Flair Magazine We all know that the African Cup of Nations will take Egypt by storm in less than a month’s time, but did you know that another major football event is taking place in less than two weeks? Starting June 7th and for a whole month, the FIFA Women’s World Cup is set to take place for its eighth edition in France. While Egypt did not qualify for the tournament, we will be on the lookout for what is set to be the most competitive Women’s World Cup yet. Here is what you need to know about it…
This will be the first time France hosts the tournament and the third time a European nation will.
At first, five countries expressed their interest in hosting the event – England, France, Korea Republic, New Zealand and South Africa. In October 2014, France and Korea Republic submitted their official bid documents to FIFA, but France won the right to host the event in March 2015.
The United States is entering the competition as defending champions.
As defending champions and the world’s number one in FIFA’s rankings, USA is up to preserve the cup it won in Canada four years ago. If they win again this year, they will secure the country’s standing in this competition’s history.
Only four nations have won the tournament thus far.
United States won three times and Germany has two titles. The other winners are Japan and Norway with one title each.
The current mascot is a descendant of a former mascot dating back to 1998.
The official mascot is called Ettie, and FIFA have described her as “a young chicken with a passion for life and football”, and said that “she comes from a long line of feathered mascots and is the daughter of Footix, the Official Mascot of the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France”. Her first public appearance was in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
This will be the first Women’s World Cup to use the video assistant referee (VAR) system.
Previously used in 2018 at the FIFA World Cup in Russia, the system was also approved for this FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament. Fifteen VAR officials were announced by FIFA on May 2, 2019.
Bob Marley’s daughter helped Jamaica make it to the finals.
The Reggae Girlz, Jamaica’s national women’s team, was the first Caribbean team to qualify for the tournament. Since the Jamaican Football Federation (JFF) cut their funding, they were left out of FIFA’s world rankings due to three years of inactivity. Cedella gave them a comeback in 2014 by becoming an ambassador and sponsoring the team through the Bob Marley Foundation.
The US Women’s national team is in a legal fight with the US Soccer Federation.
On International Women’s Day, the twenty-eight members of the U.S. women’s national soccer team filed a federal class-action lawsuit accusing the United States Soccer Federation of “institutionalized gender discrimination.” Although they have a higher success record than the men’s team, they are paid significantly less. Their target is not only higher salaries but also better quality playing, training and travel conditions.
These are the players to watch this tournament…
Two American players were on the shortlist for the inaugural Women’s Ballon d’Or – forward Lindsey Horan and midfielder Megan Rapinoe. Not to mention, the high expectations regarding 20-year-old forward Mallory Pugh, the sixth youngest goal scorer in her country’s history.
England had two players on the Ballon d’Or shortlist. If England had its first win this year, it will probably be because of Fran Kirby and Lucy Bronze.
There is also Marta, 32, who scored more than anyone at the Women’s World Cup. The Brazilian player is the six-time FIFA Women’s Player of the Year.
Germany’s captain came third in Fifa’s Best awards and the inaugural Women’s Ballon d’Or. Dzsenifer Marozsan scored one goal and three assists in four qualifiers for France 2019.
Finally, keep an eye on the French captain Amadine Henry.
All images obtained from FIFA and CNN websites.
By Sarah Guirguis
