L
Last year marked a significant milestone for women’s soccer and the trend is expected to continue in 2024. Keep an eye on these seven developments in the coming months, including debut final appearances and a long-awaited World Cup host. Additionally, Chelsea will be saying goodbye to their iconic manager who led them to six Women’s Super League titles.
The chance to win an Olympic gold medal is available.
The main event of the year is the women’s soccer tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Sixteen teams will compete for the top prize from July 24 to August 10. Canada, USA, Colombia, Brazil, and France have already secured their spots, but there are still 11 spots available. The Nations League finals with the participation of Netherlands, Spain, and Germany will determine the remaining two spots for UEFA. In February, Australia and Japan are expected to secure the two Asian spots, while Samoa will host the final round of Oceania qualifiers (one spot). In April, two spots for African teams will be determined.
Which team will create a new record in the Nations League?
The first Nations League will come to an end in February with four teams competing for the championship. Following an exciting end to the group stage in the previous month, Spain and France will host the Netherlands and Germany, respectively, in hopes of securing a spot in the final. The Dutch narrowly beat out England on goal difference to advance while Germany outplayed Denmark. France had a comfortable path through Group A2 and Spain prevented Sweden from qualifying for Olympic football for the first time. As mentioned earlier, the final two spots for the Paris 2024 tournament will be determined on February 28th.
The first ever Concacaf Women’s Gold Cup
In February and March, the USA will make history by hosting the first-ever W Gold Cup. Canada, the winner of the Olympic playoff, will join them, along with Costa Rica and Mexico who qualified through Concacaf. Panama will also participate after finishing at the top of their qualification group, which included Jamaica and Guatemala. Due to a dispute with their federation, Jamaica had many of their first-team players absent. Additionally, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, and Paraguay – the top four finishers at the 2022 Copa América – have secured spots in the tournament. The remaining three Concacaf places will be determined through three single-leg playoffs in Carson on February 17th.
Is there a potential for a new champion in European club competitions?
The 23rd edition of the Women’s Champions League will wrap up in Bilbao in May, but there is still plenty of football to be played. The group stage will come to an end in late January, with only Barcelona and Lyon having secured spots in the quarter-finals thus far. Chelsea has positioned themselves well in their pursuit of the one trophy that has eluded coach Emma Hayes during her more than 10 years at the club. Group C is shaping up to be the most exciting, with all four teams – Ajax, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, and Roma – separated by just three points.
The finalists for Euro 2025 will be determined.
After the Nations League has concluded, the European qualification process will commence in April. This is when teams will compete to secure spots in Euro 2025. Despite being relegated to League B, Switzerland will automatically earn a place as hosts. The top two teams from each group in League A will also automatically qualify. The remaining seven spots will be determined through two rounds of playoffs. The Republic of Ireland, who had a successful Nations League campaign, are aiming to make their first appearance in the European Championship. However, Scotland and Wales face a challenging task. Veteran teams Sweden and Norway will also have to compete in playoffs in February, along with Northern Ireland, as they all vie for the best possible position to begin the qualifying process.
The announcement for the host of the World Cup will be made.
The locations for the upcoming men’s World Cup have been determined, but Fifa has not yet announced the location for the 2027 women’s edition, which is unusual. The bidding process was initiated last year and the official announcement will be made at the Fifa congress in May. South Africa has withdrawn their bid, leaving three contenders: a joint bid from USA and Mexico, as well as separate bids from Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands, and Brazil.
Hayes takes over the USWNT
Chelsea fans were devastated in October when it was revealed that Hayes would be departing for a new opportunity after the 2023-24 season. Soon after, it was announced that she would be taking on the role of manager for the US women’s national team. This will be a challenging start for the highly praised manager, as she leads the USWNT to the Olympics shortly after the end of the Women’s Super League. Reviving the team’s struggling performance will not be an easy feat, but it is surely a challenge that a coach of her caliber will eagerly embrace.
Recommended viewing
As many leagues take a break for winter, take a look at the latest goals from Australia’s A-League as they continue to compete during the holiday season.
Get in touch
If you have inquiries or feedback regarding our newsletters, please send an email to [email protected].
This is an excerpt from our complimentary weekly newsletter, Changing the Rules. To access the complete edition, please visit this page and follow the provided instructions.
Source: theguardian.com
