Women's World Cup: International order disrupted at biggest-ever tournament, goalkeepers shine but issues still remain
The Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand was a record-breaking tournament; It was expanded to 32 teams, with 'smaller' nations proving their worth; Germany, Brazil and the USA struggled as goalkeepers like Mary Earps and Zecira Musovic shone; Spain were the eventual winners
Senior football journalist
Monday 21 August 2023 16:00, UK
This summer's Women's World Cup was the biggest ever, as the international order was disrupted, goalkeepers shone, but the issues in women's football still remain.
When we look back on the 2023 World Cup in the coming years, it will be known as the tournament that forever changed the order of women's international football.
There was some scepticism when FIFA announced the tournament would be expanded to 32 teams — but it has turned out to be a masterstroke, allowing so-called 'smaller' nations to make history for their countries and prove that they were not just there to make up the numbers.
Eight teams made their World Cup debuts — the Republic of Ireland, Zambia, Vietnam, Haiti, Morocco, Panama, the Philippines and Portugal — while Denmark qualified for their first World Cup in 16 years.
Morocco — the first Arab country to qualify for the women's edition of the tournament — made history when they reached the last 16, despite being in a group with Germany, South Korea and Colombia.
Teams such as Republic of Ireland and Haiti also proved they were tough to beat and there were also heartwarming scenes when Panama and the Philippines scored their first tournament goals.
But it wasn't just the debutants who shone. Jamaica, featuring at only their second World Cup, reached the knockout rounds for the first time — despite needing a Crowdfunding page to help fund their trip to Australia
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