Australia were dealt a major blow on the opening night of the Women’s World Cup after Sam Kerr was ruled out of their opening match against the Republic of Ireland in Sydney with a calf injury.
Chelsea striker Kerr will also miss the Matildas’ second group-stage match, against Nigeria in Brisbane on July 27, and Australia supporters now face an anxious wait to see if she can play any part in their home tournament.
Despite her absence, the co-hosts found a way to beat the Republic of Ireland 1-0 thanks to Steph Catley’s well-struck penalty. Still, it was evident how badly Kerr’s leadership, movement and skill up front was missed and Australia’s dreams of winning a first trophy may well depend on how quickly she can recover.
New Zealand’s first victory in a Women’s World Cup finals, 1-0 over Norway in front of an Eden Park crowd of 42,137 set a record for any football fixture in the country, male or female.
Where is it?
The tournament is being jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand, who beat Colombia to win the vote. Venues include those that will be well known to rugby fans, such as Eden Park (Auckland), Suncorp Stadium (Brisbane) and Stadium Australia (Sydney).
Australia’s first match was moved to a larger venue in Sydney because of “significant interest in tickets”. The 83,000-capacity Stadium Australia – the biggest stadium being used across the World Cup, and the venue for August 20’s final – will staged Australia’s opening Group B meeting with the Republic of Ireland.
What are the fixtures?
(Times local/UK/ET)
Thursday, July 20
- New Zealand 1 Norway 0, Group A, Eden Park
- Australia 1 Ireland 0 , Group B, Stadium Australia, Sydney
Friday, July 21
- Nigeria 0 Canada 0 , Group B, Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne
- Philippines 0 Switzerland 2 , Group A, Dunedin Stadium, Dunedin
- Spain 3 Costa Rica 0 , Group C, Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington
Saturday, July 22
(Times local/UK/ET)
- USA vs Vietnam , Group E, Eden Park, Auckland, 1pm/2am/9pm Fri, Jul 21 (BBC)
- Zambia vs Japan , Group C, Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, 7pm/8am/3am (BBC)
- England vs Haiti , Group D, Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane, 7.30pm/10.30am/5.30am (ITV)
- Denmark vs China , Group D, Perth Rectangular Stadium, Perth, 8pm/1pm/8am (BBC)
Sunday, July 23
- Sweden vs South Africa , Group G, Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, 5pm/6am/1am (BBC)
- Netherlands vs Portugal , Group E, Dunedin Stadium, Dunedin, 7.30pm/8.30am/3.30am (BBC)
- France vs Jamaica , Group F, Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney, 8pm/11am/6am (ITV)
Monday, July 24
- Italy vs Argentina , Group G, Eden Park, Auckland, 6pm/7am/2am (ITV)
- Germany vs Morocc o, Group H, Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne, 6.30pm/9.30am/4.30am (ITV)
- Brazil vs Panama , Group F, Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide, 8.30pm/noon/7am (ITV)
Tuesday, July 25
- Colombia vs South Korea , Group H, Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney, noon/3am/10pm Mon, Jul 24 (BBC)
- New Zealand vs Philippines , Group A, Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, 5.30pm/6.30am/1.30am (ITV)
- Switzerland vs Norway , Group A, Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, 8pm/9am/4am (ITV)
Wednesday, July 26
- Japan vs Costa Rica , Group C, Dunedin Stadium, Dunedin, 5pm/6am/1am (ITV)
- Spain vs Zambia , Group C, Eden Park, Auckland, 7.30pm/8.30am/3.30am (BBC)
- Canada vs Ireland , Group B, Perth Rectangular Stadium, Perth, 8pm/1pm/8am (ITV)
Thursday, July 27
- USA vs Netherlands , Group E, Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, 1pm/2am/9pm Wed, Jul 26 (BBC)
- Portugal vs Vietnam , Group E, Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, 7.30pm/8.30am/3.30am (ITV)
- Australia vs Nigeria , Group B, Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane, 8pm/11am/6am (BBC)
Friday, July 28
- Argentina vs South Africa , Group G, Dunedin Stadium, Dunedin, noon/1am/8pm Thu, Jul 27 (ITV)
- England vs Denmark , Group D, Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney, 6.30pm/9.30am/4.30am (BBC)
- China vs Haiti , Group D, Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide, 8.30pm/noon/7am (ITV)
Saturday, July 29
- Sweden vs Italy , Group G, Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, 7.30pm/8.30am/3.30am (BBC)
- France vs Brazil , Group F, Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane, 8pm/11am/6am (BBC)
- Panama vs Jamaica , Group F, Perth Rectangular Stadium, Perth, 8.30pm/1.30pm/8.30am (ITV)
Sunday, July 30
- South Korea vs Morocco , Group H, Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide, 2pm/5.30am/00.30am (BBC)
- Norway vs Philippines , Group A, Eden Park, Auckland, 7pm/8am/3am (BBC)
- Switzerland vs New Zealand , Group A, Dunedin, 7pm/8am/3am (BBC)
- Germany vs Colombia , Group H, Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney, 7.30pm/10.30am/5.30am (ITV)
Monday, July 31
- Costa Rica vs Zambia , Group C, Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, 7pm/8am/3am (ITV)
- Japan vs Spain , Group C, Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, 7pm/8am/3am (ITV)
- Canada vs Australia , Group B, Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne, 8pm/11am/6am (BBC)
- Ireland vs Nigeria , Group B, Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane, 8pm/11am/6am (BBC)
Tuesday, August 1
- Portugal vs USA , Group E, Eden Park, Auckland, 7pm/8am/3am (ITV)
- Vietnam vs Netherlands , Group E, Dunedin Stadium, Dunedin, 7pm/8am/3am (ITV)
- Haiti vs Denmark , Group D, Perth Rectangular Stadium, Perth, 7pm/noon/7am (ITV)
- China vs England , Group D, Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide, 8.30pm/noon/7am (ITV)
Wednesday, August 2
- South Africa vs Italy , Group G, Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, 7pm/8am/3am (BBC)
- Argentina v Sweden , Group G, Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, 7pm/8am/3am (BBC)
- Panama vs France , Group F, Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney, 8pm/11am/6am (ITV)
- Jamaica vs Brazil , Group F, Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne, 8pm/11am/6am (ITV)
Thursday, August 3
- South Korea vs Germany , Group H, Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane, 8pm/11am/6am (BBC)
- Morocco vs Colombia , Group H, Perth Rectangular Stadium, Perth, 6pm/11am/6am (BBC)
Saturday, August 5
- Round of 16: Winner A v Runner-up C , Eden Park, Auckland, 5pm/6am/1am
- Round of 16: Winner C v Runner-up A , Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, 8pm/9am/4am
Sunday, August 6
- Round of 16: Winner E v Runner-Up G , Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney, noon/3am/10pm Sat, Aug 5
- Round of 16: Winner G v Runner-up E , Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne, 7pm/10am/5am
Monday, August 7
- Round of 16: Winner D v Runner-up B , Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane, 5.30pm/8.30am/3.30am
- Round of 16: Winner B v Runner-up D , Stadium Australia, Sydney, 8.30pm/11.30am/6.30am
Tuesday, August 8
- Round of 16: Winner H v Runner-up F , Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne, 6pm/9am/4am
- Round of 16: Winner F v Runner-up H , Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide, 8.30pm/noon/7am
Friday, August 11
- Quarter-final 1 , Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, 1pm/2am/9pm Thu, Aug 10
- Quarter-final 2 , Eden Park, Auckland, 7.30pm/8.30am/3.30am
Saturday, August 12
- Quarter-final 3 , Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane, 5pm/8am/3am
- Quarter-final 4 , Stadium Australia, Sydney, 8.30pm/11.30am/6.30am
Tuesday, August 15
- Semi-final 1 , Eden Park, Auckland, 8pm/9am/4am
Wednesday, August 16
- Semi-final 2 , Stadium Australia, Sydney, 8pm/11am/6am
Saturday, August 19
- Third-place play-off , Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane, 6pm/9am/4am
Sunday, August 20
- Final , Stadium Australia, Sydney, 8pm/11am/6am (ITV & BBC)
Use the below tool to filter out just your team’s fixtures
What are the groups?
- Group A: New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Switzerland
- Group B: Australia, Ireland, Nigeria, Canada
- Group C: Spain, Costa Rica, Zambia, Japan
- Group D : England, Haiti, Denmark, China
- Group E: United States, Vietnam, Netherlands, Portugal
- Group F: France, Jamaica, Brazil, Panama
- Group G : Sweden, South Africa, Italy, Argentina
- Group H: Germany, Morocco, Colombia, South Korea
Women’s World Cup stadiums: Your guide to the venues
Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
Tournament capacity: 13,327
Home to professional football side Adelaide United who play in the A-League, Hindmarsh Stadium was one of the venues chosen to host preliminary matches for the men’s football at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
Eden Park, Auckland
Tournament capacity: 40,536
Used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer, Eden Park will host the opening match of the tournament between co-hosts New Zealand and Norway.
Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane
Tournament capacity: 46,851
Lang Park, also known as Brisbane Football Stadium, opened in 1914, on the site of the former North Brisbane Cemetery, and in its early days was home to multiple different sports, including cycling, athletics, and soccer. Will host several matches during the tournament, and matches at the 2032 Olympics.
Dunedin Stadium, Dunedin
Tournament capacity: 24,243
The ‘Glasshouse’ – as it is nicknamed – is located in Logan Park, Dunedin, and is the only fully roofed, natural turf stadium in the world. It uses this remarkable feature to collect rainwater that is used to irrigate the pitch grass.
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
Tournament capacity: 16,271
Opened in 1925, the Waikato Stadium, which is a major sporting and cultural venue in Hamilton, hosts five group games with Argentina, Costa Rica, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Vietnam and Zambia all featuring.
Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne
Tournament capacity: 24,870
Having previously been used for rugby league Four Nations matches in 2010 and 2014 and the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, will host group games and two Round of 16 ties.
Perth Rectangular Stadium, Perth
Tournament capacity: 13,932
The stadium will host to five Women’s World Cup group games, kicking off with the Group D battle between Denmark and Asian champions China. Republic of Ireland will also play here, against Olympic champions Canada in Group B.
Stadium Australia, Sydney
Tournament capacity: 69,314
The jewel in the crown of Australian football grounds, the stadium will host Australia’s opening match of the tournament against Republic of Ireland. Three further knock-out ties will be played here, as will the final on August 20.
Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
Tournament capacity: 38,841
Having hosted men’s and women’s football for more than three decades, the stadium host six matches, including five group games and a knock-out tie.
Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington
Tournament capacity: 31,089
Nicknamed ‘The Cake Tin’ by locals, the ground was the first bowl-style stadium in the country offering more space for large crowds, such as cricket fans who go to the venue for one-day international cricket matches.
How to get tickets
Tickets for multi-match packages are available from just $20 AUD/NZD for adults and $10 AUD/NZD for children.
Who are the defending champions?
USA, who beat Netherlands in Lyon in 2019.
What ball will be used at the tournament?
The official ball uses the same technology that was deployed during 2022’s men’s tournament in Qatar, to send Var officials real-time data to contribute to semi-automated offside decisions.
The ball, created by Adidas and named ‘OCEAUNZ’, contains a motion sensor powered by a rechargeable battery, which can be charged by induction and is suspended in the centre of the ball.
“Adidas has created an iconic [ball] that reflects diversity, inclusivity and togetherness, fitting themes for the first-ever Fifa Women’s World Cup to be co-hosted by two different countries from different confederations,” Fifa’s secretary general Fatma Samoura said. “This edition of the tournament will be extremely special.”
What are the best of the latest odds?
- US 5/2
- England 5/1
- Spain 7/2
- Germany 7/1
- Australia 10/1
- France 12/1
Odds correct as of July 22
You can take advantage of these Women’s World Cup free bets throughout the whole tournament.
