2023 FIFA Women's World Cup - Group Stage Quiz

Answer: USA

The defending champions, USA, had won four of the first eight tournaments (1991, 1999, 2015, 2019), Germany two (2003, 2007), plus Norway (1995) and Japan (2011) once apiece.

In July 2019, the FIFA President approved an expansion of the Women's World Cup from 24 to 32 teams, starting with the 2023 edition (it was expanded from 16 to 24 teams in 2011). The tournament's prize money was also doubled.

Answer: Yes

Australia and New Zealand were the co-hosts of the tournament. As such, both teams were given an advantage when the draw took place in October 2022. All qualifying teams were allocated to one of four pots based on FIFA World Rankings at the time, with pot number one being the highest qualifying teams through to pot number four which were the lowest ranked teams. Australia (ranked 10), and New Zealand (ranked 22) were placed in pot 1 with the six highest-ranked teams (United States (1), Sweden (2), Germany (3), England (4), France (5) and Spain (6)). This meant that neither team would have to face any of the six highest-ranked teams in the group stage (as these would be placed in other groups).

The first match took place in Auckland on 20 July. After a scoreless first half, New Zealand upset their more-fancied opponents Norway with a swooping goal in the 48th minute. Australia was expected to win against the Republic of Ireland (ranked 24) but they had to work hard to beat their opponent. In an entertaining match of attacking football from both sides, it was only a successful 52nd-minute penalty from Australian captain Stephanie-Elise Gatley that separated the two teams.

Answer: Zambia

Poor old Zambia in Group C. They were beaten 5-0 by Spain and 6-0 by Japan. Costa Rica were also on the receiving end losing 3-0 to Spain and 2-0 to Japan. Zambia took some solace by beating Costa Rica 3-1 in their third match. Japan took the top spot by flogging Spain 4-0. Japan was only one of two teams not conceding a goal in their first three matches (the other one was Switzerland).

However, no team came near their +11 goal difference (next best was The Netherlands in Group E with a +8 GD).

Answer: New Zealand

Switzerland won its first match 2-0 against the Philippines, then drew their next two matches with Norway (0-0) and New Zealand (0-0). New Zealand had upset Norway 1-0 in their first game but the Philippines surprised New Zealand 1-0 in their second game, giving the points at this stage as: Switzerland, 4, Philippines 3, New Zealand 3 and Norway 1.

This meant that Norway had to win against the Philippines to quality and have a better goal difference than New Zealand (0). They did this emphatically, beating the Asian team 6-0 giving them a GD of +6. Both New Zealand and Norway ended up on four points, with only Norway qualifying.

Answer: Australia and Nigeria

In other matches, Canada beat Ireland 2-1 as did Australia 1-0. Ireland managed to draw with Nigeria meaning the points at the start of the very last match in the group were: Nigeria 5, Canada 4, Australia 3 and Ireland 0. Australia (ranked 10th world wide) had to win but Canada (ranked 7) only needed to draw. Everyone expected a fight from Australia but no-one expected a 4-0 emphatic win.

This saw Australia top the table with six points; Nigeria also progressed with five points but Canada on four points, along with Ireland on one point, were eliminated.

Answer: Netherlands

USA won their first match comfortably against Vietnam but could only manage draws against the Netherlands (1-1 ) and Portugal (0-0). The Netherlands beat Portugal 1-0 in their opening match and Portugal trounced Vietnam 2-0 in their second match. In their last match, The Netherlands thrashed Vietnam 7-0 earning six points and first place in Group E.

In their three competition matches, Vietnam was one of two sides that did not score a goal (the other was Haiti).

Answer: Denmark

England beat Haiti, 1-0, Denmark 1-0 and China 6-1 to earn Group E first place. Denmark won its other two matches over China (1-0) and Haiti (2-0) to earn six points and second place in qualifying for the next round. China defeated Haiti 1-0 to take third place in the remaining match.
The other team to finsh with three wins from three was Japan in Group C.

Answer: Brazil

Brazil got off to a great start when they won their first match against Panama 4-0, but France beat them 2-1 in the next game and they could only manage a 0-0 draw against Jamaica, giving Brazil four points. France, with a world ranking of five, could only manage a draw (0-0) against Jamaica in its opening match but won the next two.

As well as beating Brazil, they cruised past Panama in the highest-scoring match of the group stage, 6-3. France finished with seven points. Jamaica, ranked 43rd, surprised everyone by finishing second.

As well as their two creditable draws against the two top-ranked teams, they also accounted for Panama (1-0) to finish second with five points.

Answer: True

Sweden, ranked three, was one of three teams in the group stage to win all three marches. They beat South Africa 2-1 in their opener and thrashed Italy (ranked 16th) 5-0, and Argentina (ranked 28th) 2-0 in their final match. South Africa recovered from their initial loss to draw their second match with Argentina (2-2) and then beat Italy 3-2 in their final match.

The winner of this match would qualify and the loser would not. South Africa finished on four points earning second place, and Italy third on three points.

Italy's three points came from a 1-0 win over Argentina who earned but a solitary point in three matches.

Answer: They didn't. Morocco took second spot. Germany came third

After their emphatic win over Morocco, Germany's next opponent, Colombia (who'd won their first match against the Republic of Korea 2-0), was expected to yield as well, but Colombia scored early in the second half and Germany required an 88th-minute penalty to equalise; but then Colombia scored again in stoppage time. Meanwhile, Morocco quietly beat the 17th-ranked South Korea 1-0.

This meant that all Germany had to do in their third match was draw with bottom-placed South Korea as long as Morocco, ranked 74th, did not defeat top-placed Colombia (ranked 25th). Both matches were played simultaneously. The Koreans were able to hold Germany to a 1-1 draw, but Morocco was able to defeat Colombia 1-0. Colombia and Morocco were through on 6 points (Colombia first placed with a better goal difference) and the two higher-ranked sides Germany (4pts) and South Korea (1 pt) were eliminated.