Favorites Women’s World Cup 2023: Who are the best countries at this summer’s tournament?
The highlight of the 2023 Women’s World Cup favorites is undoubtedly the United States. The Americans have long been the powerhouses of women’s football and the bookies are heavily supporting them to win a fifth World Cup title.
But it’s far from a foregone conclusion in Australia and New Zealand this summer.
The Women’s World Cup hasn’t been won by a European team since 2007, but there are several that will take their chances against a USWNT on the move – not least Euro 2022 winners England.
Meanwhile, Australia hopes they can become the first hosts since the US in 1999 to win the tournament in front of their own fans.
Here, FourFourTwo runs through some of the World Cup favorites going into the tournament.
2023 Women’s World Cup Favorites: United States
No team has won more editions of the Women’s World Cup than the USA.
Having won back-to-back World Cups in 2015 and 2019, they have made at least the semi-finals every time the tournament has been played. However, this is a new look of the US World Cup roster with mainstays like Megan Rapinoe (the World Cup top scorer last time around) likely to play a peripheral role if they are included in the roster at all. If they win again, it will be thanks to a new crop of American talent.
England
The Euro 2022 winners would likely have been seen as firm favorites for World Cup success until their injuries reared their ugly head and took their toll on England’s World Cup squad.
England will be without three of their Euro 2022 final starting line-up after Ellen White retired and Beth Mead and captain Leah Williamson both suffered ACL injuries. There are also concerns about the fitness of Millie Bright and Lucy Bronze. However, Sarina Wiegman has still only lost one game as a manager in international tournaments – the 2019 World Cup final.
Australia
The hosts may not be ranked as highly as some of the other favorites on this list, but the support of a home crowd can be a big boost for them.
In Sam Kerr they have one of the world’s best strikers who is capable of changing a match himself, while Tony Gustavsson has shown he can handle a bicycle kick. Their 2-0 win over England in April – the first loss the Lionesses had suffered under Wiegman – was proof of an Australian team that can play to their ability to beat better opponents.
Germany
The runners-up of Euro 2022 showed that their crop of young talent is ready to compete at the highest level by reaching the final.
Despite losing to England in extra time, the likes of Lena Oberdorf and Giulia Gwinn were standout stars of the tournament, while Alexandra Popp showed just how deadly she could be as she scored in every match Germany played, except in the final when she failed was available due to an injury. This time she returns to Germany’s World Cup squad.
England and Germany may meet in the quarter-finals – whoever comes out on top there could become the favorite to win the entire tournament.
France
The off-field chaos in France has historically affected their ability to really compete in international tournaments in the way you would expect their talent pool to allow them.
That seems to be over with the appointment of former Saudi men’s manager Herve Renard.
Renard has already brought exiled Lyon players like Eugenie LeSommer back into the fold, with Amandine Henry joining her. But with Marie-Antoinette Katoto missing France’s World Cup squad due to fitness issues, they may be lacking firepower.
Spain
If France has put an end to the chaos off the field, Spain is still going through it.
Criticism of Jorge Vilda led to 15 players resigning from the national team, including highly rated Barcelona players Mapi Leon, Aitana Bonmati and Patri Guijarro. It is still unclear whether any of these players will make it to Spain’s World Cup squad.
However, all eyes will be on Alexia Putellas. She has returned from an ACL injury she suffered on the eve of the European Championships, but is close to the players who protested. But there is still enough talent in and around this Spanish team to possibly grow to this World Cup.
Sweden
Sweden’s Euro 2022 came to a rather humiliating end when they were beaten 4-0 by England in the semi-finals.
Peter Gerhardsson’s team has looked shaky to say the least with several of their older stars gone from Sweden’s World Cup squad and still struggling to take control in recent games.
There is no doubt about the quality of players like Fridolina Rolfö, Magdalena Eriksson or Kosovare Asllani, but they will have to find some more defensive strength if they really want to become favorites for the World Cup.
The Netherlands
The Netherlands, second at the 2019 World Cup, is struggling to replace Sarina Wiegman. An experiment with Mark Parsons ended miserably and he has since been replaced by former Louis Van Gaal assistant Andries Jonker.
The Dutch World Cup squad will have the experience to go far earlier in the tournament, but they will have to do without Vivianne Miedema who suffered an ACL injury. They have a lot of exciting young players but with Miedema’s injury it might be a step too far.
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