Last Updated on January 4, 2023 by
Welcome to Moving the Goalposts, the Guardian’s free football newsletter for women. Here is an excerpt from this week’s edition. To receive the full version once a week, just open your email below:
Welcome, 2023. Women’s soccer fans, this is our time to count down the seconds until New Zealand v Norway kicks off the World Cup on July 20. Expectations are high for the tournament and there is an expectation that it will increase interest in the women’s game in Australia and New Zealand, the host countries that will be the center of the football world for a month.
“I dream of a cultural change from the World Cup,” says Moya Dodd, president of Common Goal, and a former Matildas vice-captain who was a member of the FIFA Council until 2017. “[I hope] that women can enjoy of gender. equality in sport and all roles in society, that football is fully embraced as a true Australian sport and that football becomes a holistic and inclusive game where everyone belongs.”
Legacy plans for host nations discuss the importance of achieving gender parity in football, supporting future generations of girls who want to play. Dodd says that while he’s excited to see the game grow, it’s bittersweet to think that for decades women have been banned and shunned. “Why couldn’t our mothers be professionals or at least players?” she says. “Why couldn’t I grow up watching women’s football in the media?”
She hopes that Australia hosting the World Cup will lead more people in her country to understand the importance of – and the potential for – the growth of the women’s game and be reflected in the participation numbers. “2023 is a once-in-a-generation chance to make a lot of ground,” he says. “We have to seize the moment.”
Dodd also highlights the importance of promoting the A-League Women, Australia’s top division. Wellington Phoenix, a professional team from New Zealand, is one of the 11 clubs in the competition. “As the Euros have given the WSL a boost, I want to see the World Cup provide a new audience to the league here in Australia and to all the pro leagues around the world.
“These competitions create jobs for women in the game, show weekly entertainment for fans and raise role models for aspiring players. Leagues and national team competitions raise each other.”
For fans traveling to Australia for the World Cup, there are many opportunities to visit – Dodd particularly recommends the central market and Rundle Street in his hometown Adelaide and Sydney Harbor Bridge. She also identifies the opportunity to learn to speak Australian – “even if you’re as flat as a drinking lizard” (for non-Australians it means “even if you’re very busy”).
Dodd says the World Cup is also a chance for visitors and tourists to understand Australia’s culture. “I hope they can appreciate that Australia is home to the oldest continuous civilization in the world. They have been custodians of this land for 65,000 years.
She also points out the importance of traditions such as Welcome to Country, a ceremony performed by a traditional owner or custodian to welcome visitors to their ancestral land, usually at the start of an event. “Take the time to understand and appreciate it,” says Dodd.
The two World Cup legacy plans aim to support the inclusion of women and indigenous women in football. Māori and Indigenous Australians will have opportunities and programs developed for these communities. Football Australia’s participation pillar seeks to introduce a national indigenous program and New Zealand Football aims to have more Māori making meaningful connections throughout the game.
“The Matildas are a very popular team and their presence is very tangible,” says Dodd. “My only wish is for each Matilda to be the best she can be, for the team collectively to be at their best. Nothing could be better than that and no one could ask for more.”
Contents
Talking point

It was 1991. The first Women’s World Cup was held in China and, in the stands, the greatest men’s footballer of all time was impressed by what the players were doing on the pitch. “No one should be ashamed to give a football to a girl,” said Pelé. During the Tokyo Olympics, 30 years later, he congratulated Marta when she became the first woman to score in five consecutive games. “How many dreams do you think you inspired today?” he wrote After the death of Pelé last Thursday, it feels important to remember him and his influence on the game. As Marta said, “Through your feet, we were and will be blessed by your art.” Rest in peace, Pele.
Quote of the week

“You get to a certain age when you really say, ‘This is a really big fucking problem.’ I’m pretty sure if men had periods, we’d have figured out a way to stop them by now without doing any harm” – Leah Williamson on living with endometriosis in Women’s Health.
Recommended viewing

You’d be wrong if you thought there was no women’s football during the holidays. Check out this classy finish from Sheridan Gallagher for Western Sydney Wanderers in their draw with Wellington Phoenix in the Liberty A-League.
Have a question for our writers – or want to suggest a topic to cover? Get in touch by email [email protected]
How many total teams qualify for World Cup?

World Cup 2022: your guide to the 8 groups and 32 teams.
How many teams qualify for the World Cup from each group? In each group, each team plays once in a single round robin format and the top two teams from each group qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 – the first of the knockout stages.
How many European national teams qualify for World Cup?
Qatar World Cup: Your guide to the 13 European teams competing in the football extravaganza | Euronews.
How many European teams qualify for World Cup in a group?
The top two teams from each group qualify for the World Cup, and the top two teams advance to the fourth round. Fourth round: A third team in each group of the third round played against each other in a single match, the winners advance to the interconfederal play-offs.
How many teams qualify for World Cup from Europe in playoffs?
The second round of the UEFA 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification tournament (also known as the UEFA play-offs) was contested by twelve teams from the UEFA qualification segment. The play-offs determine the final three European teams who will join the group winners at the World Cup in Qatar.
How many teams qualify for World Cup from Europe playoffs?
The second round of the UEFA 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification tournament (also known as the UEFA play-offs) was contested by twelve teams from the UEFA qualification segment. The play-offs determine the final three European teams who will join the group winners at the World Cup in Qatar.
How many teams from each group will qualify for World Cup?
Each team will play each other, and the top two teams from each group will advance to the 2022 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 – the first of the knockout stages.
How many teams will qualify for World Cup 2022 from Europe playoff?
EUROPE (UEFA; 13 PLACES) There are 55 European nations and qualification runs from March to November 2021. The 10 group winners, in bold, go straight to the final.
How many teams qualify for World Cup?
There are 32 nations ready to compete with each other for the next World Cup. This international men’s football championship is organized for the first time in the Arab countries.
How many teams qualify for World Cup from each continent?
AFC (Asia) has an allocation of four or five teams* competing in the World Cup finals. CAF (Africa) are allocated five teams, with CONCACAF (North, Central and Caribbean America) having three or four. CONEMBOL (South America) has four or five teams competing.
How many more teams can qualify for World Cup 2022?
The 2022 Men’s World Cup in Qatar will be the last to feature 32 teams before the field expands to 48 teams for the 2026 World Cup. The FIFA Men’s World Cup has featured 32 teams for the past six editions, from in France 1998.
Where will the 2026 World Cup be held in the USA?

BOSTON – FIFA tonight announced Boston as one of the cities selected to host the 2026 FIFA World CupTM, the first men’s World Cup held in North America since 1994. Each host city is slated to hosts four to six matches in the course of the tournament.
How many 2026 World Cup sites are there in the United States? 11 American locations were chosen, with five located in the eastern third (despite Atlanta’s interpretation of FIFA), three in the central part of the country and three further west. Two Canadian cities (Toronto and Vancouver) hosted for the first time matches of the World Cup.
Where in the United States will the 2026 World Cup be?
What stadiums will the 2026 World Cup be in?
Read:
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, USA, by HOK (2017)
- Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe, Mexico, by Populous and VFO (2015)
- Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, USA by HNTB (2014)
- MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, USA, by HOK (2010)
- Estadio Akron, Guadalajara, Mexico by Jean Marie Massaud & Daniel Pouzet and Populous (2010)
What city will host the 2026 World Cup final?
Dallas, New York, Los Angeles are leading the race, but there is no official decision from FIFA yet. The 2026 World Cup is set to be an event like no other. Held across North America jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first 48-team tournament in the event’s history.
What city will host the 2026 World Cup final?
Dallas, New York, Los Angeles are leading the race, but there is no official decision from FIFA yet. The 2026 World Cup is set to be an event like no other. Held across North America jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first 48-team tournament in the event’s history.
Where will the 2026 World Cup start?
The 2026 World Cup will take place in three North American countries: the United States, Mexico and Canada. This will be the first time the tournament is hosted by three different nations and will be the first time the event will be played in Canada.
What US cities are hosting the 2026 World Cup?
In total, 16 cities will host matches. Most of them (11) are located in the United States: Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami, Boston and New York. The Mexican headquarters will be in Monterrey, Guadalajara and Mexico City.
Who is hosting the 2026 World Cup?
The countdown begins! The United States, Mexico and Canada are preparing to host the next World Cup in 2026. It will be the first time the event will be held in three countries, and only the second time the United States will be the host.
Who will host the 2030 World Cup? Spain, Portugal, Ukraine joint bid for the 2030 World Cup Known as the “Iberian Bid” in reference to the Iberian Peninsula on which two of these nations are located, it is the second time that Spain and the Portugal are changing together for a World Cup, after being unsuccessful with a bid to host in 2018 or 2022.
Which country will host 2034 World Cup?
Tournament details | |
---|---|
Host country | New Zealand |
Data | 2034 |
Teams | 48 teams (6 confederations) |
â 2030 2038 â |
Which country is hosting 2038 World Cup?
Ghana. Ghana is planning an ambitious bid to stage the 2038 FIFA World Cup as part of its 40-year national development plan, developed by the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC). The Director General of the NDPC, Dr.
Who will host the 2054 World Cup?
India has finally reached the finals of the football world cup and will play the hosts Brazil. For the first time in history, the Indians didn’t need to adopt any other team as they had their own to root for. The soccer world cup is back in Brazil after 40 years. The last time was here in 2014.
Where will World Cup 2026 final be held?
Soccer World Cup: more information about the stadium and the place The final place of the World Cup could be the MetLife Stadium in New York / New Jersey, as mentioned. In addition to the soccer World Cup final, the United States will also host all the matches in this FIFA 2026 tournament starting from the quarterfinals.
What city will host 2026 World Cup final?
Dallas, New York, Los Angeles are leading the race, but there is no official decision from FIFA yet. The 2026 World Cup is set to be an event like no other. Held across North America jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first 48-team tournament in the event’s history.
Where will the 2026 World Cup start?
The 2026 World Cup will take place in three North American countries: the United States, Mexico and Canada. This will be the first time the tournament is hosted by three different nations and will be the first time the event will be played in Canada.
Why is the 2026 World Cup in 3 countries?
The trio of nations hosting the 2026 World Cup – USA, Canada and Mexico – will split the matches between them with some group stage matches based in one nation to reduce travel.
Is the US automatically in the 2026 World Cup?
However, there is a widespread expectation that all three hosts – the United States, Canada and Mexico – will be presented as automatic qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. This is strongly believed to be the case, and has also been referred from the 2026 “United Bid” package.
Why does World Cup have 3rd place?
That’s because the traditional final takes place the following day, meaning that the two semi-final teams losing temporarily will log more minutes than the sides that have fallen.
Who will host FIFA Women’s World Cup 2022?
On 17 November 2020, FIFA announced that the 2020 edition of the tournament would be canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, India has been named as the hosts of the next edition of the tournament in 2022.
Who has qualified for the 2023 Women’s World Cup?
Who will host FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023?
In addition, this tournament will be the first to feature the expanded format of 32 teams, from the previous 24, replicating the same format used for the men’s World Cup. The opening match will be played between New Zealand and Norway at Eden Park, Auckland on 20 July 2023.
What teams are in the Women’s World Cup 2023?
Dates: 18-23 February 2023 Participating teams: 10 Tickets for Australia and New Zealand 2023: 3 Group A: Portugal, Cameroon, Thailand Group B: Chile, Haiti, Senegal Group C: Chinese Taipei, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay , Panama How it works: Cameroon will face Thailand for the right to play Portugal in the Group A final, …
What are the 8 host cities for the upcoming 2023 Women’s World Cup?
2023 Women’s World Cup Venues and Map
- Adelaide, Australia at Hindmarsh Stadium.
- Auckland, New Zealand – Eden Park.
- Brisbane, Australia – Brisbane Stadium.
- Dunedin, New Zealand – Dunedin Stadium.
- Hamilton, New Zealand at Waikato Stadium.
- Melbourne, Australia at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.
Who won the last woman World Cup?
The most recent World Cup, hosted by France in 2019, was won by the United States, who beat the Netherlands 2â0 to win their second consecutive and fourth overall title.
What teams have won the Women’s World Cup?
The eight FIFA Women’s World Cup tournaments have been won by four national teams. The United States have won four times, and are the current champions after winning the 2019 tournament in France. The other winners are Germany, with two titles, and Japan and Norway with one title each.
Who won the female soccer World Cup 2022?
However, things were different in 2022. Spain won the 2022 Final after defeating Japan by a 3â1 victory after 90 minutes of action, now with the score of 3â1 in their favor, recognized by the edition previous
Where will the 2026 World Cup be held?
Where will 2026 World Cup final be held?
Soccer World Cup: more information about the stadium and the place The final place of the World Cup could be the MetLife Stadium in New York / New Jersey, as mentioned. In addition to the soccer World Cup final, the United States will also host all the matches in this FIFA 2026 tournament starting from the quarterfinals.
What US cities are hosting the 2026 World Cup?
In total, 16 cities will host matches. Most of them (11) are located in the United States: Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami, Boston and New York. The Mexican headquarters will be in Monterrey, Guadalajara and Mexico City.
Why is the 2026 World Cup in 3 countries?
The trio of nations hosting the 2026 World Cup – the United States, Canada and Mexico – will split the matches between them with some group matches based on one nation to reduce travel.
Why does the World Cup have 3rd place? That’s because the traditional final takes place the following day, meaning that the two semi-final teams losing temporarily will log more minutes than the sides that have fallen.
Is the US automatically in the 2026 World Cup?
However, there is a widespread expectation that all three hosts – the United States, Canada and Mexico – will be presented as automatic qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. This is strongly believed to be the case, and has also been referred from the 2026 “United Bid” package.
Why is the 2026 World Cup in 3 countries?
The trio of nations hosting the 2026 World Cup – USA, Canada and Mexico – will split the matches between them with some group stage matches based in one nation to reduce travel.
Does the World Cup host country automatically qualify?
As a courtesy, the host receives an automatic draw selection, as has happened with the winner of the immediate past tournament during most of the competition’s history.
How many countries will qualify for World Cup 2026?
For the first time since the 1998 tournament in France, the World Cup in 2026 will be bigger than the previous edition. Co-hosts Canada, Mexico and the United States will host 48 teams at the quadrennial, a 50 percent increase over Qatar 2022.
Why is the 2026 World Cup in 3 countries?
The trio of nations hosting the 2026 World Cup – USA, Canada and Mexico – will split the matches between them with some group stage matches based in one nation to reduce travel.
How many Asia teams qualify for the World Cup 2026?
A total of 81â3 slots (8 direct slots and 1 inter-confederation play-off slot) in the final tournament are available for AFC teams. The qualification process involves five times; the top two double as qualifiers for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.