With just over 24 hours to go before the start of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the feeling emanating from both the Australia and the Republic of Ireland camps was excitement.
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The confirmed squads for all 32 teams taking part in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“I just really want to win. We want to be the best; I want to be the best. That is what motivates me,” England manager Sarina Wiegman says as she sits down to chat to the traveling media on the Sunshine Coast. “What gives me energy is working with a team. We have so many talented players and my job is to get clarity on how we play together… And then it’s to get players connected, because that’s why team sports are so nice. If you get connected, you understand each other really well… that gives me energy.”
It’s hard to sum up how it will feel to watch Ireland kick off their first ever major tournament in Sydney against Australia on July 20th. In what is arguably one of the toughest groups, it still felt like fate when they drew the hosts in the opener. As if that moment could be any more special! I’m not sure I’ll fully believe that the girls in green have actually made it to the FIFA Women’s World Cup until I see them line up, shoulder to shoulder in a sold-out Stadium Australia belting out Amhrán na bhFiann. My biggest concern first and foremost is whether I’ll be able to take decent photos through what will no doubt be tear-filled eyes; my second is… Australian captain Sam Kerr.
With preparations for this summer’s showpiece World Cup gathering steam, there are friendlies taking place around the world over the next few weeks. The OFC U19 Championships are also taking place as well as the Central American + Caribbean Games
With just 50 days until the start of the FIFA Women’s World Cup this summer, Sarina Wiegman has named her 23-player England squad ahead of the trip to Australia. Bethany England returns to the fold, while six players – Esme Morgan, Niamh Charles, Katie Zelem, Laura Coombs, Lauren James and Katie Robinson – will be part of a major tournament for the first time.
As the final whistle reverberated around the A. Le Coq Arena in Tallinn, England’s U17s dropped to their knees, their European hopes over for another season. Heartbreak. Despair. Fatigue. All juxtaposed with the sight of the Spanish, dancing in a circle and saluting their fans in jubilation.
But as the hurt fades, there will be a strong sense of pride that remains. It was a semi-final that ended 3-1 but neither the score nor the stats tell the whole story – one where a team, outplayed in the first half, fought back only to be denied by a cruelly deflected goal in the final minutes.
Ahead of the FAWNL Play-Off Final, we sat down with Nottingham Forest manager, Andy Cook, to learn more about this season and his thoughts on the game ahead.
“It’s sort of like a perfect circle,” reflects Watford captain Helen Ward as she prepares to play the final game of an impressive career. “I started at Watford winning trophies as a kid and won a few as a senior player the first time around as well. But to potentially finish it on the biggest high, it’s pretty cool.”
England’s U17s progressed to the semi-finals of the European Championships thanks to a comfortable 3-1 victory over Sweden. In front of an enthusiastic crowd at the Tartu Tamme Staadion, Arsenal’s Michelle Agyemang continued her strong scoring form with a brace. Leicester’s Ava Baker added a third to send Mo Marley’s side through to the knockouts with one game to spare.