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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sport
Jamie Braidwood

Women’s World Cup: Who are England playing and what is their group?

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England enter the World Cup as one of the favourites as the Lionesses look to build on their victory at the European Championships last summer by winning the game’s biggest prize.

England have reached the semi-finals on their last two World Cup appearances in 2015 and 2019 and will be dreaming of going one step further in Australia and New Zealand.

The Lionesses gained valuable experience of winning a major title after their historic victory on home soil at the Euros under Sarina Wiegman.

The United States are looking to win their third consecutive World Cup but England arrive at this summer’s tournament as the main contenders to their crown.

Here’s everything you need to know.

Who are England playing at the World Cup?

The Lionesses were among the top seeds ahead of the World Cup draw and were placed in Group D, along with China, Denmark, as well as one of the winners of the inter-confederation play-offs. That was where Haiti defeated Senegal and then Chile to qualify for the World Cup for the first time and complete the four-team group.

China, ranked 15th in the world, were among the lowest ranked teams in Pot 2 while Denmark, ranked 18th, were the top team in Pot 3. Haiti are ranked 57th in the world, the second lowest at the tournament.

When are England’s group matches? (All kick-off times BST)

22 July - England vs Haiti (10:30, Brisbane)

28 July - England vs Denmark (09:30, Sydney)

1 August - China vs England (12:00, Adelaide)

What is England’s potential path to the final?

If England win Group D

7 August: Winners Group D vs Runners-up Group B (08:30, Brisbane)

12 August: Winner Match 54 vs Winner Match 56 (11:30, Sydney)

16 August: Winner QF3 vs Winner QF4 (11:00, Sydney)

20 August: Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2 (11:00, Sydney)

If England are runner-up in Group D

7 August: Runners-up Group B vs Runners-up Group D (11:30, Sydney)

12 August: Winner Match 53 vs Winner Match 55 (08:00, Brisbane)

16 August: Winner QF3 vs Winner QF4 (11:00, Sydney)

20 August: Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2 (11:00, Sydney)

What about the rest of the groups?

Group A: New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Switzerland

Group B: Australia, Republic of Ireland, Nigeria, Canada

Group C: Spain, Costa Rica, Zambia, Japan

Group D: England, Haiti, Denmark, China

Group E: United States, Vietnam, Netherlands, Portugal

Group F: France, Jamaica, Brazil, Panama

Group G: Sweden, South Africa, Italy, Argentina

Group H: Germany, Morocco, Colombia, South Korea

Full World Cup match schedule

(All kick-off times BST )

Group stage:

Thursday 20 July

Group A: New Zealand vs Norway (08:00, Auckland)

Group B: Australia vs Republic of Ireland (11:00, Sydney)

Friday 21 July

Group B: Nigeria vs Canada (03:30, Melbourne)

Group A: Philippines vs Switzerland (06:00, Dunedin)

Group C: Spain vs Costa Rica (08:30, Wellington)

Saturday 22 July

Group E: USA vs Vietnam (02:00, Auckland)

Group C: Zambia vs Japan (08:00 Hamilton)

Group D: England vs Haiti (10:30, Brisbane)

Group D: Denmark vs China (13:00, Perth)

Sunday 23 July

Group G: Sweden vs South Africa  (06:00, Wellington)

Group E: Netherlands vs Portugal (08:30, Dunedin)

Group F: France vs Jamaica (11:00, Sydney)

Monday 24 July

Group G: Italy vs Argentina (07:00, Auckland)

Group H: Germany vs Morocco (09:30, Melbourne)

Group F: Brazil vs Panama (12:00, Adelaide)

Tuesday 25 July

Group H: Colombia vs Korea Republic (03:00, Sydney)

Group A: New Zealand vs Philippines (06:30, Dunedin)

Group A: Switzerland vs Norway (09:00, Hamilton)

Wednesday 26 July

Group C: Japan vs Costa Rica (06:00, Dunedin)

Group C: Spain vs Zambia (08:30, Auckland)

Group B: Canada vs Republic of Ireland (13:00, Perth)

Thursday 27 July

Group E: USA vs Netherlands (02:00, Wellington)

Group E: Portugal vs Vietnam (08:30, Hamilton)

Group B: Australia vs Nigeria (11:00, Brisbane)

Friday 28 July

Group G: Argentina vs South Africa (01:00, Dunedin)

Group D: England vs Denmark (09:30, Sydney)

Group D: China vs Haiti (12:00, Adelaide)

Saturday 29 July

Group G: Sweden vs Italy (08:30, Wellington)

Group F: France vs Brazil (11:00, Brisbane)

Group F: Panama vs Jamaica (13:30, Perth)

Sunday 30 July

Group H: Korea Republic vs Morocco (05:30, Adelaide)

Group A: Norway vs Philippines (08:00, Auckland)

Group A: Switzerland vs New Zealand (08:00, Dunedin)

Group H: Germany vs Colombia (10:30, Sydney)

Monday 31 July

Group C: Costa Rica vs Zambia (08:00, Hamilton)

Group C: Japan vs Spain (08:00, Wellington)

Group B: Ireland vs Nigeria (11:00, Brisbane)

Group B: Canada vs Australia (11:00, Melbourne)

Tuesday 1 August

Group E: Vietnam vs Netherlands (08:00, Dunedin)

Group E: Portugal vs USA (08:00, Auckland)

Group D: Haiti vs Denmark (12:00, Perth)

Group D: China vs England (12:00, Adelaide)

Wednesday 2 August

Group G: South Africa vs Italy (08:00, Wellington)

Group G: Argentina vs Sweden (08:00, Hamilton)

Group F: Jamaica vs Brazil (11:00, Melbourne)

Group F: Panama vs France (11:00, Sydney)

Thursday 3 August

Group H: Korea Republic vs Germany (11:00, Brisbane)

Group H: Morocco vs Colombia (11:00, Perth)

Knockout stages

Saturday 5 August

Match 49: Winners Group A vs Runners-up Group C (06:00, Auckland)

Match 50: Winners Group C vs Runners-up A (09:00, Wellington)

Sunday 6 August

Match 51: Winners Group E vs Runners-up Group G (03:00, Sydney)

Match 52: Winners Group G vs Runners-up Group E (10:00, Melbourne)

Monday 7 August

Match 54: Winners Group D vs Runners-up Group B (08:30, Brisbane)

Match 53: Runners-up Group B vs Runners-up Group D (11:30, Sydney)

Tuesday 8 August

Match 56: Winners Group H vs Runners-up Group F (09:00, Melbourne)

Match 55: Winners Group F vs Runners-up Group H (12:00, Adelaide)

Friday 11 August

QF1: Winner Match 49 vs Winner Match 51 (02:00, Wellington)

QF2: Winner Match 50 vs Winner Match 52 (08:30, Auckland)

Saturday 12 August

QF3: Winner Match 53 vs Winner Match 55 (08:00, Brisbane)

QF4: Winner Match 54 vs Winner Match 56 (11:30, Sydney)

Tuesday 15 August

SF1: Winner QF1 vs Winner QF 2 (09:00, Auckland)

Wednesday 16 August

SF2: Winner QF3 vs Winner QF4 (11:00, Sydney)

Saturday 19 August

3rd place play-off: Loser SF1 vs Loser SF2 (09:00, Brisbane)

Sunday 20 August

Final: Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2 (11:00, Sydney)

Match venues

Australia

Sydney (Stadium Australia, 83,500)

Sydney (Sydney Football Stadium, 42,512)

Brisbane (Lang Park, 52,263)

Melbourne (Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, 30,000)

Perth (Perth Rectangular Stadium, 22,225)

Adelaide (Hindmarsh Stadium, 16,500)

New Zealand

Auckland (Eden Park, 48,276)

Wellington (Wellington Regional Stadium, 39,000)

Dunedin (Forsyth Barr Stadium, 28,744)

Hamilton (Waikato Stadium, 25,111)

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