WOMEN'S WORLD CUP
What national teams have appeared at the most Women’s World Cups?
In the three-decade history of the Women’s World Cup, there have been several countries that have qualified for every edition of the tournament.
At the 2023 Women’s World Cup, seven nations will be appearing at the international tournament for a joint-record ninth time, having never failed to qualify for the finals.
Brazil, Germany, Japan, Nigeria, Norway, Sweden and the United States make up that exclusive club - and it’s a septet of countries that also accounts for every Women’s World Cup winner since the event was first held in 1991.
US the Women’s World Cup’s most successful side
The US, the inaugural world champions in China 32 years ago, currently boast an unparalleled four global titles (1991, 1999, 2015 and 2019). This year, indeed, the Stars and Stripes can become the first nation to win the Women’s World Cup three times in a row.
Meanwhile, Germany have lifted the trophy twice (in 2003 and 2007), and Japan and Norway have won it once each (in 2011 and 1995, respectively).
Trio of nations on seven World Cups
Just behind the group of countries who have been at every single Women’s World Cup, there are three nations that have appeared at seven tournaments, missing out just the once.
Canada and Australia were absent in China in 1991 - at a time when only 12 teams qualified for what is now a 32-nation competition - and the Chinese failed to reach the 2011 finals. All three will be present this summer, with Australia co-hosting alongside New Zealand, so the countries’ record of missing only one Women’s World Cup will remain intact.
Most Women's World Cup appearances
- 8: Brazil, Germany, Japan, Nigeria, Norway, Sweden, US
- 7: Australia, Canada, China
- 5: England, New Zealand
- 4: Denmark, France, North Korea
- 3: Argentina, Ghana, Italy, Mexico, South Korea
US dominate World Cup appearance records
Given the US’s habit of doing well at the Women’s World Cup - they have never finished lower than third place - it is no surprise that it is the Americans who have played the most matches at the tournament. In all, they have appeared in 50 World Cup games, winning 40 of them (also a record).
The player with the most World Cup matches to her name is also American. At five tournaments between 1991 and 2007, two-time champion Kristine Lilly played 30 games - although that counts for less than a tenth of her whopping haul of 354 caps for the US between 1987 and 2010.
Brazil’s Formiga, who retired from international duty in 2021, is the Women’s World Cup’s second-highest appearance maker, with 27. However, that tally of games came across seven different editions of the event - an unmatched total.
Several countries set for first World Cup appearance
While seven countries are to feature at an unprecedented ninth Women’s World Cup this year, no fewer than eight teams will be making their debuts in Australia and New Zealand. Haiti, Morocco, Panama, the Philippines, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Vietnam and Zambia have all qualified for the event for the first time.
1991′s inaugural edition aside, only at Canada 2015 have so many teams made their World Cup bows at a single tournament.