2023 World Cup draw: USWNT meets Vietnam, Netherlands and playoff winner New Zealand
USWNT will face Vietnam, Netherlands and a play-off winner as they defend their World Cup title in New Zealand 2023… as the draw heralds a possible showdown with England in the FINAL
Four-time winners USA will open their World Cup defense next year in New Zealand against Vietnam after being grouped with the Asian nation, the Netherlands and a play-off winner in Saturday’s draw in Auckland.
Vlatko Andonovski’s side go into the tournament as favorites, having won the previous two in France 2019 and Canada 2015, but they will face stiff competition from England after losing to them in a recent friendly at Wembley to have.
The draw has placed the USWNT and England on opposite sides of the draw, meaning there could be a blockbuster showdown between the two sides in the final.
The USA will be pulled out of the pot at Saturday’s World Cup draw in Auckland, New Zealand
USWNT manager Vlatko Andonovski poses for a photo ahead of the 2023 World Cup draw
European champions England meet play-off winners, Denmark and China in Group D, while 2003 and 2007 world champions Germany will face Morocco, Colombia and South Korea in Group H of the tournament from 20 July to 20 August.
New Zealand will play the first World Cup in the southern hemisphere in Auckland on July 20 against former champions Norway and also meet the Philippines and Switzerland in Group A.
Co-hosts Australia kick off their season on the same day at Sydney Football Stadium against Ireland before taking on Nigeria and Olympic champions Canada in Group B.
Sweden, second in the world rankings, meets South Africa, Italy and Argentina in Group G, while fifth-placed France meets Jamaica, Brazil and a play-off winner in Group F, and Spain meets Costa Rica, Zambia and 2011 winner Japan in group C
The USWNT are currently world champions but recently lost to England in a friendly
FIFA President Gianni Infantino was also present at the draw in New Zealand this weekend
USA, champions of the last two editions of the tournament, will play all of their Group E games in New Zealand and meet Vietnam in Auckland on July 22 before a replay of the 2019 final against the Netherlands in Wellington five days later.
England will be based in Australia for the opening round of the expanded 32-team tournament, taking on a play-off winner in Brisbane on July 22.
The 10-team Inter-Confederation Playoffs to determine the final three places of the tournament will be held in New Zealand next year on February 18-23.
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