2023 Women’s World Cup Odds: USWNT Favored To Win Third Consecutive Title

With the SheBelieves Cup in the books and all 32 places at the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand decided, Women’s World Cup futures odds are newly fresh.

Unsurprisingly, given their success in 2015 and 2019, USA are the consensus clear betting favorites. But they’ll face much stiffer competition than they did en route to raising the trophy eight years ago in Canada and four years ago in France.

The USWNT will field a very different XI than the one that dominated the 2019 Women’s World Cup Final against the Netherlands. It also has a new manager, Vlatko Andonovski, who replaced Jill Ellis after she stepped down in Oct. 2019 with a career USWNT record of 106-7-19.

Odds To Win 2023 Women’s World Cup

USA (as short as +260 on Caesars) are the favorites to win the tournament, but England are not far behind. The Lionesses are priced at +300 at DraftKings after winning Euro 2022 at home with wins over Spain in the quarterfinals, Sweden in the semis, and Germany in the Final in front of a packed Wembley Stadium.

Oddsmakers including DraftKings, Caesars, FanDuel, and SuperBook USA consider Germany, Spain, and France — all are priced at 9-to-1 odds or shorter — the top contenders after USA and England.

* Note: Portugal, Panama, and Haiti all sealed their qualification this week, so bookmakers (besides Caesars) have not yet given them futures prices.

2023 Women’s World Cup Format

The Women’s World Cup — just like the men’s — begins with group play. The 32 teams in the field are divided among eight groups featuring four teams apiece. In group play, each team plays three games, facing each of the other teams in its group. Following those games, the top two teams from each group will reach the single-elimination Round of 16.

Group play takes place from July 20 through Aug. 3. Round of 16 matches are scheduled for Aug. 5-8, followed by the quarterfinals from Aug. 10-12, and the semifinals from Aug. 15-16.

The 2023 Women’s World Cup Final takes place Aug. 20 at 6 a.m. ET (8 p.m. local).

2023 Women’s World Cup Groups

Below are the eight groups:

Group A

• New Zealand
• Norway
• Philippines
• Switzerland

Group B

• Australia
• Ireland
• Nigeria
• Canada

Group C

• Spain
• Costa Rica
• Zambia
• Japan

Group D

• England
• Haiti
• Denmark
• China

Group E

• United States
• Vietnam
• Netherlands
• Portugal

Group F

• France
• Jamaica
• Brazil
• Panama

Group G

• Sweden
• South Africa
• Italy
• Argentina

Group H

• Germany
• Morocco
• Colombia
• South Korea

USA 2023 Women’s World Cup Outlook (+300 Odds at FanDuel)

FIFA Rank (as of Dec. 2022): 1

USA have been too successful for too long not to be the favorites. But while there are few, if any, major red flags for this squad, they’ll have a tougher path this time because the competition in women’s soccer levels up every year as more countries dramatically increase their investment.

We’d need a separate article to cover all the ways the women’s game has exploded following the massive commercial success of the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France and Euro 2022 in England last summer. What it means on the pitch this year for the USWNT is a lot more teams that can at least come close to matching the talent level of Team USA.

Still, while the gap is shrinking, it hasn’t yet closed. With familiar faces in Rose Lavelle, Alex Morgan, and Crystal Dunn — to name a few — as well as rising stars Mallory Swanson (the 24-year-old has seven goals for the USWNT this year, including four in the SheBelieves Cup) and 20-year-old Trinity Rodman, the USA have top-end talent that few teams can match. In beating Brazil, Japan, and Canada at the SheBelieves Cup — three teams who are likely to at least reach the round of 16 of the World Cup — Andonovski’s side delivered a message this week.

He will name his 23-player roster in April or May following two April friendlies against Ireland.

England 2023 Women’s World Cup Outlook (+350 Odds at Caesars)

FIFA Rank (as of Dec. 2022): 4

After capturing Euro 2022 last summer, England are oddsmakers’ clear top pick after USA. DraftKings, for example, has the USWNT as a slight favorite over England (+275 to +300).

Many of the stars of England’s Euro 2022 run — Lucy Bronze (31), Leah Williamson (25), Chloe Kelly (25), Keira Walsh (25), and Beth Mead (27) — are in their prime. Those players’ experience last summer at a tournament featuring five of the top six (and six of the top eight) 2023 Women’s World Cup favorites makes them dangerous. England Manager Sarina Wiegman led the Netherlands to the 2019 World Cup Final, where they lost to USA.

At +350 at Caesars, England offer a ton of value for anyone skeptical of the USWNT’s ability to win a third consecutive World Cup.

Spain 2023 Women’s World Cup Outlook (+650 Odds at FanDuel)

FIFA Rank (as of Dec. 2022): 7

Spain led England after more than 80 minutes in the quarterfinals of Euro 2022, but gave up an equalizer in the 84th minute and lost 2-1 in extra time. The fact Spain nearly knocked off England without 2021 and 2022 Women’s Ballon D’or winner Alexia Putellas (who tore her ACL while preparing for the tournament last summer) speaks to what a dangerous squad Spain have.

A number of Spain’s top players play together at Barcelona Femeni, which won the Women’s Champions League in 2021 and reached the final in 2022. In addition to Putellas, whose availability for this year’s World Cup is in question, Spain’s top players include forward Jenni Hermoso, keeper Sandra Paños, and defenders Mapi Leon and Irene Paredes. With or without Putellas, Spain are a team to watch out for. And should Putellas recover in time, this squad would be worth a close look at +650 at FanDuel.

There’s good reason to hold back on investing in any futures bets on them, though. That’s because of an ongoing dispute that saw 15 of the team’s best players write to the Spanish federation demanding that coach Jorge Vilda be fired. The federation rejected that request, and what happens next is anyone’s guess.

Germany 2023 Women’s World Cup Outlook (+800 Odds at SuperBook USA)

FIFA Rank (as of December 2022): 2

Germany do not boast as many big names as the top-three favorites, but given they reached the final at Euro 2022 and nearly won it — in a home game for their opponents, no less, they deserve consideration as one of the top contenders in Australia/New Zealand.

France 2023 Women’s World Cup Outlook (+850 Odds at FanDuel)

FIFA Rank (as of Dec. 2022): 5

Veteran Lyon stars Wendie Renard and Amandine Henry lead the way for Les Bleues*, who lost 2-1 to Germany in the Euro 2022 semifinals. France were also eliminated from the 2015 Women’s World Cup by Germany, as they lost as tournament host 5-4 on PKs.

*UPDATE: Renard, the French captain, said on Friday that she will not play at this year’s World Cup to “preserve her mental health.” France’s RMC Sport reported that not only Renard, but also Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Kadidiatou Diani, are refusing to play for the team as long as Manager Corinne Diacre remains in her role. Renard tweeted an explanation of her decision in French on Friday.

So Spain are not the only side dealing with a major spat between players and manager.

2023 Women’s World Cup FAQ