(Reuters) – Here’s what you need to know about the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which is being held in Australia and New Zealand:
WHEN DOES THE WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2023 START?
* This year’s Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand will be held from July 20-Aug. 20.
* The tournament will begin with a Group A match between hosts New Zealand and Norway on July 20.
WHICH TEAMS ARE TAKING PART?
The World Cup will feature 32 teams and begin with a group stage, with teams divided into eight groups of four.
* Group A: New Zealand (hosts), Norway, Philippines, Switzerland
* Group B: Australia (hosts), Canada, Nigeria, Ireland
* Group C: Costa Rica, Japan, Spain, Zambia
* Group D: China, Denmark, England, Haiti
* Group E: Netherlands, Portugal, United States, Vietnam
* Group F: Brazil, France, Jamaica, Panama
* Group G: Argentina, Italy, South Africa, Sweden
* Group H: Colombia, Germany, South Korea, Morocco
WHAT ARE THE VENUES?
* Games will take place at 10 stadiums — Lang Park, Hindmarsh Stadium, Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Perth Oval, Stadium Australia, Sydney Football Stadium, Dunedin Stadium, Eden Park, Waikato Stadium and Wellington Regional Stadium.
* Six stadiums are located in Australia, while the other four are in New Zealand.
* With 70,000 seats, Stadium Australia is the largest of the World Cup stadiums.
WHAT IS THE SCHEDULE?
* There will be a round-robin format in the group stage when each of the 32 teams play three matches each. Teams will get three points for a win and one for a draw. The final group stage match will be played on Aug. 3.
* The top two in each group advance to the round of 16. The knockout rounds begin on Aug. 5 and feature one-off matches, which can go to extra time and penalties to decide the winner.
WHEN IS THE FINAL?
* The final will take place on Sunday, Aug. 20 at Stadium Australia in Sydney.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Nashik, India; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
