The Filipinas confirmed their spot after a nerve-wracking 4-3 penalty shootout triumph over Chinese Taipei in the quarter-finals of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022™, where Olivia McDaniel’s vital save allowed star forward Sarina Bolden to score the winning penalty.

 

Under the guidance of experienced tactician Alen Stajcic and led by Tahnai Annis with the majority of their squad plying their trade abroad, the Philippines will be raring to go in their World Cup debut as they prepare to take on Switzerland, co-hosts New Zealand and Norway in Group A.

Fellow ASEAN side Vietnam will be Asia’s other debutant in the tournament with their ever-improving squad delivering consistent performances at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in recent years, having last failed to qualify for the continental showpiece in 1997.

 

After finishing behind Japan and Korea Republic in the group stage of the 2022 edition, they beat Thailand and Chinese Taipei in the playoffs to qualify for the World Cup. Two of their star players, Huynh Nhu and Nguyen Thi Thanh Nha, were then on target as they beat Myanmar to win gold at the SEA Games in May.

 

Mai Duc Chung’s side now face the toughest possible opener as they go up against defending champions and four-time winners the United States in Auckland on July 22, before taking on Portugal and 2019 runners-up the Netherlands in what looks like a daunting Group E. 

Captained by Arsenal’s player of the season Katie McCabe, the Republic of Ireland boast one of the players to watch out for amongst all the debutants at this year’s World Cup.

 

Having never qualified for major tournament, Vera Pauw’s side finally delivered the breakthrough moment when Amber Barrett’s goal helped them beat Scotland in the playoffs and with it earn a ticket to the global showpiece. 

 

The prize for that is an opening-day clash against Australia at Stadium Australia in Sydney with the world watching on and the Irish aiming to spoil the party on their World Cup bow. Olympic champions Canada come next before they round off their Group B campaign against Nigeria. 

While their men’s national team last missed a World Cup in 1998, the Portuguese women have made it to the big stage for the first time under the guidance of their long-serving head coach Francisco Neto, who has been at the helm since 2014.

 

Having qualified for back-to-back Euros in 2017 and 2022, Portugal saw off Belgium and Iceland in the European section of the playoffs, before beating Cameroon 2-1 in the Inter-Confederation playoffs with Carole Costa’s 94th-minute penalty sparking wild scenes in Hamilton.

 

It will be the same venue where they take on Vietnam, with that game sandwiched between matches against the United States and the Netherlands as star player Jessica Silva & co. face a tough assignment in their maiden World Cup appearance. 

It was a landmark 2022 for Moroccan football with the men’s national team reaching the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, while the women’s national team narrowly missed out on the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title after losing 2-1 to South Africa in the final.

 

However, similar to Asia with their continental competition doubling up as qualification to the World Cup, there was already something bigger to look forward to for former Lyon boss Reynald Pedros’ team.

 

Ghizlane Chebbak was the star performer at the WAFCON, finishing as the joint top-scorer and being named Player of the Tournament. She will be key as the Atlas Lionesses become the first Arab nation to appear at a FIFA Women’s World Cup, where they begin against Germany before facing Korea Republic and Colombia. 

The fact that Zambia finished ahead of record African champions Nigeria at WAFCON 2022 speaks volumes about how far they have come in recent years, with a first-ever Olympic Games qualification in Tokyo followed by a third-place finish in their continental competition.

 

The Zambians had an impressive campaign as they topped their group ahead of Cameroon and Tunisia, before downing Senegal in the quarter-finals to reach the World Cup. A stoppage-time loss to eventual winners South Africa followed but they claimed bronze by edging Nigeria. 

 

Zambia will be powered by Shanghai Shengli forward Barbra Banda, who is Africa’s all-time top-scorer at the Olympics having netted hat-tricks in consecutive matches against the Netherlands and China PR at Tokyo 2020. After opening against Japan in Group C in Auckland, they'll play Spain and Costa Rica. 

Haiti have had to wait almost half a century to return to a senior FIFA World Cup, with their men’s team having taken part in the 1974 showpiece. And the women will be in somewhat unchartered territory with the team also having never qualified for the Olympic Games as they get set to take to the global stage for the first time. 

 

Lyon’s Melchie Dumornay is their most eye-catching player with her two goals against Chile in the Inter-Confederation playoffs ultimately seeing her side book their place amongst the world’s elite. 

 

The Haitians face one of the toughest possible starts when they go up against European champions England in Brisbane on July 22. Asian champions China PR come next before they complete their Group D matches against Denmark.

Having suffered heartbreak four years ago in their quest to qualify for France 2019 when they agonisingly lost on penalties to Jamaica in the World Cup playoff, Panama have put things right this time round and have finally grabbed their place.

 

Las Canaleras have a youthful squad squad, with one of their youngsters, 22-year-old Lineth Cedeno, scoring the winner against Paraguay in the Inter-Confederation playoffs.

 

The Panamanians can now look forward to clashes against familiar foes Jamaica, Brazil and France in their debut on the biggest stage.