Three spots up for grabs in Women's World Cup playoffs
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[February 16, 2023]
(Reuters) - Portugal and Chile start with a slight advantage
as 10 teams battle it out for the remaining three berths at this
year's Women's World Cup in the final qualifying playoffs over the
next week in New Zealand.
Cameroon, Haiti, Panama, Paraguay, Senegal, Thailand, Taiwan and
Papua New Guinea are also involved in the tournament, which will
complete the field for the first 32-team Women's World Cup in New
Zealand and Australia later this year.
At 22nd in the world, Portugal are the highest-ranked team in the
tournament and they await the winners of Saturday's clash between
Cameroon and Thailand in Hamilton.
Like six of the other teams, Portugal have never played at the World
Cup but winger Jessica Silva is convinced they will be able to stamp
their ticket to the 2023 edition next Wednesday at the same Waikato
Stadium.
"We know that Cameroon and Thailand have both been to the last two
Women's World Cups and that it won't be easy," she told FIFA.com.
"But we really believe that we will make it. Portugal simply have to
be at the World Cup."
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Chile made their debut at the last World Cup and they too will play
only one competitive match in New Zealand next Wednesday, when they
take on the winners of Saturday's game between Haiti and Senegal
with a World Cup berth on the line.
The other four teams play a straightforward knockout tournament
starting on Sunday when Taiwan take on Paraguay in Hamilton and
Papua New Guinea face Panama in Auckland.
The winners will meet in Hamilton next Thursday in a game that will
decide the final qualifier for the ninth Women's World Cup.
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![](../images/021623PIX/sports31.jpg)
The FIFA trophy of the Women's FIFA
World Cup is seen before the announcement ceremony for the Women's
FIFA World Cup 2019 at their headquarters in Zurich March 19, 2015.
REUTERS/Ruben Sprich
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Panama are among the lowest-ranked teams at the
tournament and are not alone in hoping that getting to the global
showpiece might prove a catalyst for women's football back home.
"Qualifying would be a watershed moment for this group," said
Ignacio Quintana, coach of the 57th ranked Canaleras.
"We also know that when we have that World Cup ticket, parents are
going to trust more and take their daughters to train in football
and break that paradigm that sadly still exists a lot in Latin
America that only men can play football."
New Zealand are using the tournament as a test event for their
co-hosting of the first World Cup in the southern hemisphere, which
starts on July 20.
Their Football Ferns will play Portugal and Argentina in two of six
friendlies surrounding the tournament, allowing all the teams to
make the most of the long journey to New Zealand.
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney, editing by Peter Rutherford)
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