Everything you need to know before you start
NFL process used at Women’s World Cup
7/17/2023, 7:24 p.m
It’s not long now: The soccer World Cup in Australia and New Zealand begins on Thursday. Two question marks still cloud the prospects of the DFB team. A US star also says goodbye to the big stage and the referees use a method from American football for the first time. Here are the answers to the most important questions at a glance.
What is different about this Women’s World Cup?
At the ninth World Cup in Australia and New Zealand from July 20 to August 20, the soccer world champions will be determined in ten stadiums. For the first time, 32 teams are fighting for the 46.5 centimeter high trophy. Four years ago in France, 24 teams were still playing for the champion. Two-time champions Germany will face Morocco in Group H in Melbourne (July 24, 10:30 a.m. CEST), Colombia in Sydney (July 30, 11:30 a.m. CEST) and South Korea in Brisbane (August 3, 12:00 p.m. CEST). . Heavyweights like France or Brazil are already threatening in the round of 16.
Who is favorite?
After their two world titles in a row, the hottest candidate is of course the USA. At the end of last year, the record champion failed several endurance tests, and this year the results are correct again. Behind them are numerous top nations such as European champions England, Olympic champions Canada, Brazil, France and Spain. Germany has also announced the third star as a target. But even if the world leaders are getting closer and closer together, the trend isn’t catching on everywhere – the eight debutants like Haiti and Vietnam remain blatant outsiders.
Who carries the German hopes?
As in the previous year, Alexandra Popp is the undisputed leader in England. The captain should not only provide the necessary goals, but also maneuver Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s team through tricky tournament moments. In general, the squad of the runner-up European champions largely corresponds to that of the EM 2022, but the mixed international matches and the botched dress rehearsal against Zambia (2: 3) dampen the hope for the title. In addition, two top performers wobble: defense chief Marina Hegering and clearer Lena Oberdorf traveled to Australia.
Who are the international stars?
The most recognizable face in women’s football is the American Megan Rapinoe. The courageous activist against discrimination, as she did as the best World Cup player and top scorer in 2019, not only wants to attract attention with her colorful head of hair. The World Cup finals Down Under will be their departure from the international stage. The Spaniard Alexia Putellas, who has been dominant in recent years, has recently returned to top form after tearing her cruciate ligament. Noteworthy are the star attackers Sam Kerr (Australia) and Ada Hegerberg (Norway), while in the case of European champions England, Georgia Stanway from Bayern Munich, among others, stands out. The six-time world footballer Marta should only set highlights as a joker in the senior footballer age.
Will the games be broadcast live at all?
After a month-long stalemate, a TV blackout could still be prevented. In mid-June, ARD and ZDF, with the help of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), reached an agreement with the world governing body FIFA in a rights game. The public broadcasters broadcast all 64 games either as a TV broadcast or via live stream. Two of the three German group games (against Morocco and South Korea) are shown on ZDF, while the game against Colombia is shown on ARD. While ARD shows the opening game between New Zealand and Norway, ZDF will broadcast the final in Sydney on August 20th. You can also follow the games of the German national team in the live ticker on ntv.de.
What’s new?
A touch of American football will be present at the World Cup. According to this, the referees, as has been known from the NFL for years, should explain their decisions using video evidence via the stadium microphones. However, the process by which the decision is made remains secret. Before that, the test runs at the Club World Cup and the Men’s U20 World Cup were promising. Semi-automatic offside technology will also be used for the first time at a Women’s World Cup.