The Women’s World Cup final is set. England will face Spain on Sunday after the Lionesses advanced with a 3-1 win over Australia on Wednesday.
Spain moved on with 2-1 win over Sweden on Tuesday. England and Spain will play in their first Women's World Cup final.
Recommended Videos
This year’s World Cup will crown a first-time winner. The United States’ bid for a three-peat ended in a penalty shootout loss to Sweden in the round of 16. Norway, the 1995 champion, lost in the round of 16, 2011 champion Japan was knocked out by Sweden in the quarterfinals, and two-time champion Germany didn't reach the knockout rounds.
Co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, the quadrennial tournament for international soccer's most coveted trophy kicked off July 20 and has featured an expanded field of 32 teams, up from 24. There are 64 matches during the tournament.
WOMEN’S WORLD CUP RESULTS
Sweden won another bronze medal at the Women’s World Cup with Fridolina Rolfo and Kosovare Asllani scoring in a 2-0 win over co-host Australia. The Swedes extended their perfect record in third-place matches to four with the victory. A Matildas squad that captivated the host nation during its run to the semifinals ended the tournament with back-to-back losses.
WOMEN'S WORLD CUP SCHEDULE
England plays Spain in the final in Sydney at 8 p.m. local time (6 a.m. ET) on Sunday.
HOW TO WATCH THE FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP
Fox holds the English-language media rights in the United States for the Women's World Cup. Telemundo holds the Spanish-language rights.
Fox will broadcast a record 29 matches over the air on its main network and the rest of the games will be aired on FS1. All matches will be streamed on the Fox app.
FIFA struck a collective deal with the European Broadcasting Union in mid-June, ending a standoff with broadcasters in five major European television markets. The deal guarantees the games will air in France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Britain.
TOP STORIES
There were some doubts about England’s squad leading into the Women's World Cup because a trio of dominant players — Leah Williamson, Beth Mead and Fran Kirby — weren’t with the team because of injuries. Then there were questions about how they would handle the absence of forward Lauren James, who was suspended for both England’s quarterfinal and semifinal matches.
If those precise passes that untangle defenses and the attacks coming from all angles by first-time Women's World Cup finalist Spain look familiar, there's a good reason.
It’s easy to understand why Gail Newsham can’t stop grinning as she prepares for England’s soccer team to play in the Women's World Cup final. Newsham, 70, grew up at a time when women in England were banned from the sport.
BETTING GUIDE
England is listed at -104 and Spain is -112 to win the title at +100, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
___
AP Women’s World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup