The biggest FIFA Women's World Cup to date is nearly here with the 2023 edition poised to be a blockbuster.
Held in Australia and New Zealand, the tournament will see a record 32 nations compete on the global stage for the first time in the women's game.
Just over six months after the men's edition in Qatar captivated the globe, the 2023 Women's World Cup will be hoping to do the same.
With defending champions the USA searching for an unprecedented third straight World Cup and the likes of England and Australia chasing their first World Cup crown, this is a tournament not to be missed.
The Sporting News breaks down all the key dates for the 2023 Women's World Cup below.
MORE: Complete Women's World Cup schedule and fixtures
When does the Women's World Cup start?
The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup officially begins on July 20 in Auckland.
Co-hosts New Zealand will play the tournament's first match against Norway at Eden Park with the Group A game kicking off at 7 p.m. local time.
| Region | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| USA | Thu, July 20 | 3 a.m. ET |
| Canada | Thu, July 20 | 3 a.m. ET |
| UK | Thu, July 20 | 8 a.m. BST |
| Australia | Thu, July 20 | 5 p.m. AEST |
| New Zealand | Thu, July 20 | 7 p.m. NZST |
| India | Thu, July 20 | 12:30 p.m. IST |
| Malaysia | Thu, July 20 | 3 p.m. MYT |
| Singapore | Thu, July 20 | 3 p.m. SGT |
| Hong Kong | Thu, July 20 | 3 p.m. HKT |
When is the Women's World Cup final?
The 2023 Women's World Cup final is scheduled to take place on August 20 — exactly one month after the tournament begins.
The last game of the tournament will be played at Stadium Australia in Sydney with a local start time of 8 p.m.
The final will be the 64th match of the 2023 Women's World Cup which is a new tournament high. The 2019 edition only saw 52 matches played.
We're 365 days away from the #FIFAWWC final! 🤩
— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) August 19, 2022
Who will lift the trophy next? 🏆 pic.twitter.com/xY6FuncPiC
When is the next Women's World Cup?
Once the action concludes in Australia and New Zealand, the next Women's World Cup won't be until 2027.
Like the men's tournament, the WWC follows a four-year cycle which allows time for qualifying games without interrupting club football too much.
The 2027 Women's World Cup is yet to secure a host with an announcement expected by mid-2024.
South Africa confirmed their bid to host the tournament in September 2022, while Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands revealed their desire to share hosting rights in 2020.
