The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 will be held in Australia and New Zealand from July 20 to August 20.
It is the first Women’s World Cup to be hosted by two countries, held in the Southern Hemisphere and hosted across multiple confederations (with Australia in the AFC and New Zealand in the OFC).
In 2019, 24 teams competed for the trophy, in comparison to the 32 in the upcoming edition. United States defended its World Cup title by defeating Netherlands 2-0 in Lyon, France.
While the U.S. was shaky in the first half, it came out even stronger in the second. Veteran attacker Megan Rapinoe and rising star Rose Lavelle gave the U.S. two goals to secure the USWNT’s fourth world cup title (1991, 1999, 2015 and 2019).
With this win, USA now has won twice as many Women’s World Cup tournaments as any other nation. The USWNT joined Germany as the only two teams in the history of the tournament to win back-to-back titles.
The finals marked a 12th consecutive victory at the Women’s World Cup for the USA – the longest run in the history of the FIFA World Cup (men’s and women’s). It also set a record for most goals at a World Cup with 26. Germany previously held the record with 25.
Kelley O’hara, Alex Morgan and Allie Long of the USA celebrate with the FIFA Women’s World Cup Trophy following the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup France Final match between The United States of America and The Netherlands at Stade de Lyon on July 07, 2019 in Lyon, France. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
All was not bleak on the Dutch side, goalkeeper Sari van Veenendaal made eight saves in the finals, which is the most by a goalkeeper in a knockout stage match at the 2019 Women’s World Cup.
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Rapinoe won the Golden Boot for her six goals in the tournament, beating teammate Alex Morgan for the honour, having scored and assisted in fewer minutes. Rapinoe was 34 years and two days as she became the oldest goal scorer in a Women’s World Cup final.
She also became the first player to score a penalty in a World Cup final, and the third player to convert three penalties at a single World Cup. The 37-year-old tied for the lead as top scorer early in the tournament and continued to keep her name in the mix in the knockout stage.
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