Special Event: Special Event: 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup: Matchday 1
July 19, 2023 1:40 PM - Subscribe
The Women's World Cup is here, hosted jointly by Australia and New Zealand! Let's set up like last time, with threads for each matchday, and threads for round of 16, quarters, semis, and finals.
New Zealand v Norway starts off first, with Australia v Ireland following 3 hours later. Here's the full schedule, and a handy chart of timezones to know when a game is playing in US/Canada East and in the UK.
New Zealand v Norway starts off first, with Australia v Ireland following 3 hours later. Here's the full schedule, and a handy chart of timezones to know when a game is playing in US/Canada East and in the UK.
The kid is also disappointed in the mid-night game schedule. (FWIW, they're rooting for USA, and worried most about England and, oddly, Portugal being spoilers. I suspected a quirky YouTuber's responsible for the latter, but they claim no, it's just a feeling.)
posted by Quasirandom at 2:43 PM on July 19, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Quasirandom at 2:43 PM on July 19, 2023 [1 favorite]
Yeah, I'm going to try to get up at 3:00 am tomorrow for the New Zealand-Norway game, but I'll have to go to work before the Australia-Ireland game is over.
The good thing about the weird hours in the US, at least, is that it looks like more of the matches will be on broadcast tv than the cable affiliate. I'll be trying to squeeze in as many matches as my sleep and work schedules allow, but remains to be seen how successful I am.
If you don't have your rooting interests set yet, here's an archive link to an article about 8 teams that are the first to rep their countries in a women's world cup.
I think I'm cheering for the US (sheer jingoism, what can I say), Germany (sheer aestheticism, love their away jersey), and Panama (underdog of choice, lived there for a couple years as a kid). But it's so hard to narrow it down, actually cheering for good matches, few injuries, and limited VAR review, heh
Thanks for making the Fanfare post, Liesl!
posted by the primroses were over at 2:50 PM on July 19, 2023 [1 favorite]
The good thing about the weird hours in the US, at least, is that it looks like more of the matches will be on broadcast tv than the cable affiliate. I'll be trying to squeeze in as many matches as my sleep and work schedules allow, but remains to be seen how successful I am.
If you don't have your rooting interests set yet, here's an archive link to an article about 8 teams that are the first to rep their countries in a women's world cup.
I think I'm cheering for the US (sheer jingoism, what can I say), Germany (sheer aestheticism, love their away jersey), and Panama (underdog of choice, lived there for a couple years as a kid). But it's so hard to narrow it down, actually cheering for good matches, few injuries, and limited VAR review, heh
Thanks for making the Fanfare post, Liesl!
posted by the primroses were over at 2:50 PM on July 19, 2023 [1 favorite]
I AM SO PUMPED FOR THIS
GO THE MATILDAS
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 5:26 PM on July 19, 2023 [1 favorite]
GO THE MATILDAS
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 5:26 PM on July 19, 2023 [1 favorite]
As is traditional, the first half of the World Cup’s opening match was fairly dull. Let’s hope for our sakes that the second half is better. But New Zealand won’t care, mind you, they’ve outplayed one of the traditional powerhouses of the game, and look likelier to score.
posted by Kattullus at 1:00 AM on July 20, 2023
posted by Kattullus at 1:00 AM on July 20, 2023
New Zealand will care even less now! Very well constructed goal, and beautifully taken by Wilkinson.
posted by Kattullus at 1:09 AM on July 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Kattullus at 1:09 AM on July 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
And they got the first goal of the world cup! Yay Football Ferns!
posted by the primroses were over at 1:10 AM on July 20, 2023
posted by the primroses were over at 1:10 AM on July 20, 2023
Oh wow! What a start to the tournament for New Zealand! I didn’t expect this, but they really outthought and outplayed Norway.
posted by Kattullus at 2:08 AM on July 20, 2023
posted by Kattullus at 2:08 AM on July 20, 2023
I am at Aus v. Ireland which is sold out and EXCITED
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 2:41 AM on July 20, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 2:41 AM on July 20, 2023 [5 favorites]
What a strange penalty to have go against you. I’m not saying it was wrongly given, it was a correct decision, but it’s rare to see a high-level defender just run into a forward’s legs like that.
posted by Kattullus at 4:17 AM on July 20, 2023
posted by Kattullus at 4:17 AM on July 20, 2023
Spotted in the crowd: an Irish flag with the slogan ‘OOH AH / UP THE MNÁ’ which is as the Irish say ‘a bit spicy’
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 5:05 AM on July 20, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 5:05 AM on July 20, 2023 [2 favorites]
Well done New Zealand! So excited for this! Come on England and France!
posted by ellieBOA at 6:01 AM on July 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by ellieBOA at 6:01 AM on July 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
The next 24 hours brings us Nigeria v Canada, Philippines v Switzerland, and Spain v Costa Rica. I finally found this site to download a calendar of games into my Outlook.
posted by Liesl at 6:45 AM on July 20, 2023
posted by Liesl at 6:45 AM on July 20, 2023
Well, I've got the Canada 🇨🇦 - 🇳🇬 Nigeria game on now; it's the only group stage game on TV at a decent hour here. First 20 were pretty strong for us, but it's been a little more back and forth now. Leon's had some lovely touches. Go Canada go!
posted by Superilla at 7:57 PM on July 20, 2023
posted by Superilla at 7:57 PM on July 20, 2023
That was a total gong show at the Canadian net. I'm hoping that making jollof for supper didn't jinx things. (It burned in the instant pot, so something is jinxed already.)
posted by Superilla at 8:32 PM on July 20, 2023
posted by Superilla at 8:32 PM on July 20, 2023
If Nigeria can salvage the 0-0 out of this it would be a huge upset and an achievement. And, not coincidentally, give advantage to Australia getting out of the group. Go the Super Falcons.
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 8:44 PM on July 20, 2023
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 8:44 PM on July 20, 2023
Ugh, poor Trinity Rodman! What a terrible start to your world cup debut; glad to see her walk off, hope she's ok.
posted by the primroses were over at 6:03 PM on July 21, 2023
posted by the primroses were over at 6:03 PM on July 21, 2023
"she has 2 ... but the flag is up...so she has one" hilarious call on US broadcast on that 2nd Sophia Smith goal. Sure looked like Alex Morgan was offsides though...
2-0 at the half. Kim Thanh Tran is doing a great job in goal for Vietnam. I hope they can score in the 2nd half.
posted by the primroses were over at 6:59 PM on July 21, 2023
2-0 at the half. Kim Thanh Tran is doing a great job in goal for Vietnam. I hope they can score in the 2nd half.
posted by the primroses were over at 6:59 PM on July 21, 2023
I’m always curious about neutrals’ reasons for supporting one team or another. I’m watching Denmark-China with friends and family in rural Iceland, and here we’re either supporting Denmark because of family connections, or rooting against them because they’re our former colonial overlord.
posted by Kattullus at 6:02 AM on July 22, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Kattullus at 6:02 AM on July 22, 2023 [1 favorite]
I’m a little weirded out that no losing team has scored a goal yet.
posted by Quasirandom at 8:17 AM on July 22, 2023
posted by Quasirandom at 8:17 AM on July 22, 2023
South Africa broke that streak.
I was asleep for their match with Sweden, but by all accounts it was an exciting game. Netherlands-Portugal, which I did wake up early enough to watch most of, hasn’t been. Last year they played out an exciting ding-dong contest, so my expectations where higher than perhaps they should’ve been, so I’m almost a bit disappointed I woke up for this.
Almost, this is still the World Cup.
posted by Kattullus at 2:23 AM on July 23, 2023
I was asleep for their match with Sweden, but by all accounts it was an exciting game. Netherlands-Portugal, which I did wake up early enough to watch most of, hasn’t been. Last year they played out an exciting ding-dong contest, so my expectations where higher than perhaps they should’ve been, so I’m almost a bit disappointed I woke up for this.
Almost, this is still the World Cup.
posted by Kattullus at 2:23 AM on July 23, 2023
The Reggae Girlz have to be proud of that draw, but losing Bunny Shaw for the next game sucks. I thought a 2nd yellow card for that foul was a bit harsh.
Couple of shots by les Bleues that I can't believe didn't go in though.
posted by the primroses were over at 4:57 AM on July 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
Couple of shots by les Bleues that I can't believe didn't go in though.
posted by the primroses were over at 4:57 AM on July 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
That header at the end of the match that hit the crossbar and the post… zut alors!
posted by Kattullus at 5:10 AM on July 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Kattullus at 5:10 AM on July 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
Been to all three games in Wellington. Very enjoyable, except for the result in NZ-Philippines. Forgot there were so many Filipinos living in NZ, they made a lot of noise and deserved to have a win to cheer. Spain-Costa Rica was excellent, with a lot of local support for Costa Rica, and cheers every time they made a break from defense. Can't quite believe the crowds - easily three times the size of our local men's A-League team, for games that NZ wasn't playing in, in awful weather. Just enough of an edge in the crowd atmosphere, like booing borderline VAR decisions and heckling time-wasting, without getting nasty.
posted by Pink Frost at 2:42 AM on July 25, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by Pink Frost at 2:42 AM on July 25, 2023 [4 favorites]
I’m really psyched for the World Cup, but a lot of matches are in the middle of the night for me. If I didn’t have youngish kids, I’d probably turn my sleep cycle around. I usually watch every game in a World Cup, or near enough, so this’ll be very strange.
This, from California. :( I know scheduling every World Cup to optimize live viewing is complicated, but normally there are just some middle-of-the-night group stage games that I skip and everything else is doable (in the sense that everyone at work will be in that beautiful liminal space between, uh, "working" and "watching a game of sports"). Some cynical part of me feels like this is punishing the USWNT for daring to ask for compensation for the ratings they usually deliver in the US, because there's no way USians are going to be watching these live this time around (and I hate watching delayed games). I've barely even heard anyone talk IRL about the World Cup.
posted by grandiloquiet at 8:26 AM on July 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
This, from California. :( I know scheduling every World Cup to optimize live viewing is complicated, but normally there are just some middle-of-the-night group stage games that I skip and everything else is doable (in the sense that everyone at work will be in that beautiful liminal space between, uh, "working" and "watching a game of sports"). Some cynical part of me feels like this is punishing the USWNT for daring to ask for compensation for the ratings they usually deliver in the US, because there's no way USians are going to be watching these live this time around (and I hate watching delayed games). I've barely even heard anyone talk IRL about the World Cup.
posted by grandiloquiet at 8:26 AM on July 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
Matchday 2 post up! I also added the tag so that these posts appear in the Mefi Football Club on Fanfare.
posted by Liesl at 8:48 AM on July 25, 2023
posted by Liesl at 8:48 AM on July 25, 2023
I think it's just inevitable time zone incompatibilty between the US/Western Europe and New Zealand/Australia. 2 of 3 USWNT group stage matches are in evening hours for EDT-PDT, so I think they're doing the best they reasonably can for US viewers. Men's 2026 the time zone woes will be on the other foot. Also possibly 2027, depending on which bid gets awarded.
On the east coast US, I kind of like the matches at 6 am that I can squeeze in with coffee before work, but my attempts to wake up for more of the early morning hours have been bad for my rest and my dog's schedule, so I am sympathetic to the complaint!
posted by the primroses were over at 8:51 AM on July 25, 2023 [3 favorites]
On the east coast US, I kind of like the matches at 6 am that I can squeeze in with coffee before work, but my attempts to wake up for more of the early morning hours have been bad for my rest and my dog's schedule, so I am sympathetic to the complaint!
posted by the primroses were over at 8:51 AM on July 25, 2023 [3 favorites]
W/r/t time synchronisation. In 1990 for the World Cup in Italy, FIFA famously used Pavarotti singing Nessun Dorma as marketing. The Australian SBS tv channel, which broadcast all the matches live in Italian time (meaning: in the middle of the local night or extremely early morning) used the song as marketing here but with footage of bleary eyed people watching television under blankets. Nessun Dorma! None shall sleep!
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 2:49 PM on July 25, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 2:49 PM on July 25, 2023 [2 favorites]
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posted by Kattullus at 2:22 PM on July 19, 2023 [3 favorites]