FIFA Women’s World Cup Winners
USA Lead Field With Four Trophies
New Winner Likely in 2023
Just four different teams have won the FIFA Women’s World Cup. That could change in 2023 as there are a bunch of strong teams who have never won the tournament. The USA head into Australia & New Zealand 2023 as back-to-back champions but no team has ever won three straight. As the USWNT tries to make history, we’ll look back at the previous FIFA Women’s World Cup winners.
Women’s World Cup Winners
1991-2003
The first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup occurred in China in 1991. There were just 12 teams at the tournament, and it finished with the USA lifting the trophy. Led by the “Triple-Edged Sword” of Carin Jennings, Michelle Akers and April Heinrichs, the USWNT won all six of their matches. In the final, the USA beat Norway 2-1.
Norway got their revenge four years later, when they beat the USA 1-0 in the semifinal in one of their best-ever World Cup results. The Norwegians then beat Germany 2-0 in the 1995 final to seal their first and only World Cup title. Ahead of the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the field expanded to 16 teams.
Hosts USA cruised to the 1999 final and faced China there. The match finished scoreless, and USA defender Brandi Chastain scored the winning penalty in the shootout, which produced one of the most iconic celebrations in women’s sports history. The USA hosted the Women’s World Cup again in 2003 but couldn’t go back-to-back. Germany joined the FIFA Women’s World Cup winners ranks as they beat Sweden 2-1 on a golden goal in the final.
2007-2019
Germany became the first nation to win back-to-back Women’s World Cup trophies at China 2007. Incredibly, Germany did not concede a single goal at the tournament as Nadine Angerer kept six straight clean sheets. The Germans hosted the next edition of the Women’s World Cup in 2011 but were upset by Japan in the quarterfinals.
Japan went on an astounding run, knocking out Sweden by a 3-1 scoreline in the semifinals and defeating the USA in penalties in the final. Japan came back twice from one goal down to force extra time and penalties, respectively.
In 2015, Canada hosted the first 24-team Women’s World Cup. There, fans were treated to a rematch of the 2011 final. This time, the USA made no mistake and led 4-0 by the 16th minute. Carli Lloyd scored a first-half hat trick as the USWNT won 5-2 for their third title.
Things were not exactly easy for the USA at France 2019, at least in the knockout stage. In the round of 16, they squeaked by Spain, 2-1. They beat France in the quarterfinal and managed to handle the pressure from England in the semifinal also to win 2-1 in both matches. In the final, vs. the Netherlands, two second half goals powered the USWNT to a record fourth Women’s World Cup win.
Close Calls
The list of FIFA Women’s World Cup winners is an elite company. Just the USA, Norway, Germany and Japan have hoisted the trophy. All of them are competing at the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, which just got underway.
China, Sweden, Brazil and the Netherlands are the only other countries to appear in a Women’s World Cup final. The USA are the only team to qualify for three straight Women’s World Cup finals and every single semifinal. The other two teams to appear in a semifinal are Canada, France and England. In fact, England and the USA have made the last two semifinals.
Potential New Winners
With the Women’s World Cup schedule taking over the soccer world for the next few weeks, it will be a popular event for betting. This edition of the World Cup could be the most difficult to win, with 32 teams in the field. Unlike the last two tournaments, only the top two teams from each group will qualify for the knockout stage.
Each and every team previously mentioned qualified for Australia and New Zealand 2023 and some are among the top contenders. The USA come in at +250 odds to win an unprecedented three-peat. Meanwhile former winners Germany, Japan and Norway show +700, +2500 and +5000 odds to add another title to their trophy case, respectively.
Of the teams who have never previously won the tournament, England show the shortest odds to win the World Cup. The 2022 Women’s Euro winners come in at +400 odds to lift the trophy. Next up is a Spain team dealing with controversy heading into the tournament but they display +650 odds, regardless. France, who are solid across the board and led by Wendie Renard, are priced at +1000 odds.
Co-hosts Australia sit at +1200 odds but they’ve never made it past the quarterfinals before. Sweden, who last appeared in a final 20 years ago, are +1800 dark horses. Meanwhile, the Netherlands and Brazil are both intriguing picks at +2500.
Follow us on Twitter
