The FIFA Women's World Cup Tournament
EducationThe FIFA Women's World Cup Tournament
The FIFA Women's World Cup tournament was the brainchild of former FIFA president ( 1974 - 1998 ), Brazilian Joao Havalange.
The first tournament was hosted by China in 1991, 61 years after the mens first FIFA World Cup.
Matches are played by teams from all of the world's six regional football confederations.
Since the first tournament in China with 12 teams, growing world wide interest has boosted the next tournament's participants to 16 teams.
The next FIFA Women's World Cup will be played in Germany between the 26th of June and the 17th of July 2011.
JOAO HAVALANGE.
FIFA PRESIDENT 1974 - 1998.
As the two times defending world champions Germany automatically became the choice for the next tournament's venue and as the next tournament host nation, Germany has automatically qualified to play in the tournament.
The tournament will be played at 9 venues across Germany, resulting in the final being played at the 49,000 + seat capacity Commerzbank Arena in Frankfurt.
The qualifying matches for the tournament have been played in three stages over a two year period leading up to the final. The big shock of the qualifying matches as yet, is the knock out of former tournament giants China by Asian champions Australia, leaving China out of the tournament for the first time in it's history. Japan is now the only Asian team to have qualified for all six finals since the tournament's inauguraion.
Below are the qualifying countries for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Tournament...
2011 WOMEN'S WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS.
GERMANY
BRAZIL
NORWAY
SWEDEN
U.S.A
AUSTRALIA
NIGERIA
CANADA
ENGLAND
JAPAN
MEXICO
NEW ZEALAND
KOREA DPR
FRANCE
COLOMBIA
EQUATORIAL GUINEA
2011 GROUPS
A B C D
Germany Japan. U.S.A. Brazil.
Canada. New Zealand. Korea. Australia.
Nigeria. Mexico. Colombia Norway
France. England Sweden Eq Guinea.
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THE COMMERZBANK ARENA, FRANKFURT, VENUE OF THE FIFA WOMEN'S WORLD CUP FINAL.
2011 STADIUM VENUES.
Stadium Augsberg, Augsberg.
Olympiastadion, Berlin.
Stadion Bochum, Bochum
Rudolf Harbig Stadion, Dresden.
Commerzbank Arena, Frankfurt.
Stadion Frankfurt, Frankfurt.
Stadion Leerkusen, Leverkusen.
Im Borussia Park, Monchengladbach.
Rhein Necker Stadion, Sinsheim.
Im Allerpark, Wolfsburg.
FIFA Women's World Cup Opening Ceremony, Olympiastadion, Berlin, June 26th 2011.
2011 GROUP MATCH RESULTS
GROUP A MATCHES
Match 1) 26th June 2011 - Olympiastadion, Berlin - Germany 2 - Canada 1.
Match 2) 26th June 2011 - Rhein Necker Arena, Sinsheim - Nigeria 0 - France 1.
Match 9) 30th June 2011 - Stadion Frankfurt, Frankfurt - Germany 1 - Nigeria 0.
Match 10) 30th June 2011 - Stadion Bochum, Bochum - Canada 0 - France 4.
Match 17) 5th July 2011 - Im Borussia Park, Monchengladbach - France 2 - Germany 4.
Match 18) 5th July 2011 - Rudolf Harbig Stadion, Dresden - Canada 0 - Nigeria 1.
Germany - 9 points.
France - 6 points.
Nigeria - 3 points.
Canada - 6 points.
GROUP B MATCHES.
Match 3) 27th June 2011 - Stadion Bochum, Bochum - Japan 2 - New Zealand 1.
Match 4) 27th June 2011 - Im Allerpark, Wolfsburg - Mexico 1 - England 1.
( Read Greg Markov's England v Mexico match report 2011-fifa-womens-world-cup-england-vs-mexico )
Match 11) 1st July 2011 - Stadion Leverkusen, Leverkusen - Japan 4 - Mexico 0.
Match 12) 1st July 2011 - Rudolf Harbig Stadion, Dresden - New Zealand 1 - England 2.
(Read Greg Markov's New Zealand v England match report 2011-fifa-womens-world-cup-england-vs-new-zealand)
Match19) 5th July 2011 - Stadion Augsberg, Augsberg - England 2 - Japan 0.
Match 20) 5th July 2011 - Rhein Necker Stadion, Sinsheim - New Zealand 2 - Mexico 2.
England - 7 points.
Japan - 6 points.
Mexico - 2 points.
New Zealand - 1 point.
GROUP C MATCHES.
Match 5) 28th June 2011 - Rudolf Harbig Stadion, Dresden - USA 2 - Korea 0.
Match 6) 28th June 2011 - Stadion Bochum, Bochum - Colombia 0 - Sweden 1.
Match 13) 2nd July 2011 - Rhein Necker Stadion, Sinsheim - USA 3 - Colombia 0.
Match 14) 2nd July 2011 - Stadion Augsburg, Augsburg - Korea 0 - Sweden 1.
Match 21) 6th july 2011 - Im Allerpark, Wolfsburg - Sweden 2 - USA 1.
Match 22) 6th July 2011 - Stadion Bochum, Bochum - Korea 0 - Colombia 0.
U.S.A - 6 points.
Sweden - 6 points.
Korea - 1 point
Colombia - 1 point
GROUP D MATCHES
Match 7) 29th July 2011 - Im BorussiaPark, Monchengladbach - Brazil 1 - Australia 0.
Match 8) 29th June 2011 - Stadion Augsburg, Augsburg - Norway 1 - Equitorial Guinea 0.
Match 15) 3rd July 2011 - Im Allerpark, Wolfsburg - Brazil 3 - Norway 0.
Match 16) 3rd July 2011 - Stadion Bochum, Bochum - Australia 3 - Equitorial Guinea 2.
Match 23) 6th July 2011 - Stadion Frankfurt, Frankfurt - Equitorial Guinea 0 - Brazil 3.
Match 24) 6th July 2011 - Stadion Leverkusen, Leverkusen - Australia 2 - Norway 1.
Brazil - 9 points.
Australia - 6 points.
Norway - 3 points.
Equitorial Gunea - 0 points.
QUARTER FINALS.
Match 25) 9th July - Imm Allerpark, Wolfsburg - Germany 0 - Japan 1.
Match 26) 9th July - Stadion Leverkusen - England 1 - France 1.
Although a one one draw between England and France, France beat England by 4 points to 3 on penalties to earn themselves a place in the semi - finals.
Match 27) 10th July - Stadion Augsburg, Augsburg - Sweden 3 - Australia 1.
Match 28) 10th July - Rudolf Hardig Stadion, Dresden - Brazil 2 - U.S.A 2.
Although a two - two draw for the USA and Brazil, the Americans beat Brazil 5 points to 3 on penalties to earn themselves a place in the semi - finals.
SEMI - FINALS.
Match 29) 13th July - Commerzbank Arena, Frankfurt am Main - Japan 3 - Sweden 1.
Match 30) 13th July - Im BorussiaPark, Moenchengladbach - France 1 - USA 3.
MATCH FOR THIRD PLACE.
Match 31) 16th July - Rhein Necker Stadion, Sinsheim - France 1 - Sweden 2.
FINAL.
Match 32) 17th July - Commerzbank Arena, Frankfurt am Main - U.S.A 2 - Japan 2.
Japan are the FIFA Women's Football World Cup 2011 winners after taking the U.S.A to extra time after the final match result ended on a 1- 1 draw, extra time ended with a 2 - 2 draw and then claiming victory with a penalty shoot out, beating the U.S.A 3 - 1. .
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TOURNAMENT FINALS HISTORY
1991. China. U.S.A 2. - Norway 1.
1995. Sweden. Norway 2. - Germany 0.
1999. U.S.A. U.S.A 5. - China 4.
2003. U.S.A. Germany 2. - Sweden 1.*
2007. China. Germany 2. - Brazil 0.
2011. Germany. U.S.A 2 - Japan 2. Japan won 3 - 1 on P.S.O
As with the men's World Cup, there are contests played within the tournament, those of the Fair Play award, the Golden Shoe award for top goal scorer and the Golden Ball award for best player.
* The 2003 final was supposed to have been hosted by China in that year, but was cancelled due to the SARS outbreak.
Present holder of the tournament's Fairplay award is Norway.
Present holder of the tournament's Golden Shoe award is Marta of Brazil.
Present holder of the tournament's Golden Ball award is Marta of Brazil.
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THE WOMEN'S WORLD CUP TROPHY.
There is one player that has played in every tournament since it's conception, that is Kristine Lilly, captain of the United States team.
The player who holds the record for the most goals ever scored in one tournament goes to Germany's forward, Birgit Prinz, with an enviable 14 goals.
USA GERMANY BRAZIL
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KRISTINE LILLY BIRGIT PRINZ MARTA.
READ THE HISTORY OF WOMEN'S FOOTBALL.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE WOMEN'S FOOTBALL WORLD CUP;
www.littlemisssoccer.com/germany2011
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READ GREG MARKOV'S WRITEUP ABOUT THE 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP FINAL.
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All images courtesy of wikimedia commons.