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

 

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.