Women’s World Cup 2023 betting preview, odds and predictions

THE Women’s World Cup will be hitting our screens later this month as the ninth edition of the competition takes place in Australia and New Zealand.

This year’s tournament will include a bumper 32 teams competing in eight groups, all looking to dethrone back-to-back winners and current favourites the United States to claim the ultimate prize. Matches will be held at 10 stadiums in nine cities across Australia and New Zealand, who represent the first ever co-hosts of this prestigious month-long competition.

So, will the US show their dominance once more, or can reigning European Championship winners England clinch more silverware? Here’s our tournament betting preview, which includes the latest Women’s World Cup betting odds, best betting tips and loads of other key info for punters.

Best UK bookies for Women’s World Cup betting

1. BetUK
2. bet365
3. Rhino.bet
4. Ladbrokes
5. Coral
6. Unibet
7. 10bet
8. Spreadex
9. William Hill
10. Betway

Who are the favourites to win this year’s Women’s World Cup?

Who is most likely to win the 2023 Women’s World Cup? Let’s take a look, including what the bookmakers think via their odds.

The contenders

The United States are 5/2 favourites, and it’s extremely easy to see why. They have won exactly half of the eight Women’s World Cup finals since its introduction in 1991, and they have never finished lower than third place.

Though not blitzing their opposition of late, they’ve still put together an eight-game winning streak against Brazil, Canada and Japan. The USWNT is predictably stacked with talent including the likes of Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan and Alyssa Thompson.

The Lionesses are ranked fourth in the world, but they are second-favourites at 9/2 to clinch their first ever World Cup trophy.

Manager Sarina Wiegman’s side are hoping to recreate their success at last year’s European Championships, but will be without Golden Boot winner Beth Mead, Fran Kirby and captain Leah Williamson.

Perhaps the most talented squad at this year’s competition, Spain certainly have the players to justify their 6/1 odds.

Barcelona are the dominant side in European football having won the Champions League in June, and Spain have NINE of them in the squad – including back-to-back Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas.

There is, however, an issue with manager Jorge Vilda still in charge. Fifteen players declared themselves unavailable for selection in protest against Vilda, but three have still been included in the squad.

Germany are available at 7/1. They’ve participated in every major tournament since the World Cup’s inception and boast two of the most dangerous wingers in women’s football in Jule Brand and Klara Buhl.

France are somewhat of an unknown quantity given new coach Herve Renard has no experience in women’s football and only took the role in April following his successful period with Saudi Arabia.

There’s no doubting that France have underachieved over the years, losing their only World Cup final appearance 12 years ago. But Wendie Renard is back and determined to lead France to glory.

Women’s World Cup facts and stats

• The Women’s World Cup was established in 1991 and takes place every four years
• The United States are the most successful side in Women’s World Cup history, winning the competition four times out of a possible eight
• The US have played exactly 50 Women’s World Cup matches, winning 40, drawing six and losing just four times
• Organisers are hoping to hit record viewing figures of 2billion in worldwide audience
• The world record attendance for a women’s football match is 91,648 – set when Barcelona Women played Wolfsburg Women in the UEFA Women’s Champions League at Camp Nou
• The highest-scoring Women’s World Cup match was between the US and Thailand in 2019, with the US winning 13-0
• In the history of the Women’s World Cup, over 70% of goals have been scored by just five countries – USA, Germany, Brazil, Norway, and Sweden
• Germany holds the record for the most consecutive clean sheets in Women’s World Cup tournaments, with eleven consecutive matches without conceding a goal from 2003-2011

Who has won the Women’s World Cup?

The Women’s World Cup was first established in 1991, and there have been eight finals since. The United States have dominated reaching the final five times and lifting the trophy on four of those visits.

Women’s World Cup winners

• 1991 – United States
• 1995 – Norway
• 1999 – United States
• 2003 – Germany
• 2007 – Germany
• 2011 – Japan
• 2015 – United States
• 2019 – United States

How many teams have qualified for the Women’s World Cup?

The 2023 Women’s World Cup is the first to feature 32 teams. The previous edition in 2019 contained 24 countries competing for the ultimate prize.

The participants are; Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, Philippines, South Korea, Vietnam, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, Canada, Costa Rica, Haiti, Jamaica, Panama, United States, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

When is the Women’s World Cup happening?

The Women’s World Cup starts in Auckland on July 20. The final will take place on August 20 in Sydney at the Accor Stadium.

Match times vary with the earliest kick-off in the United Kingdom starting at 1am, and the latest 12pm. England’s group matches are at 10.30am against Haiti, 9.30am against Denmark and China at 12pm.

Where can I watch the Women’s World Cup 2023?

The BBC and ITV will provide live television coverage of the upcoming 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

In total all 64 matches from the tournament will be broadcast in the UK on either the BBC or ITV, except for the Final, which will be shown across both BBC One and ITV1.

Our Women’s World Cup betting strategies and tips

It’s important not to take a scattergun approach to football betting. Here are a few things worth thinking about before placing your World Cup bets.

• Compare odds value between bookies – Loyalty can be a good thing but not always when it comes to betting. Make sure you open several accounts so you can get the best price on a bet. Why take 4/1 when 5/1 is on offer elsewhere?
• Set limits beforehand – Have a betting bank which you can afford to lose and stick to it. Don’t go chasing any losses by putting more money in.
• Do your research – In short, get to know the teams. The FIFA rankings can be a useful guide, but take a closer look at their current squads and recent form. Previous head-to-head meetings can also be a good indicator of how a particular match will play out.

Remember to gamble responsibly

A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chase their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressed
• Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
• Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org

For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.