Date: Saturday, 19 August. Time: 09:00 BST. Venue: Lang Park, Brisbane.

 Australia and Sweden will be looking to put their semi-final defeats behind them and secure third place at the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup on Saturday.

Co-hosts Australia are already guaranteed their best finish in a World Cup, while 2003 runners-up Sweden have come third three times.

Australia coach Tony Gustavsson said he would field his strongest side.“I can’t pick based on emotions.

This is a third-place game and we’re playing for a medal,” said Gustavsson.“I’m going to make sure we have a line-up that is the strongest starting line-up we can have but also the strongest finishing line-up.“It’s not about giving players experience just for the sake of giving experience. “If it was emotional, those players [who have not featured yet] would play because they deserve to play.

This is a game to win.” Sweden lost to Germany in the 2003 final and finished third in 1991, 2011 and in 2019, when they beat England 2-1 in the third-place play-off.

The Swedes, ranked third in the world, lost 2-1 to Spain in their semi-final before Australia were beaten 3-1 by England.Saturday’s match will take place at the 52,500-capacity Lang Park in Brisbane and Sweden forward Kosovare Asllani is relishing playing in a hostile atmosphere.“I love it, it’s a particular feeling to have an entire stadium against you,” said Asllani.“Of course, we were disappointed after the last match – we wanted to go all the way to the final.“At the same time, playing for a medal is a huge thing, and something we’re proud of.“We don’t want to leave here without it.

We want to silence the stadium and bring that medal home. Everyone’s more than ready. We’re going to do everything we can to win this medal for Sweden.”Australia thrashed Sweden 4-0 in Melbourne last November but will be without centre back Alanna Kennedy for a second match because of concussion symptoms.Captain Sam Kerr said she was ready to play after scoring a stunning goal against England in her first start at the tournament following a calf injury.“Honestly, it’s been amazing to just be a part of this journey,” said the Chelsea striker, who missed the group stage matches.“If I hadn’t played one minute it still would have been the best moment of my career to be here because what we’ve achieved as a team is amazing.”Former England goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis’ prediction: “I think Australia will win this match and finish third in the World Cup.

“Sweden won’t have the desire to finish third again after being there before. Like England proved when they reached the third-place play-off in both 2015 and 2019, the first time around there is a real desire to win, but second time around, very much less so.“Australia will want to go out on a high and although Sweden have real attacking options and are good at set-pieces, Sam Kerr will want to make up for the chances she missed in the semi-final when she could – and should – have scored a hat-trick against England. “She’s not been able to play much in this tournament and will want to do it for her country. Prediction: Sweden 2-3 Australia, after extra time.”

Key stat: Sweden are unbeaten in their previous three games against Australia in the Women’s World Cup (won two, drew one).

The ninth Women’s World Cup will be lifted by a first-time champion

USA had won four of the eight previous edition

Germany (2), Norway and Japan the only other teams to have triumphed

This year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup™ will see a new champion crowned, with all the tournament’s previous winners now eliminated.

Four-time victors USA saw their hopes of a third successive triumph ended in the Round of 16 following a dramatic penalty shootout defeat by Sweden. 

Germany crashed out in the group stage, Norway were eliminated by Japan, with the Nadeshiko then seeing their own dreams ended by the Swedes in the quarter-finals.

As the 2023 final at Stadium Australia on 20 August draws ever closer, and with a new name guaranteed to be on the trophy, FIFA looks at the sides that have etched their names in Women’s World Cup history across the eight previous editions. 

FIFA Women’s World Cup Sweden 1995™

Winners: Norway Runners-up: Germany Third place: USA

Despite that Akers-inspired defeat in ’91, the Norwegians remained a thorn in USA’s flesh for much of the ensuing decade. European champions in 1993, they went one better by claiming the world crown two years later in neighbouring Sweden, edging out the Americans in the last four before seeing off Germany 2-0 in the final.

Norway would go on win the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in 2000 too, beating the US – who else – in the final. But Hege Riise, Norway’s talented talisman and current coach, had no difficulty in choosing between these two triumphs. “Winning the Olympics was wonderful, but the flow of the tournament wasn’t the same,” she told FIFA in 2016. “1995 was the best moment of my career without any doubt.”

Germany v Norway | Final | FIFA Women’s World Cup Sweden 1995™ | Highlights

Watch the highlights from the match between Germany and Norway played at Rasunda Stadium, Solna on Sunday, 18 June 1995.

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FIFA Women’s World Cup USA 1999™

Winners: USA Runners-up: China PR Third place: Brazil

In all but one of the Women’s World Cups to date, the hosts have exited in the quarter or semi-finals. USA 99 was exceptional in that sense, and in many more besides.

The tournament and its champions – the Americans’ fabled ‘99ers’ – are still remembered as having provided a crucial breakthrough in the evolution of this tournament and the women’s game as a whole. Their matches were played out before vast, packed stadiums, with a total attendance of 1.194 million that stood as a record until 2015.

On the field, and while Sun Wen’s China PR and Sissi’s Brazil dazzled, it was the US – with the beloved Mia Hamm now centre stage – who took the title. They did so, of course, with a dramatic final penalty shootout win over the Chinese, capped by Brandi Chastain’s iconic celebration.

USA v China PR | Final | FIFA Women’s World Cup USA 1999™ | Highlights

Watch the highlights from the match between USA and China PR played at Rose Bowl, Pasadena on Saturday, 10 July 1999 at 12:50.

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FIFA Women’s World Cup USA 2003™

Winners: Germany Runners-up: Sweden Third place: USA

When USA stepped in to host the tournament again four years later after a SARS outbreak forced its relocation from China, the hosts were almost universally expected to once again reign supreme.

The ever-improving Germans had other ideas, however, and heralded the beginning of their golden era by outclassing and outmuscling the Americans in a 3-0 semi-final defeat. The European champions, who had demolished Russia 7-1 in the last eight, then pipped Sweden to the title, with Nia Kunzer scoring a legendary 98th-minute golden goal.

Birgit Prinz and Co ended the tournament having found the net 25 times, setting an average of 4.16 goals per match that equalled USA’s record from 1991 and has never been matched since.

Germany v Sweden | Final | FIFA Women’s World Cup USA 2003™ | Highlights

Watch the highlights from the match between Germany and Sweden played at StubHub Center, Carson on Sunday, 12 October 2003.

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FIFA Women’s World Cup China PR 2007™

Winners: Germany Runners-up: Brazil Third place: USA

If high scoring marked out their 2003 triumph, Germany’s success in China four years later was indebted to the tightest defence in the tournament’s history.

With goalkeeper Nadine Angerer in the form of her life, and a sturdy, well-organised backline assembled in front of her, Silvia Neid’s side saw off the likes of Japan, Norway and final opponents Brazil – fresh from a Marta-inspired demolition of the US – without conceding a single goal. No-one in the men’s or women’s World Cup has managed that feat before or since.

Germany v Brazil | Final | FIFA Women’s World Cup China 2007™ | Highlights

Watch the highlights from the match between Germany and Brazil played at Shanghai Hongkou Football Stadium, Shanghai on Sunday, 30 September 2007.

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FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011™

Winners: Japan Runners-up: USA Third place: Sweden

Home advantage made Germany heavy favourites to win a third successive crown but, as with USA in 2003, the hosts found themselves in the shadow of first-time champions.

No team has won the Women’s World Cup scoring as few goals (12) or conceding as many (6) as Japan in 2011. But those statistics belied a hard-earned triumph that contained plenty of slick football and warmed plenty of hearts, coming as it did just a few months after the country had been devastated by a tsunami.

Nadeshiko

How Japan overcame all odds to win the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

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FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™

Winners: USA Runners-up: Japan Third place: England

The first 24-team edition has come to be remembered for the highest-scoring final in Women’s World Cup history, won convincingly by a resurgent US and illuminated by a historic Carli Lloyd hat-trick.

What’s often forgotten is that the Americans’ campaign was the ultimate slow burner; they scored just four times in their three group-stages matches, labouring to a goalless draw with Sweden amid murmured criticisms of coach Jill Ellis. But Lloyd and Co improved with every knockout round and rose to the big occasion by crushing Japan 5-2 – the most lopsided scoreline yet recorded a Women’s World Cup final.

USA | All Champions Goals | FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™

Watch all goals scored by USA at FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™.

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FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™

Winners: USA Runners-up: The Netherlands Third place: Sweden

Ellis was there again, as was the core of the 2015 squad, as the US became just the second team – after Germany (2003, 2007) – to retain the crown.

If their Canadian campaign was a slow burner, this was anything but, with 13 goals in their opening match paving the way to a tournament-record haul of 26. The knockout stage saw Europe’s leading sides swept aside, with Spain, hosts France, England and the Netherlands – then continental champions – unable to halt this unstoppable American juggernaut.

USA | All Champions Goals | FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™

Watch all goals scored by USA at FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™.

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  Spain’s centre-backs will be tested
• The midfield partnership of the Lionesses with a huge job to do
• Bonmati and Hermoso’s creativity could be key

Spain

Irene Paredes and Laia Codina The Spanish defence has come under heavy scrutiny in this tournament. While their midfield and attack take the plaudits, the concern from pundits was: how would a less heralded defence hold up under pressure? That pressure only cranked up a notch after their 4-0 defeat to Japan in the final game of the group stage.

Paredes has played every minute for La Roja at Australia & New Zealand 2023. Codina, meanwhile, was drafted into the team for their round of 16 clash with Switzerland. She recovered impressively after scoring an early own goal by netting at the right end in a thumping 5-1 win – and then produced solid performances against the Netherlands and Sweden. If the centre-backs can keep a clean sheet against the pace and physicality of England, it will go a long way to helping their team to their maiden FIFA Women’s World Cup™ title.

Aitana Bonmati and Jennifer Hermoso Is there a better midfielder in the world right now than Bonmati? The 25-year-old is sublime on the ball, with her ability to turn away from defenders and pick a pass one of Spain’s greatest assets. She’s more than capable of scoring goals by herself as well, with three strikes so far in the tournament.

Her partnership with striker Hermoso has been crucial for the Spanish attack. The hallmark of this Spanish team has been their capabilities going forward – it is free-flowing and a joy to watch. If Bonmati and Hermoso can find ways to combine in final third it could be very difficult for their opponents to counter.

England

Alessia Russo and Lauren Hemp The Lionesses’ tactical flexibility has caught the eye at this tournament. They began the competition in a 4-3-3, with Hemp and Chloe Kelly as wingers and Russo through the middle. However, in their final group-stage game against China, coach Sarina Wiegman switched to a 3-5-2 system with Hemp and Russo as the strike partnership – and they have not looked back since.

Both scored in their semi-final victory over Australia and their partnership will be key to England’s attacking potency against Spain. Hemp is not a traditional centre-forward but her speed and ability on the ball causes teams issues, particularly in transition. Those attributes, alongside Russo – who is coming into her own as one of the premier strikers in world football – can be lethal for opposition defences.

Keira Walsh and Georgia Stanway England dominated the midfield battle against the Matildas, particularly in the second half. With Ella Toone deployed in more of a No10 role, Walsh and Stanway are responsible for keeping the Lionesses ticking in possession, and snuffing out any chances in defensive transition.

Walsh’s qualities are well known. The Barcelona midfielder is known as one of the world’s best at recycling possession and shielding the backline. Stanway, meanwhile, is a creative, attacking threat who complements the forwards. England’s midfield duo will have their hands full against Spain but Walsh in particular will back herself to perform against many of her club team-mates.

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