The draw for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup has now been completed and the last round of friendlies for 2022 has been played. Now that the world knows the groupings for the ninth edition of the tournament and the levels of form that each team is in, it’s only fair that we start predicting group positions despite not knowing the extraneous variables that may be involved come July.

Let’s see how badly some of these predictions age.

Group A

New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Switzerland

This is probably the evenest group in the World Cup, with most teams having a realistic shot at top spot.

For starters, co-hosts New Zealand will be looking for their first win in Women’s World Cup history and will hope to make a maiden knockout game to boot. In what is likely captain Ali Riley’s last Women’s World Cup, the Football Ferns will want to send her out on a high note. With home support, they are every chance to make the last 16.

Competing for those top two spots will be Norway and Switzerland, who have both shown in recent years that they can go far in competitions. Norway, with former Ballon d’Or Féminin winner Ada Hegerberg likely to play in a major tournament for the first time since 2017. She will be critical to Norway’s chances of topping Group A and better their quarter-final performance in France, which involved knocking out the Matildas.

Switzerland will also be looking to repeat their efforts in 2015 and make the Round of 16 once again. An experienced team with young depth, they will hope to make a statement in New Zealand and show that they are an emerging threat to challenge in years to come. Young players such as Svenja Folmli and Riola Xhemali already having over 30 caps between them at the age of 19 shows how much depth the Swiss have at their disposal.

The Philippines round out Group A and hope that under former Matildas coach Alen Stajcic that they can play spoiler to the proceedings of Group A. At the Asian Cup, teams were put on notice when they reached the semi-finals of the tournament, only for them to be knocked out by South Korea, which helped book their spot in the tournament. Regardless of the results of the Philippines, this will be a momentous occasion, as it will be the first time in their history that they have qualified for the finals of any FIFA tournament.

Match of the group: New Zealand vs Switzerland (30 July at Dunedin Stadium)

Currently ranked 22nd and 21st in the world, both teams appear to be evenly matched, making this an intriguing match. It will likely decide the final standings of Group A, making it a critical game, as the winner of this match would likely secure a place in the last 16.

Group prediction

1. Norway
2. New Zealand
3. Switzerland
4. Philippines

(Photo by Naomi Baker – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Group B

Australia, Canada, Ireland and, Nigeria

Australia will be undoubtedly the team with the most focus heading into the tournament. With the pressures of co-hosting, many home fans will expect the Matildas to make the knockout stage once again.

Most of the attention for the Matildas will be on Sam Kerr, who has been the cornerstone of Australia’s attack for the last decade and will want to go one better and win the golden boot that alluded her in 2019. In theory they should be all right to make the knockout stage, but this group will be a particular test. While losses in recent friendlies to group opponents Canada have caused alarm bells to ring, a 4-0 win against Sweden and victory against Denmark and South Africa have quieted those bells in the meantime.

It’s important to remember that many key players, like Kyah Simon and Ellie Carpenter, are out with injuries. A full-strength Matildas team should get out of the group, possibly even topping it.

Australia’s biggest test within the group will be Olympic champions Canada. Currently ranked seventh in the world, they remain a real dark horse going into the tournament as they attempt to show that winning the gold medal in Tokyo was not a fluke performance. Led by Christine Sinclair with over 300 caps and alongside other experienced players such as Manchester United’s Adriana Leon and the Houston Dash’s Sophie Schmidt, this Canadian team looks to be peaking at the right time and should be a team that most want to avoid in next year’s tournament.

For the first time in their history, Ireland will be attending the Women’s World Cup. By getting through the European playoffs by beating Scotland to qualify, this Irish side will hope to demonstrate that they are not just simply making up the numbers. Having beaten Australia 3-2 back in 2020, they could pose a potential upset in the opening game in Sydney, and the likes of Arsenal midfielder and captain Katie McCabe could potentially give some cheer to the many Irish fans travelling down under.

While Nigeria rounds out Group B, they will not be an easy opponent to play. Being by far the best team in Africa and having won the last three of four Women’s Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, they have shown that they are capable of winning games when it matters, which certainly helps in a tournament of this magnitude. However, they are currently at a crossroads, having lost their last four friendlies, which may signal some instability in capturing some form and ability to build momentum. The performance of the Super Eagles will likely ride or die on Barcelona’s Asisat Oshoala, who has shown to be efficient with her goalscoring, with 29 goals in 29 caps.

Match of the group: Australia vs Canada (31 July at Melbourne Rectangular Field)

Get this game pencilled into your diary ASAP, as this will be a mustṡwatch game. With two top-15 teams playing off most likely to decide who gets to avoid England in the Round of 16 and top Group B, it should be an absolute belter of a match.

Group predictions

1. Canada
2. Australia
3. Nigeria
4. Ireland

(Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Group C

Spain, Costa Rica, Zambia and, Japan

On paper this group appears as clear cut as it comes, with daylight between the top two teams and the bottom two teams. Spain will likely be one of the favourites heading into July. Despite making their Women’s World Cup debut only eight years ago, they have gone on leaps and bounds to now being a serious contender. With the La Liga talent of two-time Ballon d’Or Feminin winner Alexia Putellas, winger Esther Gonzales and captain Ivana Andres, La Roja should make some serious noise in New Zealand and have their best-ever finish at a Women’s World cup.

Joining Spain in Group C will be Japan. Japan is an extremely underrated team in the women’s game and went on a winning streak after their semi-final loss to China in the Asian Cup in February until a 4-0 defeat to England in November. While the remnants of their golden generation that won in 2011 are gone, this next generation looks promising for Nadeshiko Japan, with the likes of Riko Ueki and Saori Takarada being some of the many names making their Women’s World Cup debut. This should serve as good building blocks for this new generation for Japan to hopefully contend in 2027 and beyond.

Costa Rica also feature in Group C after finishing fourth in the CONCACAF W Championship. But they appear to have been on a downward trajectory since that tournament, having beaten only the Philippines, which shows that while they are an emerging team in the region, they haven’t taken the next step on the global stage. With a mixture of youth and experience in the squad, they certainly can surprise, as shown in the 2015 Women’s World Cup, when they just missed out on the Round of 16. However, the calibre of the group is far stronger this time around, making it harder for a surprise result for Las Ticas.

Zambia is currently the lowest rank team in the Women’s World Cup, but they should not be taken lightly going into the tournament. Having just come off a third-place finish in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, they it up with a COSAFA Women’s Championship back in September. This was largely off the back of Barbra Banda, who top-scored in the tournament with ten goals in five games. She will be the X factor for Zambia if they are any chance of progressing. However, due to the teams they are up against, they will almost certainly be knocked out in the group stage.

Match of the group: Spain vs Japan (31 July at Wellington Regional Stadium)

If everything goes to plan, the winner is likely to top the group, making it a mouth-watering match towards the end of the group stage. It’s certainly a game to keep an eye on during the tournament due to the high-profile nature of both teams.

Group predictions

1. Spain
2. Japan
3. Zambia
4. Costa Rica

Group D

England, China, Denmark and, Playoff Winner B

While many England fans will be hoping for 56 years of hurt to end in Qatar, there is a strong chance that England may be World Cup winners for the first time in 57 years by the end of this tournament. On the back of an incredible win in the Euros in July and going undefeated for the calendar year, the Lionesses will hope to replicate that result in a year. They certainly have the pieces to be able to win, with this year’s Ballon d’Or Feminin runner-up Beth Mead, Barcelona defender Lucy Bronze in charge of the defence and Sam Kerr’s partner in crime at Chelsea, Fran Kirby, running the midfield. They will certainly be one of the teams to watch in July.

Alongside the European champions will be the Asian champions, China. It’s hard to judge where China sit among other teams due to the lack of games they play outside of tournaments. However, in tournaments they have shown to be a dominant force, with the side making the knockout stage in each Women’s World Cup they have appeared in. Going into 2023, they are likely to take an experienced side for the tournament, with the majority of the side being over the age of 30. The question will be whether they can once again replicate their results in Asia at another global tournament or whether it will be the end of the road for China’s knockout streak.

Denmark are making an appearance at a Women’s World Cup for the first time since 2007. While their appearance in the tournament has been long overdue, it is not expected. Going undefeated in qualifying for the tournament, they have recaptured the form that led them to be runners-up at the 2017 Euros. They are led by Chelsea’s Pernille Harder, who averages a goal every two matches for Denmark and will be vital for the Danish to progress. However, their main issues are within their defence and the ability to get a clean sheet, which will be desperately needed to progress to the knockout stage, as they have conceded in nine of their last 11 games.

The playoff winner of Group B will be decided in February 2023 with the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations repechage winner in Senegal playing Haiti, who finished third in Group A of CONCACAF. The winner of that match then goes to play Chile, who placed fifth in the Copa America Femenina to decide which country makes up Group D.

Match of the group: Denmark vs China (22 July at Perth Rectangular Stadium)

This game, while early on, will likely serve as the biggest shaper of the final standings of the group. A win for either team would likely secure a place in the last 16, while the other would hope for results to go their way to be able to move on.

Group predictions

1. England
2. Denmark
3. China
4. Playoff Winner B