FIFA Women's World Cup 2007

The pinnacle of women’s soccer has started with the opening of the 2007 Women’s World Cup in China on September 10th. It will run until September 30th. The games opened in Shanghai’s magnificent 31,000 seat stadium, one of the largest and most modern in China. They are also being held across China, in Tianjin, Hangzhou, Wuhan and Chengdu. 

The tournament opened in dramatic style, with holders Germany beating (or is it routing) Argentina with a 11-0 walkover. This was the biggest win and highest scoring match in Women’s World Cup history. Clearly the Argentinean women have a lot to learn from their menfolk! Day 2, on the 11th was symbolic – all three thrilling games ended on draws: 1-1 between Nigeria and Sweden, 2-2 between Japan and England and 2-2 between the USA and Korea DPR. 

The fact that these games in China come so close to the Olympics is fortuitous. China was supposed to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2003, but a SARS outbreak there forced the games to be moved to the USA. Now the 2007 Championship is seen as a prelude to 2008 Games, which promise to be outstanding. UEFA is using the FIFA Women's World Cup as its qualifying tournament for the soccer games at the Olympics, with the three best-performing UEFA teams getting a place there. 

16 nations are participating in the Women's World Cup finals, with the host China having automatic qualification. The participants are: Nigeria and Ghana from Africa; China, Australia, Korea and Japan from Asia; Canada and USA from America; Norway, Sweden, German, Denmark and England from Europe; New Zealand from Oceania and Argentina and Brazil from South America. 

The prize structure is $1 million for 1st place, $800,000 for 2nd, $650,000 for 3rd, and $550,000 for 4th. Quarter-finalists get $300,000 and first-rounders will exit with $200,000.