Tag: 2023 World Cup

2023 World Cup Final: Where will the 2027 FIFA World Cup be played?

The 2027 Women’s World Cup will be the 10th edition of the tournament.

The 2027 FIFA World Cup will be the 10th edition of the tournament, no doubt holding a special place in the history books.

With 2027 still a long ways off, it is currently unknown which country — or countries! — will play host to the 32-team tournament. As of now, four bids were confirmed to FIFA in April 2023 for the 2027 World Cup. The bids in question are from:

The United States and Mexico

Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands

South Africa

Brazil

The United States last hosted the Women’s World Cup in 2003. The other remaining countries have not hosted a Women’s World Cup tournament since its inception.

Soccer fans will find out which bid will win out when the FIFA Congress appoints the host on May 17, 2024.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=4855122]

World Cup Final 2023: How much money does the winning team get paid?

A look at how much money 2023 World Cup participants receive.

The prize pool for the 2023 World Cup is more than three times what it was four years ago thanks to a new pay structure announced by FIFA in June.

Each of the 32 teams that qualified for the World Cup will receive a minimum of $1.56 million, with payments increasing the further teams make it in the tournament, up to $4.29 million for the champion, as USA TODAY Sports explained.

Each World Cup player gets at least $30,000, with those payments similarly increasing throughout the knockout rounds. Round of 16 players get $60,000 each, quarterfinalists get $90,000, semifinalists get $165,000, runners-up get $195,000 and each player on the championship roster receives $270,000.

These funds are paid to each team’s federation, which is expected to pass the money to the players.

Between player and team payouts, the World Cup champions will receive a total of $10.5 million, which is more than double the $4 million paid to the U.S. women in 2019.

However, despite the increase to a $152 million prize pool this year, FIFA still has work to do to make up the gender pay gap. The pool for the men’s tournament last year was $440 million.

MORE WORLD CUP:

2023 FIFA World Cup Final: What is the difference between stoppage time and extra time?

Wondering what’s the difference? We’re here to help.

With the 2023 World Cup set to close in Australia and New Zealand, some new fans of the sport might find themselves asking questions when they hear announcers mention “stoppage time” and “extra time.” Mainly, how are they different?

Well, we are here to help. And no, they are not the same.

Soccer matches are comprised of two 45-minute halves with a running clock.

Stoppage time is the period added on to the end of each half that accounts for pauses in the match due to injuries, goals, substitutions, VAR reviews and other stoppages to regular game action. The referee is supposed to keep track of that time lost and add it to the end of the half.

Extra time is a totally different concept and synonymous to overtime in U.S. sports. Extra time is only used to break ties in the knockout stage as group stage matches are allowed to end in ties.

At the World Cup, extra time will consist of two 15-minute periods. If the score is still tied after extra time, it will go into a penalty shootout. There is no sudden death or “golden goal” at the World Cup, so if a match goes into extra time, we’re guaranteed those additional 30 minutes.

MORE WORLD CUP:

Spain coach Vilda on player revolt: ‘Next question’

Jorge Vilda would not be drawn on a question about last fall’s revolt by 15 Spain players

On the eve of the World Cup final, Spain head coach Jorge Vilda refused to answer a question about last fall’s player revolt that, according to Spain’s federation, saw 15 players demand his ouster.

Spain is on the verge of history, having reached Sunday’s final against England at Stadium Australia amid a highly tumultuous period.

As his team aims for its first World Cup title, Vilda was again asked about the player unrest in his pre-match press conference.

“Next question please,” was the coach’s response.

Of the 15 players who demanded changes last fall, only three made the World Cup roster: Ona Batlle, Aitana Bonmatí and Mariona Caldentey.

Five of the remaining 12 made themselves available for the World Cup but were not picked. That leaves seven, including stars Patri Guijarro and Mapi León, who refused to return.

Despite the turmoil and missing players, Spain has put together an outstanding World Cup. La Roja defeated pre-tournament favorites Netherlands and Sweden in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively, to leave them on the brink of a first world title on the women’s side.

Vilda would not be drawn on the ongoing controversy, instead choosing to focus on the unity of the 23 players that he did select for the World Cup.

“From the very beginning, the players have been united and working a lot,” Vilda said. “Today will be the 65th training session and all have come out very well — the training, games, everything inside the squad has been extraordinary. They have had fun, we’ve been together.”

[lawrence-related id=26179,26081,25703]

How to watch England vs. Spain: Women’s World Cup final TV and streaming info

Here’s how to watch the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup final between England and Spain

After a long month full of action-packed games, the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is nearly over. There’s just one game left between two teams and soccer immortality — and it will be a historic win for either nation. Spain and England will enter the last game of the tournament looking to bring home their first-ever World Cup title.

Spain began the knockout stage with an easy 5-1 win over Switzerland, then had much more difficult tasks in a pair of 2-1 wins: first against Netherlands in a quarterfinal that went to extra time, then in a semifinal against Sweden that was settled by a late winner from Olga Carmona.

For England, the knockout stage began with a narrow penalty shootout win over Nigeria in the last 16, then a 2-1 win over Colombia in the quarterfinal and a 3-1 victory over host nation Australia in the semifinal.

Here is all the information you need to know about the World Cup final:

England vs. Spain (World Cup)

  • When: Sunday, August 20
  • Where: Stadium Australia (Sydney, AU)
  • Time: 6:00 a.m. ET
  • Channel/streaming: FOX, Telemundo, Universo

World Cup starting lineups

England possible lineup:

Earps, Carter, Bright, Greenwood, Bronze, Stanway, Walsh, Daly, Toone, Russo, Hemp

Spain possible lineup:

Coll, Batlle, Paredes, Codina, Carmona, Bonmati, Abelleira, Putellas, Redondo, Hermoso, Caldentey

[lawrence-related id=23410,26126,26121]

Chloe Kelly’s full bladder inspired England penalty heroics

Pro athletes, they’re just like the rest of us!

Chloe Kelly said she had a little extra motivation to make her spot kick in England’s penalty shootout win over Nigeria last week.

In addition to her desire to clinch a spot in the World Cup quarterfinals, Kelly simply needed to get into the locker room as soon as possible.

“I just really needed to wee,” Kelly told England’s social media channels.

After a 0-0 draw over 120 minutes, England took a 3-2 lead in a penalty shootout. Up stepped Kelly as England’s fifth taker. If she scored, a place in the quarterfinal (and the bathroom) beckoned. If she missed, Nigeria could send the shootout into sudden death with a converted spot kick.

The result? A shot faster than any male or female scored in England’s top flight all of last season. The Lionesses can only hope that if Kelly has a penalty in Sunday’s World Cup final against Spain, her bladder will be similarly full.

“To be honest, me and Beth [England] were in the lineup for the penalty shootout and I just really needed to wee, so that was all I was thinking about,” the Man City striker said.

“I really needed to wee and I was like, ‘I’ll just step up and it’ll be done.’ That was it and we had doping after and I was just like, ‘Yes, I need a wee!'”

Pro athletes, they’re just like the rest of us! (except way better at sports.)

[lawrence-related id=26126,26121,26081]

England’s head honchos are sitting out the World Cup final

The British royal family and prime minister will not attend the match between England and Spain

England’s women’s national team has reached its first World Cup final, which is also the first World Cup final any England side has been in since 1966.

But none of the country’s top leaders will be making the journey to Sydney to watch the Lionesses face Spain on Sunday.

Rishi Sunak, the country’s prime minister, will not be in attendance at Stadium Australia, nor will King Charles, Queen Camilla or Prince William, who also serves as president of the Football Association (FA).

Sunak would “love to be there” but is missing out due to the ongoing war in Ukraine as well as “some of the other things that are happening with the wider economy,” health minister Neil O’Brien said in quotes on the BBC.

There was no word on the king and queen’s absence but the BBC said that Prince William “made the decision to avoid making long-distance flights for a very short stay in Australia. He is believed to be concerned about the climate impact of making the journey.”

Prince William’s decision has drawn some criticism back home.

“I think the Prince of Wales should be there,” Gerry Sutcliffe, the UK’s former minister for sport, told the Daily Telegraph. “I know it’s a long way, and I’m sure he has family commitments, but this is a unique moment. It’s the World Cup final, and he’s the president of the FA.”

Daily Mail writer AN Wilson joined in with a column titled: “I have no doubt if England’s men had reached the World Cup final, Prince William would be there.”

In the royal family and prime minister’s places will be UK foreign secretary James Cleverly and Lucy Frazer, the UK secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport.

For Spain, Queen Letizia and her 16-year-old daughter Infanta Sofía will be in attendance at the match, but King Felipe will not be making the journey.

[lawrence-related id=26081,26117,26028]

We regret to inform you that Gianni Infantino is at it again

It was yet another speech from the FIFA president that was equal parts bizarre and offensive

Gianni Infantino never seems to go too long before putting his foot in his mouth and on Friday, the “days since Gianni said something regrettable” sign was set back to zero again.

This time, Infantino tried to inspire the global female population with some of his typically soaring rhetoric. It was, as it tends to be so often with the FIFA president, deeply weird.

“I say to all the women – and you know I have four daughters, so I have a few at home – I say to all the women that you have the power to change. Pick the right battles, pick the right fights. You have the power to change,” Infantino said at a press conference ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final between England and Spain.

“You have the power to convince us, men, what we have to do and what we don’t have to do. You do it, just do it. With me, with FIFA, you will find open doors. Just push the doors, they are open.

“And, do it also at national level in every country, at continental level, in every confederation. Just keep pushing, keep the momentum [going], keep dreaming, and let’s really go for full equality.”

OK!

Infantino seems to relish these World Cup moments, taking advantage of having the globe’s attention to deliver speeches that are equal parts bizarre and offensive. Who could forget the true masterwork of this genre, the “today I feel gay, today I feel disabled, today I feel a migrant worker” speech from the 2022 World Cup?

As many noted, Infantino’s push to inspire women was slightly disingenuous because in many cases, the person they’d need to “pick the right battles” with would be, well, him.

It is certainly not a bad thing to have more women taking action globally, but Infantino is either not aware or doesn’t care that he is literally the worst person on earth to deliver this message.

Infantino is not the only person holding women’s soccer back, but he is also very much the most important person when it comes to enacting change. To ask others to convince him when he should already be convinced is just about the height of dark irony.

Norway and Lyon star Ada Hegerberg responded to Infantino’s call for action in appropriately sarcastic fashion.

Best of luck Ada!

[lawrence-related id=26090,25559,26081]

The top five Women’s World Cup Golden Ball candidates

Here are the top five candidates to take home the biggest individual prize at the World Cup

The 2023 Women’s World Cup is finally coming to a close. After a stacked field battled it out over the course of the past month, just two teams — England and Spain — remain ahead of Sunday’s final. But while the World Cup trophy is what everyone is chasing, there’s another race to keep an eye on.

That, of course, is the race for the Golden Ball. Soccer is a team sport, but it’s important to recognize individual excellence, too, and that’s exactly what this award does. Who will take home the honor as the best player in this year’s tournament?

Let’s take a look at the top five candidates for this year’s Golden Ball.

4 things to know about the 2023 World Cup final between England and Spain

Spain and England are both playing for what would be their first-ever World Cup championship.

After nearly a month of soccer down under in Australia and New Zealand, the 2023 World Cup is about to come to a close.

It was a banger of a tournament, one that featured a surprisingly early exit from the Americans, nerve-racking penalty kicks, fantastic goals, awesome celebrations and a few mild controversies.

The final will feature Spain against England. Spain reached the big stage by knocking off Sweden – which beat the USWNT – 2-1. Meanwhile, England topped host Australia 3-1, despite an incredible score from Sam Kerr.

Here’s everything you need to know about the World Cup final between La Roja and the Lionesses.