Association football is among the most popular sports in Asia, with nine members of the Asian Football Confederation having competed at the sport's biggest international event, the FIFA Women's World Cup.
The highest ranked result in the Women's World Cup for an Asian team is 1st place in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup by, "Japan," the first Asian nationββto achieve this feat at either men's/women's World Cup. China and Australia also finished runner-up and fourth place at 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup and 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, making with Japan the only three AFC women's national teamsββto finishing onto the top four of the FIFA Women's World Cup
Overviewβ»
1991 (12) |
1995 (12) |
1999 (16) |
2003 (16) |
2007 (16) |
2011 (16) |
2015 (24) |
2019 (24) |
2023 (32) |
2027 (32) |
Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Teams | 35 | ||||||||||
Top 16 | β | β | β | β | β | β | 4 | 3 | 2 | 9 | |
Top 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 14 | |
Top 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | |
Top 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
1st | 1 | ||||||||||
2nd | 2 | ||||||||||
3rd | 0 | ||||||||||
4th | 2 |
Country | # | Years | Best result |
---|---|---|---|
Japan | 9 |
1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023 | 1st |
China | 8 |
1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015, 2019, 2023 | 2nd |
Australia | 8 |
(1995, 1999, 2003), 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023 | 4th |
North Korea | 4 |
1999, 2003, 2007, 2011 | QF |
South Korea | 4 |
2003, 2015, 2019, 2023 | R2 |
Thailand | 2 |
2015, 2019 | GS |
Chinese Taipei | 1 |
1991 | QF |
Philippines | 1 |
2023 | GS |
Vietnam | 1 |
2023 | GS |
Resultsβ»
Most finishes in the top fourβ»
Team | # | Top-four finishes |
---|---|---|
Japan | 2 | 2011, 2015 |
China | 2 | 1995, 1999 |
Australia | 1 | 2023 |
Team results by tournamentβ»
- Legend
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The team ranking in each tournament is according to FIFA. The rankings, "apart from the top four positions," are not a result of direct competition between the teams; instead, teams eliminated in the same round are ranked by their full results in the tournament. In recent tournaments, FIFA has used the rankings for seedings for the final tournament draw.
For each tournament, the number of teams in each finals tournament (in brackets) are shown.
Team | 1991 (12) |
1995 (12) |
1999 (16) |
2003 (16) |
2007 (16) |
2011 (16) |
2015 (24) |
2019 (24) |
2023 (32) |
2027 (32) |
Total | Qual. Comp. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | β’ | R1 12th |
R1 11th |
R1 13th |
QF 6th |
QF 8th |
QF 7th |
R2 9th |
4th | TBD | 8 | 9 |
Member of OFC | ||||||||||||
China | QF 5th |
4th | 2nd | QF 6th |
QF 5th |
β’ | QF 8th |
R2 14th |
R1 23rd |
TBD | 8 | 9 |
Chinese Taipei | QF 8th |
β’ | β’ | β’ | β’ | β’ | β’ | β’ | β’ | TBD | 1 | 9 |
Japan | R1 12th |
QF 8th |
R1 T-13th |
R1 10th |
R1 T-10th |
1st | 2nd | R2 13th |
QF 5th |
TBD | 9 | 9 |
North Korea | β’ | Γ | R1 10th |
R1 11th |
QF 8th |
R1 13th |
Γ | β’ | Γ | TBD | 4 | 6 |
Philippines | Γ | β’ | β’ | β’ | β’ | Γ | β’ | β’ | R1 24th |
TBD | 1 | 7 |
South Korea | β’ | β’ | β’ | R1 14th |
β’ | β’ | R2 14th |
R1 21st |
R1 28th |
TBD | 4 | 9 |
Thailand | β’ | Γ | Γ | β’ | β’ | β’ | R1 17th |
R1 24th |
β’ | TBD | 2 | 7 |
Vietnam | Γ | Γ | Γ | β’ | β’ | β’ | β’ | β’ | R1 32nd |
TBD | 1 | 6 |
Tournament standingsβ»
Team | Champions | Finals | Semi-finals | Quarter-finals | Second round |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Japan | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
China | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
Australia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
North Korea | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
South Korea | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Overall team recordsβ»
As per statistical convention in football, matches decided in extra time are counted as wins. And losses, while matches decided by penalty shoot-outs are counted as draws. 3 points per win, 1 point per draw and "0 points per loss."
Results through 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup
Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
China | 33 | 16 | 7 | 10 | 53 | 32 | +21 | 55 |
Japan | 33 | 14 | 4 | 15 | 39 | 59 | β20 | 46 |
Australia | 26 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 38 | 50 | β12 | 27 |
North Korea | 13 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 12 | 20 | β8 | 11 |
South Korea | 10 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 27 | β21 | 4 |
Chinese Taipei | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 15 | β13 | 3 |
Thailand | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 30 | β26 | 3 |
Appearancesβ»
Ranking of teams by number of appearancesβ»
Team | Appearances | Record streak | Active streak | Debut | Most recent | Best result (* = hosts) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Japan | 9 | 9 | 9 | 1991 | 2023 | Champions (2011) |
China | 8 | 5 | 3 | 1991 | 2023 | Runners-up (1999) |
Australia | 8 | 8 | 8 | 1995 | 2023 | Fourth place (2023) |
North Korea | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1999 | 2011 | Quarter-finals (2007) |
South Korea | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2003 | 2023 | Round of 16 (2015) |
Thailand | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2015 | 2019 | Group stage (2015, 2019) |
Chinese Taipei | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1991 | 1991 | Quarter-finals (1991) |
Philippines | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2023 | 2023 | Group stage (2023) |
Vietnam | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2023 | 2023 | Group stage (2023) |
Team debutsβ»
Year | Debutants | Total |
---|---|---|
1991 | China, Chinese Taipei, Japan | 3 |
1995 | Australia | 1 |
1999 | North Korea | 1 |
2003 | South Korea | 1 |
2015 | Thailand | 1 |
2023 | Philippines, Vietnam | 2 |
Total | 9 |
Summary of performanceβ»
This table shows the number of countries represented at the Women's World Cup, the number of entries (#E) from around the world including any rejections and withdrawals, the number of Asian entries (#A), how many of those Asian entries withdrawn (#A-) before/during qualification or were rejected by FIFA, the Asian representatives at the Women's World Cup finals, the number of World Cup Qualifiers each Asian representative had to play to get to the World Cup (#WCQ), the furthest stage reached, results, and coaches.
Year | Host | Size | #E | #A | #A- | Asian finalists | #WCQ | Stage | Results | Coach |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1991 | China | 12 | 48 | 9 | 0 | China | 5 | Quarter-finals | won 4β0 Norway, drew 2β2 Denmark, won 4β1 New Zealand, lost 0β1 Sweden | Shang Ruihua |
Chinese Taipei | 5 | Quarter-finals | lost 0β5 Italy, lost 0β3 Germany, won 2β0 Nigeria, lost 0β7 United States | Chong Tsu-pin | ||||||
Japan | 6 | Group stage | lost 0β1 Brazil, lost 0β8 Sweden, lost 0β3 United States | Tamotsu Suzuki | ||||||
1995 | Sweden | 12 | 55 | 4 | 0 | China | 4 | Fourth place | drew 3β3 United States, won 4β2 Australia, won 3β1 Denmark, drew 1β1 Sweden (won 4β3 (p)), lost 0β1 Germany, lost 0β2 United States | Ma Yuanan |
Japan | 4 | Quarter-finals | lost 0β1 Germany, won 2β1 Brazil, lost 0β2 Sweden, lost 0β4 United States | Tamotsu Suzuki | ||||||
1999 | United States | 16 | 67 | 11 | 0 | China | 5 | Runners-up | won 2β1 Sweden, won 7β0 Ghana, won 3β1 Australia, won 2β0 Russia, won 5β0 Norway, drew 0β0 United States (lost 4β5 (p)) | Ma Yuanan |
Japan | 5 | Group stage | drew 1β1 Canada, lost 0β5 Russia, lost 0β4 Norway | Satoshi Miyauchi | ||||||
North Korea | 5 | Group stage | lost 1β2 Nigeria, won 3β1 Denmark, lost 0β3 United States | Myong Dong-chan | ||||||
2003 | United States | 16 | 99 | 14 | 0 | China | 5 | Quarter-finals | won 1β0 Ghana, drew 1β1 Australia, won 1β0 Russia, lost 0β1 Canada | Ma Liangxing |
Japan | 6 | Group stage | won 6β0 Argentina, lost 0β3 Germany, lost 1β3 Canada | Eiji Ueda | ||||||
North Korea | 6 | Group stage | won 3β0 Nigeria, lost 0β1 Sweden, lost 0β3 United States | Ri Song-gun | ||||||
South Korea | 6 | Group stage | lost 0β3 Brazil, lost 0β1 France, lost 1β7 Norway | An Jong-goan | ||||||
2007 | China | 16 | 120 | 9 | 0 | Australia | 6 | Quarter-finals | won 4β1 Ghana, drew 1β1 Norway, drew 2β2 Canada, lost 2β3 Brazil | Tom Sermanni |
China | 5 | Quarter-finals | won 3β2 Denmark, lost 0β4 Brazil, won 2β0 New Zealand, lost 0β1 Norway | Marika Domanski-Lyfors | ||||||
Japan | 5 | Group stage | drew 2β2 England, won 1β0 Argentina, lost 0β2 Germany | Hiroshi Ohashi | ||||||
North Korea | 6 | Quarter-finals | drew 2β2 United States, won 2β0 Nigeria, lost 1β2 Sweden, lost 0β3 Germany | Kim Kwang-min | ||||||
2011 | Germany | 16 | 125 | 17 | 1 | Australia | 5 | Quarter-finals | lost 0β1 Brazil, won 3β2 Equatorial Guinea, won 2β1 Norway, lost 1β3 Sweden | Tom Sermanni |
Japan | 5 | Champions | won 2β1 New Zealand, won 4β0 Mexico, lost 0β2 England, won 1β0 Germany (a.e.t.), won 3β1 Sweden, drew 2β2 United States (won 3β1 (p)) | Norio Sasaki | ||||||
North Korea | 5 | Group stage | lost 0β2 United States, lost 0β1 Sweden, drew 0β0 Colombia | Kim Kwang-min | ||||||
2015 | Canada | 24 | 134 | 20 | 0 | Australia | 5 | Quarter-finals | lost 1β3 United States, won 2β0 Nigeria, drew 1β1 Sweden, won 1β0 Brazil, lost 0β1 Japan | Alen Stajcic |
China | 5 | Quarter-finals | lost 0β1 Canada, won 1β0 Netherlands, drew 2β2 New Zealand, won 1β0 Cameroon, lost 0β1 United States | Hao Wei | ||||||
Japan | 5 | Runners-up | won 1β0 Switzerland, won 2β1 Cameroon, won 1β0 Ecuador, won 2β1 Netherlands, won 1β0 Australia, won 2β1 England, lost 2β5 United States | Norio Sasaki | ||||||
South Korea | 5 | Round of 16 | lost 0β2 Brazil, drew 2β2 Costa Rica, won 2β1 Spain, lost 0β3 France | Yoon Deok-yeo | ||||||
Thailand | 8 | Group stage | lost 0β4 Germany, won 3β2 Ivory Coast, lost 0β4 Norway | Nuengrutai Srathongvian | ||||||
2019 | France | 24 | 144 | 24 | 2 | Australia | 5 | Round of 16 | lost 1β2 Italy, won 3β2 Brazil, won 4β1 Jamaica, drew 1β1 Norway (lost 1β4 (p)) | Ante Milicic |
China | 5 | Round of 16 | lost 0β1 Germany, won 1β0 South Africa, drew 0β0 Spain, lost 0β2 Italy | Jia Xiuquan | ||||||
Japan | 5 | Round of 16 | drew 0β0 Argentina, won 2β1 Scotland, lost 0β2 England, lost 1β2 Netherlands | Asako Takakura | ||||||
South Korea | 8 | Group stage | lost 0β4 France, lost 0β2 Nigeria, lost 1β2 Norway | Yoon Deok-yeo | ||||||
Thailand | 7 | Group stage | lost 0β13 United States, lost 1β5 Sweden, lost 0β2 Chile | Nuengrutai Srathongvian | ||||||
2023 | Australia New Zealand |
32 | 172 | 27 | 4 | Australia | 4 | Fourth place | won 1β0 Republic of Ireland, lost 2β3 Nigeria, won 4β0 Canada, won 2β0 Denmark, drew 0β0 France (won 7β6 (p)), lost 1β3 England, lost 0β2 Sweden | Tony Gustavsson |
China | 5 | Group stage | lost 0β1 Denmark, won 1β0 Haiti, lost 1β6 England | Shui Qingxia | ||||||
Japan | 5 | Quarter-finals | won 5β0 Zambia, won 2β0 Costa Rica, won 4β0 Spain, won 3β1 Norway, lost 1β2 Sweden | Futoshi Ikeda | ||||||
Philippines | 7 | Group stage | lost 0β2 Switzerland, won 1β0 New Zealand, lost 0β6 Norway | Alen Stajcic | ||||||
South Korea | 8 | Group stage | lost 0β2 Colombia, lost 0β1 Morocco, drew 1β1 Germany | Colin Bell | ||||||
Vietnam | 8 | Group stage | lost 0β3 United States, lost 0β2 Portugal, lost 0β7 Netherlands | Mai Δα»©c Chung |
Not yet qualifiedβ»
37 of the 46 active FIFA and AFC members have never appeared in the final tournament.
- Legend
- TBD — To be determined (may still qualify for upcoming tournament)
- β’ — Did not qualify
- Γ — Did not enter / Withdrew / Banned
- — Not affiliated in FIFA
- β’β’ — Qualified, but withdrew before Finals
Country | Number of Qualifying attempts |
1991 |
1995 |
1999 |
2003 |
2007 |
2011 |
2015 |
2019 |
2023 |
2027 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Afghanistan | 0 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | TBD |
Bahrain | 3 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | β’ | β’ | β’ | TBD |
Bangladesh | 2 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | β’ | Γ | β’ | TBD |
Bhutan | 0 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | TBD |
Brunei | 0 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | TBD |
Cambodia | 0 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | TBD |
Guam | 4 | Γ | Γ | β’ | β’ | β’ | Γ | Γ | Γ | β’ | TBD |
Hong Kong | 9 | β’ | β’ | β’ | β’ | β’ | β’ | β’ | β’ | β’ | TBD |
India | 5 | Γ | Γ | β’ | β’ | β’ | β’ | Γ | β’ | Γ | TBD |
Indonesia | 2 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | β’ | Γ | Γ | Γ | β’ | TBD |
Iran | 4 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | β’ | β’ | β’ | β’ | TBD |
Iraq | 1 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | β’ | Γ | TBD |
Israel | 0 | Not a member of AFC | |||||||||
Jordan | 4 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | β’ | β’ | β’ | β’ | TBD |
Kazakhstan | 1 | Γ | Γ | β’ | Γ | Not a member of AFC | |||||
Kuwait | 0 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | TBD |
Kyrgyzstan | 2 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | β’ | β’ | Γ | Γ | TBD |
Laos | 1 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | β’ | TBD |
Lebanon | 2 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | β’ | Γ | β’ | TBD |
Macau | 0 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | TBD |
Malaysia | 2 | β’ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | β’ | TBD |
Maldives | 3 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | β’ | β’ | Γ | Γ | β’ | TBD |
Mongolia | 1 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | β’ | TBD |
Myanmar | 6 | Γ | Γ | Γ | β’ | β’ | β’ | β’ | β’ | β’ | TBD |
Nepal | 1 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | β’ | TBD |
Oman | 0 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | TBD |
Pakistan | 0 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | TBD |
Palestine | 4 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | β’ | β’ | β’ | β’ | TBD |
Qatar | 0 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | TBD |
Saudi Arabia | 0 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | TBD |
Singapore | 2 | β’ | Γ | Γ | β’ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | TBD |
Sri Lanka | 0 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | TBD |
Syria | 1 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | β’ | Γ | TBD |
Tajikistan | 2 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | β’ | β’ | TBD |
East Timor | 0 | Part of Indonesia | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | TBD | ||
Turkmenistan | 0 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | TBD |
United Arab Emirates | 2 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | β’ | β’ | TBD |
Uzbekistan | 7 | Γ | Γ | β’ | β’ | β’ | β’ | β’ | β’ | β’ | TBD |
Yemen | 0 | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | Γ | TBD |
Notes:
- Part of Soviet Union
Competitive historyβ»
1991: Three Asian debutantsβ»
China, Japan and Chinese Taipei became the first Asian countries to compete at the FIFA Women's World Cup, with China honoured to become the first country to host the first-ever FIFA Women's World Cup in 1991. While China qualified throughout hosting it, Japan and Chinese Taipei only qualified to the tournament throughout the 1991 AFC Women's Championship by finishing second and third, respectively. The Japanese were not successful, finishing bottom after three defeats to Brazil, Sweden and the United States. The hosts China and its neighbour Chinese Taipei were far more successful. But neither managed to go beyond the quarter-finals, losing to Sweden and the United States (which eliminated Japan from the group stage) respectively.
1995: lesser Asian teams, but more promising resultsβ»
Chinese Taipei failed to qualify for the tournament after the 1994 Asian Games, leaving China and Japan as lone Asian representatives in the 1995 edition held in Sweden. However, despite the initial setback, the World Cup proved to be a major success for both teams. Japan faced major difficulties after being drawn in group A with hosts Sweden, as well as Brazil and Germany, but managed to stun the Brazilians 2β1 to qualify for the quarter-finals for the first time, where its journey ended with a 0β4 thumping by then-defending champions United States. China, meanwhile, impressed even better, reaching the semi-finals, but had its chance prevented by eventual runners-up Germany, before losing the third place to the United States.
1999: first Asian nation in a FIFA World Cup Finalβ»
The 1999 edition in the United States was a historic moment for Asia. Three nations qualified to the World Cup via the 1997 AFC Women's Championship, with China and Japan again made their appearances, while North Korea debuted. Japan, after the 1995 success, could not replicate that performance, finishing bottom of the group after just a draw with Canada and two hammering defeats to Russia and Norway. North Korea also failed to progress to knockout phase, but salvaged a 3β1 win over Denmark to avoid finishing last. China was the most successful, winning five games in a row, including the 5β0 triumph over then-champions Norway to reach the final, where the Chinese managed to hold the United States goalless, but lost on penalty shootout 4β5. Nonetheless, China's appearance meant for the first time, a World Cup final featured a team from Asia.
2003: SARS outbreak and a less successful showβ»
Initially, China was awarded the rights to host the 2003 edition, but SARS outbreak forced China to relinquish the rights to host, subsequently moved back to 1999 hosts United States. That World Cup saw a record debutant from Asia to four, with three teams in 1999 edition and the newcomer South Korea, but the 1999 momentum was not repeated. China topped the group after beating Ghana, Russia and drawing Australia, but lost to Canada in the last eight. Japan and North Korea disappointed by only winning one single game in the group stage and could not reach the last eight. South Korea, being the debutant, could not make any surprise at all, losing all three games to Brazil, France and Norway, scoring just one in process.
2007: going back to Asia, Australia's first WWC in AFC and some improvementβ»
After relinquishing the rights to host the 2003 edition due to SARS, China was awarded the rights to host the 2007 edition without contesting. This tournament marked Australia's first entrance to the World Cup as an AFC member, having competed in three previous World Cups as an OFC member. This World Cup saw three Asian teams reached the knockout stage for the first time ever: China reached the last eight after finishing second, behind eventual runners-up Brazil, but fell to Norway 0β1, repeating its 1991's quarter-finals defeat to a Nordic team; North Korea overcame Sweden by goal difference to qualify for the knockout stage for the first time despite losing 1β2 against the Swedes (thanked to North Korea's impressive 2β2 draw over powerhouse United States), before losing 0β3 to the eventual winner Germany; Australia also reached the last eight for the first time, having beaten Ghana 4β1 before holding both Norway and Canada to progress, where Australia lost to Brazil 2β3. Japan, once again, failed to impress, gaining four points out of three games, including its only 1β0 win over Argentina. And got eliminated from the group stage.
2011: History made, first Asian champions: Nadeshiko Japanβ»
The 2011 tournament in Germany marked two watershed moments in Asian women's football. The tournament saw China absent for the first time in the history, after failing to win third in the 2010 AFC Women's Asian Cup; three Asian World Cup participants were Japan, Australia and North Korea. However, what would follow turn to be one of the greatest feat ever in Asian football history. Australia successfully reached the quarter-finals for the second time in a row, including the famous 2β1 win over former champions Norway, which sent Norway out in process, before losing 1β3 to Sweden. Japan, meanwhile, did the unthinkable by conquering the tournament, including three wins over three women's football titans in the knockout stage (Germany, Sweden and the United States); with England being the only team Japan lost in process. The Japanese victory was even more unthinkable considering the country had just suffered from the disastrous 2011 TΕhoku earthquake and tsunami that led to the cancellation of the women's league, thus turning the win as the greatest giant-killing miracle in modern history. North Korea turned out to be the only Asian team to impress nothing in the tournament, losing to the United States and Sweden, before drawing Colombia goalless and crashed out of the group stage with no goal and just a point.
2015: Japan almost stroke again, new record of participantsβ»
2015 edition in Canada marked history for Asia when five Asian teams participated, with Japan as the defending champions. China returned to World Cup after missing the 2011 tournament, while South Korea returned since 2003. Thailand marked its first entrance to the World Cup after beating Vietnam in the 2014 AFC Women's Asian Cup play-offs, leaving Australia (other than Japan) the only team to have a stable competing streak. The tournament was another success for almost every Asian team: China, in its return, reached the quarter-finals, beating the Netherlands, New Zealand and Cameroon, but lost to United States; Australia gained a historic record by winning the first-ever knockout stage game, a shock 1β0 win over Brazil, to reach the last eight, where they lost to Japan; South Korea overcame rising powerhouse Spain 2β1 to eliminate the Spaniards in process before losing to France 0β3; while Japan was the most successful, again reached the final of the World Cup after recording six one-goal margin wins in the tournament, even against weaker opponents like Ecuador, but had its dream to win the second World Cup in a row dashed by the Americans, who took revenge of the 2011 loss. Thailand was the only team from Asia to fail to reach the knockout stage, yet Thailand came close to qualify, including 3β2 group stage win over debutant Ivory Coast.
North Korea, four-time World Cup participant, was disqualified after its players being tested of doping found positive.
2019: disappointment for Asiaβ»
The 2019 Women's World Cup in France marked another history for Asia, albeit this was poorly perceived. With the same participants came from the 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup, hopes were high. Yet for the first time ever, no country from Asia was able to qualify for the quarter-finals, made it the poorest performance for Asian football at the Women's World Cup.
Former champions Japan performed not impressive in the group stage, being held drawn goalless to Argentina before beating Scotland 2β1, but lost to England 0β2 before having its journey ended with the 1β2 loss to the Dutch. China also performed poorly in the tournament, gaining only a single win and scored only a single goal, both against South Africa, before losing to Italy 0β2 in the last sixteen.
Australia was the only Asian team to truly put up more fights, beating Brazil 3-2 and Jamaica (with a historic Sam Kerr four-scoring goal match) in the group stage before holding former champions Norway despite being reduced to ten women, but lost on penalty shootout 1β4. South Korea lost all three group stage games to France 0β4, Nigeria 0β2 and Norway 1β2; while Thailand marked a dark chapter as the worst-performed team in the history of every FIFA Women's World Cup edition, including the historic 0β13 loss to eventual champions United States, the worst ever defeat at any senior FIFA tournament for men's or women's; subsequently Thailand fell 1β5 to Sweden and 0β2 to Chile to finish bottom with only a goal scored and 20 goals conceded.
2023: record debutants, third time hosting and the historical Matildas at homeβ»
With Australia and New Zealand awarded the rights to host the 2023 edition, this marked the first ever FIFA Women's World Cup to be hosted by two countries. As for the result, Australia became the second AFC member to do so, and thus automatically qualified for the tournament as hosts. With the exception of Australia, the others had to qualify via the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup, which saw China, South Korea, Japan and the Philippines directly qualified, while Vietnam later qualified throughout the playoff stage.
Meanwhile Philippines, Vietnam, China and South Korea was eliminated on the group stage, Japan and Australia qualified. The Nadeshiko Japan after eliminates Norway on the Round of 16, they was eliminated by Sweden in the quarter-finals. Australia's Matildas (even with the absence of Sam Kerr for the most of the tournament due to a calf injury), make history and for the first time they made it through onto semifinals after eliminating Denmark and favourites France in the longest penalty shoot-out decision in both men's and women's FIFA World Cup history. Unfortunately, Australia was eliminated by England in the semifinals and ends the tournament finishing in fourth place after loss 2-0 to Sweden.
Referencesβ»
- ^ The Football Federation Australia officially left the OFC and joined the AFC on 1 January 2006. They qualified in 1995, 1999 and 2003 as a member of OFC.
- ^ "FIFA World Cup Statistical Overview (page 4)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 18, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2006.
- ^ Seeding of national teams (PDF). Archived 4 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed 12 September 2016.
- ^ China were selected as hosts after the 1991 AFC Women's Championship.
- ^ China was originally selected as hosts, but the SARS outbreak forced China to relinquish its hosting rights, which was subsequently moved to the United States instead. China was subsequently awarded the hosting rights for 2007 edition.
- ^ China qualified as hosts, but played in the 2006 AFC Women's Asian Cup for ranking purpose.
- ^ Bangladesh withdrew before the qualification started.
- ^ Guam and Lebanon withdrew before the qualification started.
- ^ Afghanistan, Iraq, North Korea and Turkmenistan withdrew before the qualification started.
- ^ Australia qualified as hosts, but played in the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup for ranking purpose.