When a country qualifies for a competition – in this case the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup – it is believed that there is a possibility that one can win it. However, this is not the case for the Super Falcons of Nigeria as they’ve been ranked out of the Top 10 (13) countries that can win the competition.
The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is billed to kick off on Thursday with co-hosts New Zealand facing Norway in the opening game while Australia have a date with the Republic of Ireland in a Group B encounter.
Nigeria’s opening game will be against Canada on Friday in Melbourne as they kickstart their journey to try to make it out of a tough group.
Nigeria and every other African country – Zambia, South Africa, Morocco – participating in the World Cup have been ruled out of the list of title contenders.
According to a power ranking of title contenders compiled by The Score, four-time champions, the United States have been ranked as favourites to win the title in Australia and New Zealand. A win for the Americans will hand them their fifth world title. The United States have a +250 odds in their favour to win the title.
European champions England have been tipped as the second favourite team to win the tournament. This might prove a bit difficult due to high-profile injuries to some of their top players such as Euro 2022 Golden Boot winner Beth Mead, Fran Kirby and Leah Williamson who are all out as a result of injuries.
Spain have been placed as the third favourite to win their maiden World Cup trophy while two-time world champions Germany who last won the tournament in 2007 are fourth. France who are seen as the dark horse of the competition are in fifth.
Others include Canada, Sweden, Brazil, Australia, and the Netherlands while former champions Japan and Norway as well as Denmark are seen as teams with outside chances to win the competition.
It will be a tough competition for Nigeria whose first task will be to make it out of the group that has some of the world’s top-ranked countries in women’s football.
