WOMEN'S WORLD CUP 2023
Who has played the most times in the final of the Women’s World Cup?
Spain will play England in the Women’s World Cup 2023 final, the first time the two nations have reached the tournament’s showpiece game.
History will be made in the Women’s World Cup 2023 final, which will see Spain take on England at Stadium Australia in Sydney on Sunday 20 August. A first-time winner of the tournament is guaranteed, with neither of the two nations having previously made it as far as the showpiece game, which the USWNT will be watching with envy.
What was Spain’s previous best Women’s World Cup?
While La Roja have some of the most talented players in world soccer, their performance in Australia and New Zealand has come as something of a surprise given the off-field turmoil they have been in for several months, with a number of players not included on the roster after revealing their unhappiness at working under head coach Jorge Vilda and his staff.
Spain have reached the final in just their third ever World Cup appearance, with their previous best performance coming in the 2019 edition in France, where they were eliminated in the Round of 16 by the United States.
What was England’s previous best Women’s World Cup?
England, meanwhile, have been on an upward trajectory over the last 15 years or so. The failed to qualify for both the 1999 and 2003 tournaments but have now reached at least the quarter-finals in each of the last five events, finishing third in 2015 and fourth in 2019. They have also become regulars in the latter stages of the European Championships, even winning the tournament on home soil in 2022.
Six nations have played in one Women’s World Cup final
Following their respective semi-final victories over Sweden and Australia, Spain and England have joined China (1999), Sweden (2003), Brazil (2007) and the Netherlands (2019) in having qualified for one World Cup final, with four other nations having done so on multiple occasions.
Norway and Japan’s similar WWC records
Norway and Japan have similar records, with both reaching two finals in consecutive editions, winning one and losing one. The only difference being that the Norwegians followed up a defeat in the inaugural 1991 tournament with a victory in 1995, while the Japanese won in 2011 before being beaten four years later.
Germany the first back-to-back winners
Following triumphs over Sweden and Brazil in the 2003 and 2007 finals, Germany became the first nation to win back-to-back World Cups, a feat which has since been repeated by the USWNT (2015 and 2019). The Germans were also runners-up in 1995, putting them in second spot when it comes to the number of finals reached.
How many Women’s World Cup finals have the USWNT reached?
And it will come as a surprise to relatively few to learn that it is the United States who have played in the most Women’s World Cup finals, with five. After reaching - and winning - two of the first three (1991 and 1999), they had to wait another 12 years for the next one, which ended in defeat to Japan, the only time they have finished as runners-up.
They bounced back emphatically, winning the next two tournaments, as mentioned. Hope of a “three-peat” were high but a shock penalty shootout defeat to Sweden in the Round of 16 means the USWNT have just been through their worst World Cup by some distance, as they had never before finished outside the top three.
Which players have played in the most Women’s World Cup finals?
Six players have played in three Women’s World Cup finals, including five Americans: Tobin Heath, Ali Krieger, Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe all played in the 2011, 2015 and 2019 finals. German striker Birgit Prinz is the only non-USWNT player to have done so, in 1995, 2003 and 2007.
All six players ended up on the winning side on two occasions.