The 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup will begin in 179 days and over the weekend the 24 teams set to participate learned a bit more about their destiny as the group draw took place for the biggest tournament in women’s soccer this summer in Canada. Click here for the complete match schedule.
The field was expanded to 24 teams and the top three teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage. Here is a quick summary of what went down on Saturday in Ottawa:
The big news of the draw was the United States, the top-ranked team in the world, was drawn into the “Group of Death": A group that includes two top ten teams in fifth-ranked Sweden and 10th-ranked Australia, along with African champions Nigeria.
READ:U.S. WNT to face Australia, Sweden and Nigeria in Group D at 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup
Teammates in Portland face off June 8 at Winnipeg Stadium as Alex Morgan, Tobin Heath and company take on Steph Catley and Australia in Group D. The United States will then face Sweden for a fourth consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup on June 12 in Winnipeg and then group play concludes on June 16 against Nigeria at BC Place in Vancouver. After Catley and the Matildas take on the United States, Australia faces Nigeria (June 12) and Sweden (June 16).
Christine Sinclair and host nation Canada were drawn into Group A and play the opening match of the tournament against China on June 6 in Edmonton at Commonwealth Stadium. Match number two of the group stage pits Canada against head coach Jon Herdman’s former team and the champions of Oceania, New Zealand, while the final match of group play is against the Netherlands on June 15.
READ:Women’s World Cup: US, Canada react to World Cup draw on social media
Finally, Nadine Angerer and Germany were placed in Group B with matches against Germany, Ivory Coast and Thailand. Germany opens the tournament against the Ivory Coast on June 7 and then faces Norway on June 11 and Thailand on June 15.
After group play concludes the Round of 16 begins on June 20 and goes through June 23. The group will be whittled down to eight for the quarterfinal round (June 26 and 27), then four in the semifinals (June 30 and July 1) and the final. The FIFA Women’s World Cup Final will take place in Vancouver on Sunday, July 5, at BC Place; kickoff is set for 4 p.m. (Pacific).
