FIFA Women's football World Cup: New Zealand beat Norway in opening match; Australia defeats Ireland

The biggest FIFA Women's Football World Cup kicked off in New Zealand and Australia yesterday. In the opening match, New Zealand defeated Norway 1-0 in Auckland’s Eden Park yesterday. Hannah Wilkinson’s lone strike helped New Zealand bag their first-ever World Cup win. 

In another match of the day, Australia began its tournament journey with a 1-0 win over the Republic of Ireland in Sydney. For Australia, defender Steph Catley converted a penalty kick putting on board her team's lone goal, enough for the victory.

 

Australia and New Zealand are jointly hosting the ninth edition, in which 32 nations



including defending world champions the US are taking part. It is the first Women's World Cup with two co-hosts.

 

The women's football World Cup will follow the traditional group stage-knockout format. For the group stage, the teams have been divided equally into eight groups of four teams each.

 

Besides, Republic of Ireland, seven other nations are making their debuts at this World Cup - Vietnam, Zambia, Haiti, Morocco, Panama, the Philippines, and Portugal.

 

The final will take place at the Sydney Olympic Stadium on 20th of next month.