The 2023 Women's World Cup knockout rounds has now seen the field of teams trimmed down to an elite four as the quarterfinals took place between August 11-12.
Several favourites are still in the running for the title, but as the unpredictable group stage showed, an outsider just might have a shot at the trophy this year. The defending champion No. 1-ranked USA are no longer in the tournament, and the same goes for Olympic champions and No. 7 team Canada.
European powers England and Sweden are all two games from winning the biggest prize of them all and hosts Australia look like they have what it takes to go all the way even without Sam Kerr at 100 percent.
The Sporting News takes a look at how the quarterfinals played out.
MORE: FIFA Women's World Cup schedule, tables, and match times 2023
Teams in Women's World Cup quarterfinals 2023
We had eight teams in the Women's World Cup quarterfinals, with five European sides, one each from Asia and South America, and hosts Australia.
The biggest shock of the previous Round of 16 came when USA were eliminated by Sweden following a penalty shootout, while England survived their shootout against Nigeria.
| Nations | World Ranking |
Round of 16 Result |
World Cup QF appearances |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 6th | Spain 5-1 Switzerland | 1 |
| Japan | 11th | Japan 3-1 Norway | 4 |
| Netherlands | 9th | Netherlands 2-0 South Africa | 2 |
| Sweden | 3rd | Sweden 0-0 USA (Sweden advance 5-4 pens) |
3 |
| England | 4th | England 0-0 Nigeria (England advance 4-2 pens) |
6 |
| Australia | 10th | Australia 2-0 Denmark | 4 |
| Colombia | 25th | Colombia 1-0 Jamaica | 1 |
| France | 5th | France 4-0 Morocco | 4 |
MORE: When is the next Women's World Cup in 2027?
Women's World Cup quarterfinals schedule 2023
With the World Cup bracket predetermined by FIFA ahead of the tournament, we already know each team's path to the final.
Each quarterfinal matchup follows below. The first two quarterfinal winners will meet in one semifinal and the other two QF winners will meet in the other semi.
| Date | Match | Highlights | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Aug. 11 | QF1: Spain 2-1 Netherlands | Highlights | Wellington (NZL) |
| Fri, Aug. 11 | QF2: Japan 1-2 Sweden | Highlights | Auckland (NZL) |
| Sat, Aug. 12 | QF3: Australia 0-0 France (7-6 on pens) | Highlights | Brisbane (AUS) |
| Sat, Aug. 12 | QF4: England 2-1 Colombia | Highlights | Sydney (AUS) |
MORE: Women's World Cup top goal scorers 2023
History of Women's World Cup quarterfinals
Here are the nations that have participated in a Women's World Cup quarterfinal match in the nine editions that have been held since 1991.
The USA and Germany had each previously made it to every quarterfinal stage prior to the 2023 edition, but Germany saw their streak snapped after elimination in the group stage, and the USWNT fell in the Round of 16.
- Germany (8): 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019
- USA (8): 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019
- China (6): 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015
- Sweden (7): 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2011, 2019, 2023
- Norway (6): 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2019
- England (6): 1995, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023
- Brazil (4): 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011
- Japan (4): 1995, 2011, 2015, 2023
- Australia (4): 2007, 2011, 2015, 2023
- France (4): 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023
- Canada (2): 2003, 2015
- Denmark (2): 1991, 1995
- Italy (2): 1991, 2019
- Russia (2): 1999, 2003
- Netherlands (2): 2019, 2023
- Chinese Taipei (1): 1991
- Nigeria (1): 1999
- North Korea (1): 2007
- Spain (1): 2023
- Colombia (1): 2023
How do the quarterfinals work in the Women's World Cup?
The quarterfinals are the second stage of the knockout rounds of the Women's World Cup, with eight teams left standing after the single-elimination, winner-takes-all matches in the Round of 16.
Unlike the group stages, teams are not playing for points, they are only playing for the win to progress further at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Just as in the Round of 16, there must be a winner on the day for each quarterfinal.
What happens if quarterfinal matches end in a draw?
For all knockout-round matches at the Women's World Cup, a team must advance from each matchup to the following round (Round of 16 to quarterfinals, semifinals, and final).
If teams are tied after 90 minutes of regulation, the match goes into a 30-minute period of extra time.
If the deadlock persists after those 30 minutes of extra time, then a penalty shootout will determine the team that moves on to the quarterfinals.
How teams advance at World Cup 2023
The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup is the first edition of the tournament which included 32 teams from across the world.
All 32 qualified teams were divided into eight groups (A through H), and their finish in the group stage — only the top two from each group advanced — determined their path through the knockout stages.
Group Stage
The top two teams from each group progressed into the knockout stage, beginning with the Round of 16.
The group stage consisted of typical round-robin group play with each team playing the other three. Three points were awarded for every win in the group stage, one for a draw, and none for a loss.
If teams were tied on points, goal difference and then goals scored represented the first tiebreakers.
MORE: When is the Women's World Cup final 2023?
Knockout Rounds
Beginning with the Round of 16 through to the final, every match at the World Cup is single elimination.
Teams advance from the Round of 16 to the quarterfinals, then to the semifinals, and lastly to the final or third-place match.
As explained above, if teams are tied at the end of the 90 minutes of regulation, the match moves into 30 minutes of extra time followed by a penalty shootout, if necessary.
