredes have featured in each of Spain’s 13 FIFA Women’s World Cup encounters since the nation’s maiden outing at the 2015 finals.
- England have won 11 and drawn one of their last 14 FIFA Women’s World Cup matches (Won 11, Drew 1, Lost 2).
- England have won five of their last six FIFA Women’s World Cup matches against European teams (Won 5, Lost 1).
- England’s 13-goal haul at this year’s finals has seen them equal their record tally in the competition, which they achieved at the 2019 tournament.
- England have only failed to score in one of their last 19 FIFA Women’s World Cup matches.
- The Lionesses’ Lucy Bronze has lined up in 19 FIFA Women’s World Cup matches and is set to become only the second England player to have made 20 appearances in the competition, after Jill Scott (21).
- Sarina Wiegman has now reached the showpiece at each of the last four FIFA Women’s World Cup and UEFA Women’s EURO final competitions:Netherlands (UEFA Women’s EURO 2017, FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019™), England (UEFA Women’s EURO 2022, FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™).
- Sarina Wiegman is the first coach to have led two different nations to the FIFA Women’s World Cup final.
SPAIN TEAM FACTS
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TEAM RECORDS
- Overall record: Played : 13,Won: 6, Drew: 2, Lost: 5, Goals For: 23, Goals Against: 15, Goal Difference: 8
- Biggest win: 5-0 Spain v. Zambia (26/07/2023)
- Biggest defeat: 0-4Spain v. Japan (31/07/2023)
- Highest scoring match: 6 goals – Spain 5-1 Switzerland (05/08/2023)
- Most goals scored in a match: 5 – Spain 5-0 Zambia (26/07/2023)/Spain 5-1 Switzerland (05/08/2023)
- Most goals conceded in a match: 4 – Spain 0-4 Japan (31/07/2023)
- Most goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 17 – 2023 (6 matches)
- Fewest goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 2 – 2015 (3 matches)
- Most goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 7 – 2023 (6 matches)
- Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 4 – 2015 (3 matches)/2019 (4 matches)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS
- Successive wins: 3 (2023-present)
- Successive defeats: 2 (2015)
- Successive draws: 1 (2015 and 2019)
- Successive matches without a defeat: 3 (2023-present)
- Successive matches without a win: 3 (2015 and 2019)
- Successive matches with a goal scored: 3 (2019-2023 and 2023-present)
- Successive matches without scoring: 2 (2019)
- Successive clean sheets: 2 (2023)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP EXTRA-TIME MATCHES
- 11/08/2023 Spain 2-1 Netherlands (quarter-finals)
ENGLAND TEAM FACTS
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP™ TEAM RECORDS
- Overall record: Played: 32,Won: 20, Drawn: 5, Lost: 7, Goals For: 56, Goals Against: 33, Goals Difference: 23
- Biggest win: England 6-1 Argentina, 17/09/2007), England 6-1 China PR (01/08/2023)
- Biggest defeat: 0-3 England 0-3Germany 13/06/1995), England 0-3 USA (22/09/2007)
- Highest scoring match: 7 goals – England 6-1 Argentina (17/09/2007)and England 6-1 China PR (01/08/2023)
- Most goals scored in a match: 6 – England 6-1 Argentina (17/09/2007)and England 6-1 China PR (01/08/2023)
- Most goals conceded in a match: 3 – England 0-3 Germany (13/06/1995)and England 0-3 USA (22/09/2007)
- Most goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 13 – 2019 (7 matches) and 2023 (6 matches)
- Fewest goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 6 – 1995 and 2011 (4 matches)
- Most goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 9 – 1995 (4 matches)
- Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 3 – 2011 (3 matches) and 2023 (6 matches)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS
- Successive wins: 6 (2015-2019)
- Successive defeats: 2 (2019)
- Successive draws: 2 (2007)
- Successive matches without a defeat: 6 (2015-2019 and 2023-present)
- Successive matches without a win: 3 (1995-2007)
- Successive matches with a goal scored: 16 (2015-2023)
- Successive matches without scoring: 1 (six times, the last of which was 2023-present) Successive clean sheets: 4 (2019)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP™ EXTRA-TIME MATCHES
- 09/07/2011 England 1-1 France (3-4 PSO) (quarter-finals)
- 04/07/2015 England 1-0 Germany (match for third place)
- 07/08/2023 England 0-0 Nigeria (4-2 PSO) (round of 16)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP™ PENALTY SHOOT-OUTS (Won 1, Lost 1)
- 09/07/2011 England 3-4 France (PSO) (quarter-finals)
- 07/08/2023 England 4-2 Nigeria (PSO) (round of 16)
Spain thrashed England 4-0 to move a step closer to automatic qualification for next year’s Women’s World Cup finals, with Germany booking their spot thanks to a comfortable 2-0 home win over Norway in the penultimate round of European qualifiers on Friday.
With the top teams from each of the four A groups qualifying automatically, Germany’s win gave them an unassailable four-point lead over Norway in Group A4 with one game left, while Spain and England are both locked on 12 points at the top of Group A3.
England’s hopes of securing a spot with a win in Mallorca were quickly snuffed out, with Patri Guijarro giving the Spaniards the lead in the 19th minute and Alexia Putellas making it 2-0 before the break.
There appeared to be nothing England could do to stop the Spanish juggernaut, with Putellas adding a second goal 10 minutes after the break and Claudio Pina putting the icing on the cake with a goal from a superb pass by Aitana Bonmati to make it 4-0.
England retain a chance of qualifying directly, but they will have to get a better result when they host Ukraine next Tuesday than Spain manage in their final fixture away to Iceland.
There was late drama in Group A2 as Ireland’s Amber Barrett netted a 90th-minute goal to snatch a 3-2 home win over the Netherlands to move above the Dutch and into second place in the group, one point behind leaders France, who beat Poland 2-0.
The Irish play France in their final game in Grenoble, with the Dutch taking on Poland at home.
Earlier, Pernille Harder came off the bench and scored the winner for Denmark as they downed neighbours Sweden 2-1 to end the Swedes’ hopes of qualifying directly.
The Danes top Group A1 on 11 points ahead of their final game against bottom side Serbia, while second-placed Italy, who are three points behind the leaders, next host Sweden.
-Reuters
By Kunle Solaja.
Nigeria’s Falconets have been handed a challenging but promising draw for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland after they were placed in Group F alongside former champions Spain, China PR and debutants New Caledonia.
The draw for the 12th edition of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup was conducted in Lodz on Thursday, setting the stage for the tournament scheduled to run from 5 to 27 September across four Polish cities.
Nigeria, one of Africa’s most successful teams at the competition, will face a stern opening-round test against European powerhouse Spain, which won the title in Costa Rica in 2022. China PR also brings a considerable pedigree to the group, while New Caledonia will be making their maiden appearance at the global finals.
The Falconets will be hoping to improve on their performance at the last edition and rekindle memories of their best outings, when they reached the final in 2010 and 2014.
Hosts Poland headline Group A alongside Argentina, Benin and Mexico, while defending champions Korea DPR begin their title defence in Group E against Colombia, Costa Rica and Portugal.
Other intriguing group-stage fixtures include Brazil, England, Canada and Tanzania in Group B, while France, Korea Republic, Ghana and Ecuador make up Group C. Group D features former champions Japan and USA alongside New Zealand and Italy.
The full draw is as follows:
- Group A: Poland, Mexico, Argentina, Benin
- Group B: Brazil, England, Canada, Tanzania
- Group C: France, Korea Republic, Ghana, Ecuador
- Group D: Japan, USA, New Zealand, Italy
- Group E: Korea DPR, Colombia, Costa Rica, Portugal
- Group F: Spain, Nigeria, China PR, New Caledonia
The tournament will mark Poland’s first major global women’s football event, with matches to be played in Bielsko-Biała, Katowice, Lodz and Sosnowiec.
Six nations — Benin, Ecuador, New Caledonia, Poland, Portugal and Tanzania — will make their debut appearances, while Korea DPR and the USA are both chasing a record fourth title.
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Nigeria’s Falconets will discover their opponents for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup when the official draw is conducted in Łódź, Poland, on May 15, as preparations intensify for another campaign on the global stage.
The draw ceremony, confirmed by football’s world governing body, FIFA, will take place in one of the tournament’s host cities and will be broadcast live worldwide on FIFA+, YouTube and TikTok.
Nigeria, one of the most successful nations in the history of the competition, heads into the draw with renewed ambition after securing qualification for the tournament, which will run from September 5 to 27 across the Polish cities of Bielsko-Biała, Katowice, Łódź and Sosnowiec.
The Falconets remain one of Africa’s strongest representatives at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, having reached the final twice in the competition’s history. The Nigerian side will now await the outcome of the draw to know their group-stage opponents among the 24 qualified teams expected to battle for the title.
Former Polish international and current women’s national team coach Nina Patalon and French football legend Laura Georges will participate in the ceremony, underscoring the growing profile of women’s football globally.
Speaking ahead of the event, Patalon described the draw as a defining moment for both participating teams and supporters.
“The draw always brings a special sense of excitement, as it is the moment when the competition truly starts to feel real for both the teams and the fans,” she said.
She also highlighted the importance of hosting the tournament in Poland, noting that it could inspire more young girls to embrace football and further accelerate the development of the women’s game in the country.
The 12th edition of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup is expected to showcase some of the brightest emerging talents in women’s football, with Nigeria’s Falconets aiming to make another strong impression on the world stage
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