Brazil, Jamaica and a play-off: this is what awaits Corinne Deacon’s Bleues in the first round of the Women’s World Cup which will take place in Australia and New Zealand in the summer of 2023. This was decided by the draw which took place early this October 22 in New Zealand. For the France team, this draw is good news. “When you are a coach, there is never an easy group, already ready Corinne Deacon, the boss of the Blue. It would really offend Jamaica and the fourth team (play-off) who will join us in February. On paper, one would assume that France and Brazil will finish first and second. I just wish it was in that order. »
Les Bleues are in a different picture from that of the United States, their executioner in the quarter-finals of the 2019 edition at home. They will therefore not face the reigning double world champions before the eventual final on August 20 in Sydney. France will play its entire first round in Australia. They have an appointment on July 23 in Sydney against Jamaica. “We don’t know Jamaica, continues Deacon, but we will observe them. And we still know the main player of this team (striker Khadija Shaw from Manchester City, who passed through Bordeaux), we will simply have to wean her off the ball. We will know the fourth opponent in February, it’s tomorrow. We will play Jamaica first and Brazil second, if we do our job well we don’t even need to watch the last team, we will already be qualified. More seriously, we will first analyze Jamaica. »
After Jamaica, Les Bleues will then head to Brisbane to face the Brazilians six days later, before returning to Sydney to challenge the barrage on August 2. This will be known in February among Taiwan, Paraguay, Papua New Guinea and Panama. If they qualify, the French will cross in the round of 16 with group H in which Germany appears! “When you look at the group that we will meet in the round of 16 (Germany, Korea, Colombia and Morocco), we must not be mistaken. And if you look at the quarters, nothing is simple. The United States, we do not cross them right away but there are other beautiful nations before going to the final » continues Deacon.
The first round groups are as follows. Group A: New Zealand (host country), Norway, Philippines, Switzerland; Group B: Australia, Republic of Ireland, Nigeria, Canada; Group C: Spain, Costa Rica, Zambia, Japan; Group D: England, barrage, Denmark, China; Group E: United States (defenders), Vietnam, Netherlands, play-off. Group F: France, Jamaica, Brazil, play-off; Group G: Sweden, South Africa, Italy, Argentina; Group H: Germany, Morocco, Colombia, South Korea.