Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz will go up against Brazil and France in the group stage of the women’s football World Cup next summer.
The draw was made at a ceremony in Auckland on Saturday.
The Reggae Girlz were drawn in Group F and will also face a playoff winner still to be determined in a tournament expanded for the first time to 32 teams drawn into eight groups of four.
Jamaica booked their ticket to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup with a commanding 4-0 thumping of Caribbean neighbors Haiti inside Estadio BBVA Bancomer in Monterrey, Mexico.
Captain Khadija “Bunny” Shaw led the way with a brace, sandwiched by the opener from Trudi Carter and the closer by Drew Spencer.
The win secured Jamaica second place in the competitive Group A behind world champions the USA and confirmed qualification to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Finals slated for Australia/New Zealand.
It was the second time in history that a Caribbean team qualified for a Women’s World Cup.
Jamaica’s second qualification to the Women’s World Cup came four years after they created history in the United States by becoming the first Caribbean team to reach the event.
The last time the Reggae Girlz went up against Brazil they were beaten 3-0 with veteran forward Cristiane scoring all the goals.
Four-time champion the USA were drawn in Group E with Vietnam, the Netherlands and a playoff winner still to be determined.
The three playoff winners will be determined through inter-continental qualifying matches in Auckland in February.
The draw was conducted in the same manner as the men’s World Cup: teams were divided into four “pots” of eight teams based on FIFA world rankings.
Group A: New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Switzerland.
Group B: Australia, Ireland, Nigeria, Canada.
Group C: Spain, Costa Rica, Zambia, Japan.
Group D: England, Group B playoff winner, Denmark, China.
Group E: United States, Vietnam, the Netherlands, Group A playoff winner.
Group F: France, Jamaica, Brazil, Group C playoff winner.
Group G: Sweden, South Africa, Italy, Argentina.
Group H: Germany, Morocco, Colombia, South Korea.
New Zealand will play Norway in the opening match of the tournament at Auckland on July 20 and Australia open later that day against first-time qualifiers Ireland.
The draw was conducted in front of an audience of more than 800 including New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Australia sports minister Anika Wells. Two-time World Cup winner Carli Lloyd of the United States, former England striker Ian Wright and Brazil World Cup-winner Gilberto Silva were among stars who assisted in the draw.
