How expansion of the Women’s World Cup led to the best tournament yet

The decision to increase the number of teams competing to 32 has been justified as this year’s finals showcases the rapidly changing landscape of women’s football, the narrowing gap between nations and why we should be optimistic about the future, writes Jessy Parker Humphreys.

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When the World Cup began, there were fears that the tournament could be a bit of a mismatch. With the competition being extended from 24 teams to 32 for the first time, people were concerned. Was it possible that we could see the same kind of imbalances that had led the United States to beating Thailand 13-0 in their first match of 2019? Were we going to get a series of hardly competitive matches with the tournament only really getting going when we reach the knockout stages?

Thankfully, the opposite has happened. In fact, the knockout stages might have to raise their game to even match the drama of the groups. Teams who were expected to make the last 16, the quarter-finals, even the final, have been sent home at the very start of August. Only three teams have won all their games and only three teams are yet to concede a goal. This World Cup is the most competitive yet.

The concern leading into the tournament was understandable. With eight debutants in the competition, it was hard to know what to expect from a good chunk of the teams. Yes, everyone had had to qualify to get there but how would teams fare on this bigger stage, with the eyes of the world on them?

The answer was that lots of them would thrive. Only four teams of the 32 ended up with no points from the group stage and only two teams, Haiti and Vietnam, failed to score a single goal. That compares to five teams back in 2019 who lost all three games, although every team at that tournament did score at least once.

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There were also justifiable worries based off of some of the experiences that teams were having heading in the World Cup. Nigeria were threatening to boycott their opener with Canada over unpaid bonuses, while Jamaica had been forced to raise money through a GoFundMe to support their trip. South Africa had fielded a team of players from outside their squad as part of a friendly against Botswana in the lead up to the tournament as part of a row with their federation. Despite their off-field issues all three of these teams made the knockout stages — Jamaica and South Africa, whose fairytale run finally came to an end today after losing 2-0 to the Netherlands, for the first time in their history.

For these teams who made it through, in groups where they were not necessarily expected to, they benefited from the expansion. Both Jamaica and South Africa were able to pick up important points in matches against Panama and Argentina respectively. Similarly Morocco in Group H got a good win over South Korea to set them up for the final group stage.

It is hard to know exactly how much teams will have taken from those results that made up their second matchday but it must have been heartening to head into the final day of the group knowing that they had the opportunity to get through. Some like Jamaica and Nigeria — who next face a last-16 clash with England tomorrow — had their destiny in their own hands. Others like Morocco knew they would need a little more help from elsewhere.

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The expansion to 32 has perhaps also exposed the complacency of some of the bigger teams. Previously only eight teams went home — if you finished third in your group, you still had a decent shot at going through. In 2019 two teams who only had three points and had finished third went through. This year five teams with four points went out. Three of those five were the tournament’s biggest shock exits: Canada, Brazil and Germany.

There is no doubt that this group stage has been the most thrilling of any Women’s World Cup. From the prayers of the Moroccan players as they huddled around a phone to see South Korea hold on for a draw against Germany to the dancing celebrations of South Africa. Spare a thought as well for Portugal who came inches away from pulling off what would have been the biggest upset of all and knocking out the United States. That achievement belongs to Sweden today as they sent the holders home after a dramatic 5-4 penalty shootout win decided by VAR.

This tournament has shown that the landscape of women’s football is changing rapidly. Previous leaders of the game are being swiftly overtaken in the shifting sands with the gap between the very good and the best small enough to be leapt over in a single match or two. The success of emerging football nations at the tournament will only increase this effect as hopefully more attention and finance will be provided. Even off the back of one of the most unexpected group stages ever, the best is yet to come.

Follow Jessy on Twitter @jessyjph

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