Here’s a quick look at the USA’s Group F opponents in next year’s Women’s World Cup in France:
THAILAND (June 11 in Remis):
- Current FIFA World Ranking: 29
- 2019 WCQ: Finished fourth at the 2018 AFC Women’s Cup (2-2-1; 12 GF, 11 GA)
- Women’s World Cup Finals Appearances: 2 – 2015 (17th), 2019
- Record vs. USA: 0-1-0
- Head Coach: Nuengruethai Sathongwien
- Championship Honors: Asian Football Confederation Champions (1983)
- Leading WCQ Scorers: Kanjana Sungngoen (4 goals), Rattikan Thongsombut (2 goals), Suchawadee Nildhamrong (2 goals), Silawan Intamee (2 goals)
- Key Players: Wilaiporn Boothduang, Rattikan Thongsombut, Kanjana Sungngoen
- Fast Facts: At the 2018 AFC Women’s Cup, Thailand almost pulled off a massive upset when it faced top-ranked Australia in the semifinal as the teams battled to a 2-2 draw, but only after Alanna Kennedy tied it for Australia in second-half stoppage time … Australia then defeated Thailand in a penalty shootout to advance to the championship match while Thailand went to the Third-Place match, where it fell to China PR, 3-1 … Thailand participated in its first Women’s World Cup at the senior level in 2015 in Canada, putting in a respectable performance, falling 4-0 to long-time power Norway before picking up its first win in a FIFA competition with a 3-2 victory against Ivory Coast … Thailand then fell 4-0 to then world No. 1 Germany and bowed out of the tournament with distinction … Thailand’s historic victory against the Ivory Coast featured two goals from Orathai Srimanee and one from Thanatta Chawong.
CHILE (June 16 in Paris):
- Current FIFA World Ranking: 38
- 2019 WCQ: Finished second at the 2018 Copa America Femenina (3-1-3; 13 GF, 5 GA)
- Women’s World Cup Finals Appearances: 1 – 2019
- Record vs. USA: 0-2-0
- Head Coach: Jose Letelier
- Championship Honors: Copa America Femenina Runners Up (2018)
- Leading WCQ Scorers: Yanara Aedo (3 goals)
- Key Players: Christiane Endler (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA), Yanara Aedo (Valencia, ESP), Carla Guerrero (Rayo Vallecano, ESP), Francisca Lara (Sevilla, ESP)
- Fast Facts: Chile will participate in its first Women’s World Cup at the senior level … Chile was a surprise qualifier to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, but in front of its home fans, it finished second behind Colombia in Group A at the Copa America Feminina, earning a spot in the four-team Final Stage, where it once again finished second, this time behind Brazil … The historic victory that earned Chile its World Cup berth was a 4-0 win against Argentina in the final game for both teams.
SWEDEN (June 20 in Le Harve):
- Current FIFA World Ranking: 9
- 2019 WCQ: Won Group 4 of UEFA Qualification (7-1-0; 22 GF, 2 GA)
- Women’s World Cup Finals Appearances: 8 – 1991 (3rd), 1995 (5th), 1999 (6th), 2003 (Runners-Up), 2007 (10th), 2011 (3rd), 2015 (16th), 2019
- Record vs. USA: 6-21-11
- Head Coach: Peter Gerhardsson
- Championship Honors: EURO Champions (1984), World Cup Runners-Up (2003), Olympic Silver Medalists (2016)
- Leading WCQ Scorers: Kosovare Asllani (4 goals), Stina Blackstenius (3 goals)
- Key Players: Hedvig Lindahl (Chelsea, ENG), Linda Sembrant (Montpellier, FRA), Kosovare Asllani (Linköping), Caroline Seger (Rosengård), Sofia Jakobsson (Montpellier, FRA), Stina Blackstenius (Montpellier, FRA)
- Fast Facts: One of the USA’s 2015 World Cup Group Stage opponents, Sweden continues to be a European powerhouse in the women’s game … After their scoreless draw in Canada, the USA and Sweden met at the 2016 Olympics, where a 1-1 draw through regulation and overtime led to a penalty shootout in which Sweden edged the USA … A year later, the teams met in Gothenburg, Sweden, where the USA triumphed with a 1-0 victory, courtesy of Rose Lavelle.
U.S. All-Time Record vs. Group F World Cup Opponents
Teams | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA |
Thailand | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
Chile | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
Sweden | 38 | 21 | 6 | 11 | 66 | 33 |
Total | 41 | 24 | 6 | 11 | 82 | 33 |
For a complete tournament schedule, visit ussoccer.com.
2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup Groups
Group A (Paris, Reims, Rennes, Grenoble, Nice):
France
Korea Republic
Norway
Nigeria
Group B (Valenciennes, Le Havre, Paris, Rennes, Montpellier):
Germany
China
Spain
South Africa
Group C (Valenciennes, Reims, Grenoble, Montpellier):
Australia
Italy
Brazil
Jamaica
Group D (Le Havre, Paris, Rennes, Nice):
England
Scotland
Japan
Argentina
Group E (Valenciennes, Le Havre, Reims, Grenoble, Montpellier):
Canada
Cameroon
New Zealand
Netherlands
Group F (Le Havre, Reims, Paris, Rennes, Nice):
United States
Thailand
Chile
Sweden