(UPDATE 1) FIFA Women’s World Cup Kicks Off in New Zealand

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:02 JST, July 20, 2023

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand ― The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand, kicked off Thursday with a month of intense competition leading up to the final on August 20. The first match following the opening ceremony was won by cohost New Zealand, 1-0 over Norway.

The 32 teams will play in eight qualifying groups, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the round of 16.

Nadeshiko Japan, the women’s national soccer team, ranked 11th in the world, will play their first match in Group C against Zambia, ranked 77th, on Saturday.

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