FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023: Team Canada Preview, Prediction

Edgar Chaput
July 19, 2023

The time has arrived for the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Canada’s hopes once again rest on the shoulders of a squad that mixes seasoned veterans and a new crop of players ready to put their stamp on the tournament.

Australia and New Zealand co-host this year’s edition, starting July 20 through August 20. All of Canada’s group stage matches are set for Australia.

Don’t let us hog the spotlight in previewing the team. Here is an interview Sports Interaction’s Emelie Savard had with former player Kara Romero in which they share thoughts on what the 2023 edition is capable of.

Manager Bev Priestman will lead the squad. Impressively young for coach of a national squad, the 37-year-old British native has been with the programme since 2013 when she managed the U-17 squad, then graduated to the U-20 side, and since 2020 is fully in charge of the main senior squad. Her resume already speaks for itself, as the CANWNT earned the gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (delayed to summer 2021 due to the pandemic).

In this preview, we look at who made the final World Cup roster, which opponents they’ll face and their odds of taking out women’s football’s greatest trophy.

Winner

EspaÃ±a -123
England +202
Australia +405

Team: Canada

FIFA Ranking: 7

Odds to Win: +3006

2023 record: 1-0-3

Previous World Cup Appearances: 7

Best World Cup Finish: fourth in 2003

Group: B (Canada, Nigeria, Republic of Ireland, Australia)

CANWNT Roster

Goalkeepers: Kailen Sheridan (San Diego Wave FC), Sabrina D’Angelo (Arsenal), Lysianne Proulx (SCU Torreense)

Defenders: Kadeisha Buchanan (Chelsea), Gabrielle Carle (Washington Spirit), Allysha Chapman (Houston Dash), Vanessa Gilles (Olympique Lyonnais), Ashley Lawrence (Chelsea), Jayde Riviere (Manchester United), Shelina Zadorsky (Tottenham Hotspur)

Midfielders: Simi Awujo (University of Southern California), Jessie Fleming (Chelsea), Julia Grosso (Juventus), Quinn (OL Reign), Sophie Schmidt (Houston Dash), Olivia Smith (not pro).

Forwards: Jordyn Huitema (OL Reign), Cloé Lacasse (SL Lacasse), Adriana Leon (Portland Thorns FC), Nichelle Prince (Houston Dash), Deanne Rose (Reading FC), Christine Sinclair (Portland Thorns), Evelyne Viens (Kristianstads DFF)

Is this Canada’s year? More than once the CANWNT has entered a World Cup tournament with expectations of a deep run, yet they haven’t made it to the semifinals in 20 years. Even when Canada hosted the event (2015), they fell in the quarterfinals. Relying on Christine Sinclair, a player with an extraordinary resume, won’t cut it. At 40 years old, the mind operates with all the solutions to the challenges but the body isn’t quite what it used to be. Jordyn Huitema is expected to make a big leap, as is Jessie Fleming, who may be the senior squad’s next captain should Sinclair retire. Kadeisha Buchanan, voted the best young player at the 2015 tournament, should be a big factor as well.

The 2020 Olympic gold medal feels both recent and a long time ago. It was won in 2021, and therefore still fresh in the minds of fans and many of the players on this World Cup roster. On the flip side, 2023 hasn’t exactly shown that the team is up to par, injuries notwithstanding. The team didn’t survive the group stage of the SheBelieves Cup (1-0-2), and their most recent friendly resulted in a 2-1 defeat to France.

In a nutshell, CANWNT is replete and talent and potential. A deep Cup run is feasible, but they need to go out and do it. It won’t just happen because they have skill. The Americans, for instance, are simply better than most of the other teams. That’s not the case with the Canadians.