FIFA Women's World Cup groups 2023: Teams, final standings, and how they were formed

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Patrick Brischetto
• 10 min read
FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 logo
(Getty Images)

The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup was the first to feature 32 teams, divided into eight groups to start the tournament in Australia and New Zealand.

Only the top two teams advanced from each group after round-robin play concluded, meaning the field was halved, with 16 teams going home and the other half advancing to the Round of 16.

The majority of the favourites progressed, while the likes of co-hosts New Zealand suffered an embarrassing early exit, as did Germany — the second-best team in the world — Olympic champions Canada and heavyweights Brazil.

The Sporting News has all the information on how the eight groups played out as Spain went on to defeat England 1-0 in the final.

MORE: Women's World Cup Golden Boot final rankings

2023 Women's World Cup Groups

Here's a quick snapshot of the composition of each of the World Cup groups.

Group B was considered the Group of Death at the start, and it produced a surprise with No. 7-ranked Canada unable to make it past the group stage. 

Group A New Zealand Norway Philippines Switzerland
Group B Australia Canada Nigeria Rep. of Ireland
Group C Spain Costa Rica Zambia Japan
Group D England Haiti Denmark China
Group E USA Vietnam Netherlands Portugal
Group F France Jamaica Brazil Panama
Group G Sweden South Africa Italy Argentina
Group H Germany Morocco Colombia South Korea

MORE: Host cities and stadiums for 2023 Women's World Cup

How Women's World Cup groups were formed

To determine the makeup of the Women's World Cup groups, a draw took place on October 22, 2022 in Auckland New Zealand.

The 32 teams were divided into four pots based on their most recent FIFA Women's World Ranking, meaning Pot 1 had the teams ranked No. 1-6 plus the two host nations, and Pot 2 featured the next best-ranked teams, and so on.

Since the intercontinental playoffs that decided the final three qualifiers had not been played at the time of the draw, those three spots were automatically placed in Pot 4.

MORE: How the Women's World Cup Draw unfolded

Women's World Cup standings, schedule

The Women's World Cup began on July 20 with both co-hosts in action to open the group stage. The final was held exactly a month later on August 20 in Sydney.

Women's World Cup Group A table

Team PTS GP W L D GF GA GD
1. Switzerland-Q 5 3 1 0 2 2 0 +2
2. Norway-Q 4 3 1 1 1 6 1 +5
3. New Zealand-E 4 3 1 1 1 1 1 0
4. Philippines-E 3 3 1 2 0 1 8 -7
  • Q = Qualified to Round of 16
  • E = Eliminated from World Cup

Group A match results

Date Match Highlights City
Thu, July 20 New Zealand 1-0 Norway Highlights Auckland (NZL)
Fri, July 21 Philippines 0-2 Switzerland Highlights Dunedin (NZL)
Tue, July 25 New Zealand 0-1 Philippines Highlights Wellington (NZL)
Tue, July 25 Switzerland 0-0 Norway Highlights Hamilton (NZL)
Sun, July 30 Switzerland 0-0 New Zealand Highlights  Dunedin (NZL)
Sun, July 30 Norway 6-0 Philippines Highlights Auckland (NZL)

Women's World Cup Group B table

Team PTS GP W L D GF GA GD
1. Australia-Q 6 3 2 1 0 7 3 +4
2. Nigeria-Q 5 3 1 0 2 3 2 +1
3. Canada-E 4 3 1 1 1 2 4 -2
4. Rep. of Ireland-E 1 3 0 2 1 1 3 -2
  • Q = Qualified to Round of 16
  • E = Eliminated from World Cup

Group B match results

Date Match   City
Thu, July 20 Australia 1-0 Rep. of Ireland Highlights Sydney (AUS)
Fri, July 21 Nigeria 0-0 Canada Highlights Melbourne (AUS)
Wed, July 26 Canada 2-1 Rep. of Ireland Highlights Perth (AUS)
Thu, July 27 Australia 2-3 Nigeria Highlights Brisbane (AUS)
Mon, July 31 Canada 0-4 Australia Highlights Melbourne (AUS)
Mon, July 31 Rep. of Ireland 0-0 Nigeria Highlights Brisbane (AUS)

Women's World Cup Group C table

  Team PTS GP W L D GF GA GD
1. Japan-Q 9 3 3 0 0 11 0 +11
2. Spain-Q 6 3 2 1 0 8 4 +4
3. Zambia-E 3 3 1 2 0 3 11 -8
4. Costa Rica-E 0 3 0 3 0 1 8 -7
  • Q = Qualified to Round of 16
  • E = Eliminated from World Cup

Group C match results

Date Match   City
Fri, July 21 Spain 3-0 Costa Rica Highlights Wellington (NZL) 
Sat, July 22 Zambia 0-5 Japan Highlights Hamilton (NZL)
Wed, July 26 Spain 5-0 Zambia Highlights Auckland (NZL)
Wed, July 26 Japan 2-0 Costa Rica Highlights Dunedin (NZL)
Mon, July 31 Japan 4-0 Spain Highlights Wellington (NZL)
Mon, July 31 Costa Rica 1-3 Zambia Highlights Hamilton (NZL)

Women's World Cup Group D table 

Team PTS GP W L D GF GA GD
1. England-Q 9 3 3 0 0 8 1 +7
2. Denmark-Q 6 3 2 1 0 3 1 +2
3. China-E 3 3 1 2 0 2 7 -5
4. Haiti-E 0 3 0 3 0 0 4 -4
  • Q = Qualified to Round of 16
  • E = Eliminated from World Cup

Group D match results

Date Match   City
Sat, July 22 England 1-0 Haiti Highlights Brisbane (AUS)
Sat, July 22 Denmark 1-0 China Highlights Perth (AUS)
Fri, July 28 England 1-0 Denmark Highlights Sydney (AUS)
Fri, July 28 China 1-0 Haiti Highlights Adelaide (AUS)
Tue, Aug. 1 China 1-6 England Highlights Adelaide (AUS)
Tue, Aug. 1 Haiti 0-2 Denmark Highlights Perth (AUS)

Women's World Cup Group E table 

Team PTS GP W L D GF GA GD
1. Netherlands-Q 7 3 2 0 1 9 1 +8
2. USA-Q 5 3 1 0 2 4 1 +3
3. Portugal-E 4 3 1 1 1 2 1 +1
4. Vietnam-E 0 3 0 3 0 0 12 -12
  • Q = Qualified to Round of 16
  • E = Eliminated from World Cup

Group E match results

Date Match   City
Sat, July 22 USA 3-0 Vietnam Highlights Auckland (NZL)
Sun, July 23 Netherlands 1-0 Portugal Highlights Dunedin (NZL)
Thu, July 27 USA 1-1 Netherlands Highlights Wellington (NZL)
Thu, July 27 Portugal 2-0 Vietnam Highlights Hamilton (NZL)
Tue, Aug. 1 Portugal 0-0 USA Highlights Auckland (NZL)
Tue, Aug. 1 Vietnam 0-7 Netherlands Highlights Dunedin (NZL)

Women's World Cup Group F table

Team PTS GP W L D GF GA GD
1. France-Q 7 3 2 0 1 8 4 +4
2. Jamaica-Q 5 3 1 0 2 1 0 +1
3. Brazil 4 3 1 1 1 5 2 +3
4. Panama 0 3 0 3 0 3 11 -8
  • Q = Qualified to Round of 16
  • E = Eliminated from World Cup

Group F match results

Date Match Highlights City
Sun, July 23 France 0-0 Jamaica Highlights Sydney (AUS)
Mon, July 24 Brazil 4-0 Panama Highlights Adelaide (AUS)
Sat, July 29 France 2-1 Brazil Highlights Brisbane (AUS)
Sat, July 29 Panama 0-1 Jamaica Highlights Perth (AUS)
Wed, Aug. 2 Panama 3-5 France Highlights Sydney (AUS)
Wed, Aug. 2 Jamaica 0-0 Brazil Highlights  Melbourne (AUS)

Women's World Cup Group G table

Team PTS GP W L D GF GA GD
1. Sweden-Q 9 3 3 0 0 9 1 +8
2. South Africa-Q 4 3 1 1 1 6 6 0
3. Italy-E 3 3 1 0 2 3 8 -4
4. Argentina-E 1 3 0 1 2 2 5 -3
  • Q = Qualified to Round of 16
  • E = Eliminated from World Cup

Group G match results

Date Match Highlights  City
Sun, July 23 Sweden 2-1 South Africa Highlights Wellington (NZL)
Mon, July 24 Italy 1-0 Argentina Highlights Auckland (NZL)
Fri, July 28 Argentina 2-2 South Africa Highlights Dunedin (NZL)
Sat, July 29 Sweden 5-0 Italy Highlights  Wellington (NZL)
Wed, Aug. 2 Argentina 0-2 Sweden Highlights Hamilton (NZL)
Wed, Aug. 2 South Africa 3-2 Italy Highlights Wellington (NZL)

Women's World Cup Group H table

Team PTS GP W L D GF GA GD
Colombia-Q 6 3 2 1 0 4 2 +2
Morocco-Q 6 3 2 1 0 2 6 -4
Germany-E 3 3 1 1 1 8 3 +5
South Korea-E 1 3 0 2 1 1 4 -3
  • Q = Qualified to Round of 16
  • E = Eliminated from World Cup

Group H match results

Date Match Time
(AEST)		 Time
(ET)		 City
Mon, July 24 Germany 6-0 Morocco Highlights   Melbourne (AUS)
Tue, July 25 Colombia 2-0 South Korea Highlights   Sydney (AUS)
Sun, July 30 Germany 1-2 Colombia Highlights   Sydney (AUS)
Sun, July 30 South Korea 0-1 Morocco Highlights   Adelaide (AUS)
Thu, Aug. 3 South Korea 1-1 Germany Highlights    Brisbane (AUS)
Thu, Aug. 3 Morocco 1-0 Colombia Highlights   Perth (AUS)

Women's World Cup Round of 16

Date Match Time
(AEST)		 Time
(ET)		 City
Sat, Aug. 5 Switzerland 1-5 Spain Highlights   Auckland (NZL)
Sat, Aug. 5 Japan 3-1 Norway Highlights   Wellington (NZL)
Sun, Aug. 6 Netherlands 2-0 South Africa Highlights   Sydney (AUS)
Sun, Aug. 6 Sweden 0-0 USA (5-4 on pens) Highlights   Melbourne (AUS)
Mon, Aug. 7 England 0-0 Nigeria (4-2 on pens) Highlights   Brisbane (AUS)
Mon, Aug. 7 Australia 2-0 Denmark Highlights   Sydney (AUS)
Tue, Aug. 8 Colombia 1-0 Jamaica Highlights   Melbourne (AUS)
Tue, Aug. 8 France 4-0 Morocco Highlights   Adelaide (AUS)

Women's World Cup Quarterfinals

Date Match Highlights City
Fri, Aug. 11 Spain 2-1 Netherlands Highlights Wellington (NZL)
Fri, Aug. 11 Japan 1-2 Sweden Highlights Auckland (NZL)
Sat, Aug. 12 Australia 0-0 France (7-6 on pens) Highlights Brisbane (AUS)
Sat, Aug. 12 England 2-1 Colombia Highlights Sydney (AUS)

Women's World Cup Semifinals

Date Match Time
(AEST)		 City
Tue, Aug. 15 Spain 2-1 Sweden Highlights Auckland (NZL)
Wed, Aug. 16 Australia 1-3 England Highlights  Sydney (AUS)

Women's World Cup 3rd Place

Date Match Highlights City
Sat, Aug. 19 Sweden 2-0 Australia Highlights Brisbane (AUS)

Women's World Cup Final

Date Match Highlights City
Sun, Aug. 20 Spain 1-0 England Highlights Sydney (AUS)
Author(s)
Author Photo
Patrick Brischetto
Patrick is a freelance journalist who is currently based in Sydney.
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