The the Dutch Lionesses know their opponents in the qualification series for the 2023 World Cup. In Friday’s draw, the the Dutch went into the tube as group head. The team of outgoing national coach Sarina Wiegman was linked to Iceland, the number seventeen in the FIFA world rankings, among others.
The other opponents in the group are the Czech Republic (number 27), Belarus (54) and Cyprus (125). The draw seems favorable for the the Dutch, which starts qualifying as vice world champion. The Women’s World Cup will be held in Australia and New Zealand from July 10 to August 20, 2023. In Friday’s draw, the 51 UEFA countries were divided into nine groups: six from six countries and three from five countries. The the Dutch therefore ended up in a group with five teams.
The nine group winners will qualify directly for the final tournament. The nine runners-up will qualify for the play-offs. The six ‘worst’ runners-up start in the first round of the playoffs; the three ‘best’ runners-up start in the second round of the play-offs. Ultimately, two direct World Cup tickets are earned through the playoffs and one ticket for intercontinental playoffs.
National coach Wiegman will have looked with special attention to the draw of the English women, who, like the Dutch, were in Pot 1. After the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Wiegman is at the helm of England. The Three Lionesses were grouped into Austria, Northern Ireland, North Macedonia, Latvia and Luxembourg. Vera Pauw was linked to Sweden, Finland, Slovakia and Georgia as the national coach of Ireland.
The full draw:
Group A.
Sweden
Finland
Ireland
Slovakia
Georgia
Group B.
Spain
Scotland
Ukraine
Hungary
Faroe Islands
Group C.
The Netherlands
Iceland
Czech Republic
Belarus
Cyprus
Group D.
England
Austria
Northern Ireland
North Macedonia
Latvia
Luxembourg
Group E.
Denmark
Russia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Azerbaijan
Malta
Montenegro
Group F.
Norway
Belgium
Poland
Albania
Kosovo
Armenia
Group G.
Italy
Switzerland
Romania
Croatia
Moldavia
Lithuania
Group H.
Germany
Portugal
Serbia
Israel
Turkey
Bulgaria
Group I.
France
Wales
Slovenia
Greece
Kazakhstan
Estonia