Europe's FIFA Women's World Cup hopefuls: Denmark, England, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland

The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup runs from 20 July to 20 August in Australia and New Zealand with 12 European teams taking part.

Qualifying group winners Denmark, England, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden have been joined by UEFA play-off winners Republic of Ireland and Switzerland as well as Portugal, who beat Cameroon in the inter-confederation play-offs in Hamilton, New Zealand.

Groups

Group A: New Zealand (hosts), Norway, Philippines, Switzerland

Group B: Australia (hosts), Republic of Ireland, Nigeria, Canada

Group C: Spain, Costa Rica, Zambia, Japan

Group D: England, Haiti, Denmark, China PR

Group E: United States (holders), Vietnam, Netherlands, Portugal

Group F: France, Jamaica, Brazil, Panama

Group G: Sweden, South Africa, Italy, Argentina

Group H: Germany, Morocco, Colombia, South Korea

Europe's FIFA Women's World Cup contenders

Denmark

Group D opponents: China PR, England, Haiti

Previous World Cup appearances: 4
Best result: Quarter-finals (1991, 1995)
Qualifying group record: W8 D0 L0 F40 A12 (Group E winners)
Top scorer: Signe Bruun 13
Women's EURO 2022: Group stage

• Finished 13 points clear of the runners-up in their section, a record for any UEFA women's qualifying group.

England

Group D opponents: Haiti, Denmark, China PR

Previous finals appearances: 4
Best result: Third place (2015)
Qualifying group record: W10 D0 L0 F80 A0 (Group D winners)
Top scorer: Beth Mead 13
Women's EURO 2022: Winners

• The most goals scored in any UEFA women's qualifying group, in addition to winning their first major tournament in July with the home EURO. Have reached last two World Cup semi-finals and got past group stage each time they have qualified. However, will be missing both Mead and captain Leah Williamson through injury.

France

Group F opponents: Jamaica, Brazil, Panama

Previous finals appearances: 4
Best result: Fourth place (2011)
Qualifying group record: W10 D0 L0 F54 A4 (Group I winners)
Top scorer: Marie-Antoinette Katoto 10
Women's EURO 2022: Semi-finals

• At Women's EURO reached their first semi-final since the 2012 Olympics and 2011 World Cup. Hervé Renard replaced Corinne Diacre as coach in March.

Germany

Group H opponents: Morocco, Colombia, South Korea

Previous finals appearances: 8 (maximum)
Best result: Winners (2003, 2007)
Qualifying group record: W9 D0 L1 F47 A5 (Group H winners)
Top scorer: Lea Schüller 15
Women's EURO 2022: Runners-up

• Only the United States (50) have played more World Cup finals games than Germany (44).

Italy

Group G opponents: Argentina, Sweden, South Africa

Previous finals appearances: 3
Best result: Quarter-finals (1991, 2009)
Qualifying group record: W9 D0 L1 F40 A2 (Group G winners)
 Top scorer: Cristiana Girelli 8
Women's EURO 2022: Group stage

• Reached two straight World Cups for the first time.

Netherlands

Group E opponents: Portugal, United States, Vietnam

Previous finals appearances: 2
Best result: Runners-up (2019)
Qualifying group record: W6 D2 L0 F31 A3 (Group C winners)
Top scorer: Vivianne Miedema 8
Women's EURO 2022: Semi-finals

• Sealed a finals spot with an Esmee Brugts goal deep in added time to snatch a 1-0 win against Iceland in their group decider when it seemed the 2017 European champions were headed to the play-offs (from which they qualified in 2015 and 2019). Injury to Miedema is a huge blow, however.

Norway

Group A opponents: New Zealand, Switzerland, Philippines

Previous finals appearances: 8 (ever-present)
Best result: Winners (1995)
Qualifying group record: W9 D1 L0 F47 A2 (Group F winners)
Top scorer: Lisa-Marie Utland 6
Women's EURO 2022: Group stage

• Were the first European team to win the trophy in 1995.

Portugal

Group E opponents: Netherlands, Vietnam, United States

Previous appearances: Debut
Qualifying group record: W7 D1 L2 F26 A9 (Group H runners-up)
UEFA play-off round 1: W2-1 (h) vs Belgium
UEFA play-off round 2: W4-1aet (h) vs Iceland
Inter-confederation play-off: W2-1 (n) vs Cameroon (Hamilton, New Zealand)
Top scorers: Carole Costa, Diana Silva 5
Women's EURO 2022: Group stage

• Had never reached a major tournament before EURO 2017 but now are in their third after Carole Costa's added-time penalty against Cameroon (the latest play-off drama after the last-minute winner against Belgium and Carole Costa's spot-kick equaliser versus Iceland).

Republic of Ireland

Group B opponents: Australia, Nigeria, Canada

Previous appearances: Debut
Qualifying group record: W5 D2 L1 F26 A4 (Group A runners-up)
Play-off round 2: W1-0 (a) vs Scotland
Top scorer: Katie McCabe 7
Women's EURO 2022: Did not qualify

• Ireland's first major tournament, though coach Vera Pauw has led her native Netherlands to the EURO 2009 semi-finals and South Africa at the 2016 Olympics.

Spain

Group C opponents: Costa Rica, Zambia, Japan

Previous finals appearances: 2
Best result: Round of 16 (2019)
Qualifying group record: W8 D0 L0 F53 A0 (Group B winners)
Top scorer: Amaiur Sarriegi 11
Women's EURO 2022: Quarter-finals

• Won the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup and 2018 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.

Sweden

Group G opponents: South Africa, Italy, Argentina

Previous finals appearances: 8 (ever-present)
Best result: Runners-up (2003)
Qualifying group record: W7 D1 L0 F32 A2 (Group A winners)
Top scorers: Lina Hurtig, Fridolina Rolfö 5
Women's EURO 2022: Semi-finals

• Took bronze in the 2019 World Cup and silver at the 2021 Olympics.

Switzerland

Group A opponents: Philippines, Norway, New Zealand

Previous appearances: 1
Best result: Group stage (2015)
Qualifying group record: W8 D1 L1 F44 A4 (Group I runners-up)
Play-off round 2: W2-1aet vs Wales
Top scorers: Anna-Maria Crnogorčević, Coumba Sow 9
Women's EURO 2022: Group stage

• Their debut World Cup in 2015 included a 10-1 win against Ecuador with a Ramona Bachmann hat-trick.

Past World Cup finals (European teams in bold)

2019: United States 2-0 Netherlands; Lyon, France
2015: United States 5-2 Japan; Vancouver, Canada
2011: Japan 2-2 United States (aet, 3-1 pens); Frankfurt, Germany
2007: Germany 2-0 Brazil; Shanghai, China
2003: Germany 1-0 Sweden (aet, golden goal); Carson, United States
1999: United States 0-0 China (aet, 5-4 pens); Pasadena, United States
1995: Norway 2-0 Germany; Stockholm, Sweden
1991: United States 2-1 Norway; Guangzhou, China

Past Olympic medallists (European teams in bold)

2021: Canada (gold), Sweden (silver), United States (bronze); Yokohama, Japan (postponed from 2020, final moved from Tokyo)
2016: Germany (gold), Sweden (silver), Canada (bronze); Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2012: United States (gold), Japan (silver), Canada (bronze); London, United Kingdom
2008: United States (gold), Brazil (silver), Germany (bronze); Beijing, China
2004: United States (gold), Brazil (silver), Germany (bronze); Athens, Greece
2000: Norway (gold), United States (silver), Germany (bronze); Sydney, Australia
1996: United States (gold), China (silver), Norway (bronze); Atlanta, United States