The two-time defending champions Team USA will head Down Under in an attempt to do what no other national team, neither men’s nor women’s, has ever done in the history of soccer. They are chasing their third consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup title, having won the flagship tournament in both 2015 and 2019. The Stars and Stripes are the main favorites going into the competition, currently sitting at +240 to go all the way.
European champion England is +430, Spain sits at +550, while Germany, Australia, and France round up the list of the top six contenders, priced at +750, +1100, and +1300, respectively, at FanDuel.
Read on to learn all the info you need about the tournament, including the best bets, the best odds, and where to find them, and our expert predictions on how we see the US Women’s National Team (USWNT) will fare in Australia and New Zealand this summer.
- Quality mobile app
- Variety of betting markets
- Same game parlays
2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup: Key Details
- This will be the ninth edition of the Women’s World Cup, the first with 32 teams involved
- The United States has been the most successful team in the history of the competition, with four titles, including back-to-back trophies in 2015 and 2019
- This is also the first-ever tournament hosted by two nations, Australia and New Zealand respectively
- Germany is the only other team with multiple trophies (2)
- The tournament kicks off on July 20
- USA play their first game on July 21 against Vietnam (9 p.m. ET)
- R16 will be played on August 5 or 6
- Quarterfinals are on schedule for August 10 or 11
- Semifinals will be on August 15
- The final game plays out on August 20 at 6 a.m. ET
USA to Win the World Cup @ +240 with DraftKings
Team USA has experienced several significant changes and negative trends since the previous World Cup. The two-time champion coach Jull Ellis retired straight after the World Cup in France, leaving her place to current manager Vlatko Andonovski.
The USWNT flopped at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, winning only the bronze medal after losses to Sweden and Canada. Furthermore, this team lost three games in a row in 2022 for the first time in the last 30 years.
Finally, the Stars and Stripes will be without several high-profile players in Australia and New Zealand, including Carli Lloyd (retired), current captain Becky Sauerbrunn (injured), Mal Swanson (injured), Sam Mewis (injured), and Catarina Macario (injured).
That said, the current US roster is still well-deserving of the favorites’ tag at the upcoming competition. The atmosphere in the locker room has not been better in a while, and the players will travel to the flagship tournament without any distractions, which was not the case four years ago in France.
The young stars — Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman, and Alyssa Thompson — are ready to shine on the big stage.
Last but not least, the US’ main rivals have huge problems with sidelined players of their own. The reigning European champions England are without two of their biggest stars, Beth Mead and Leah Williamson. Some Spanish players left the team following disputes with the head coach. France is without Marie-Antoniette Katoto and Delphine Cascarino, while the Netherlands cannot count on Vivianne Miedema.
We see great value in backing the USWNT to win the 2023 World Cup at the attractive +240 odds you’ll find when you place your bets with DraftKings.
High-Value Pick for the Potential Final
It is fair to say the United States has had luck with the draw. They have landed on the significantly weaker side of the potential knockout phase bracket.
The Stars and Stripes will not face six of their seven main counterparts until the final, including England, France, Germany, co-host Australia, Brazil, or Canada.
With all due respect to their excellent results in the past, Brazil and Canada are nowhere near the quality required to go all the way this summer. After all, the two nations sit at +3200 and 3400, respectively, to win the tournament.
This leaves us with England, France, Germany, and Australia as the potential candidates for the final. The Lionesses are the most prominent US challengers, according to the sportsbooks. They won the latest European Championship and beat the USWNT in an exhibition at Wembley shortly after.
Nevertheless, the fact they will be without arguably the best player on the planet (Beth Mead) and the heart of their defense (Leah Williamson) leaves us pessimistic about their chances in Australia and New Zealand.
For a logical and even more attractive pick for the potential Women’s World Cup final, head to BetMGM Sportsbook where you’ll find the USA vs. Australia at odds of +1100. The USA is on the much easier side of the knockout stage draw.
On the way to the final, the leading US rivals will be Japan, Spain, or the Netherlands. The USWNT is -310 to top their group ahead of the Netherlands, Portugal, and Vietnam. Considering the strength of the teams, we can say it is a very realistic scenario.
They would then face the runner-up of Group G, possibly Argentina, in R16. Japan is the next projected opponent in the quarterfinal, while Spain should wait in the semifinal.
We can hardly imagine the best team on the planet and the back-to-back World Cup champions to slip up on any of these obstacles. This is why we very much like the 'USA to Reach the Final’ pick, priced up at the generous +125 odds when wagering with FanDuel.
- Welcome offer activates if your first bet loses
- Great mobile betting experience
- Variety of betting markets on offer
*Except NY & NV. Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Additional terms apply.
Alex Morgan to Win the Golden Boot at +470
The United States demolished Thailand 13-0 in France’s 2019 World Cup opener. Their star striker Alex Morgan bagged 5 of the team’s 13 goals. She scored just one more goal until the end of the tournament to lose the Golden Boot award to teammate Megan Rapinoe who also scored six goals but in fewer minutes spent on the pitch.
Rapinoe is now 38 years old and cannot play such a vital role anymore, but Alex Morgan will no doubt lead the US offense in every game.
Should we remind you that the United States started the tournament with a match against Vietnam? Could we see another disaster for the Asian outfit against the USWNT? It may not be 13 goals this time, but we expect Morgan to feast on the occasion.
Also, Morgan should, by all means, have a much better tournament in the latter stages than she had four years ago in France. She is this team’s top scorer, with 121 goals in 207 appearances.
We would also keep an eye on young star Sophia Smith, who enters the tournament on the back of an incredible season. The 22-year-old winger bagged 15 goals in 20 matches to take her Portland Thorns to the NWSL title last year. She also notched 11 goals in 17 appearances for the national team last year, scoring against Germany and England.
When the tournament starts, Sophia will be a well-worth-backing pick in the 'Anytime Goalscorer’ market, but the braver punters can also head to FanDuel to chase the attractive +850 longshot odds for Smith to be the competition’s top scorer.