2015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification

2015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
Tournament details
Dates 4 April 2013 – 2 December 2014
Teams 134 (from 6 confederations)
Tournament statistics
Matches played 406
Goals scored 1686 (4.15 per match)
Top scorer(s) Netherlands Vivianne Miedema (16 goals)

The qualification for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup determined which 23 teams joined Canada, the hosts of the 2015 tournament, to play for the Women's World Cup.

The field was expanded from 16 teams in the 2011 edition to 24 in the 2015 edition. As a result, a new distribution of slots to each confederation was announced by FIFA on 11 June 2012:[1]

A record of 134 FIFA member nations (not counting Canada) entered the qualifying tournaments. Additionally two non-FIFA nations entered the CONCACAF qualifying. Four African teams withdrew before playing any match.

  Qualified
  Did not qualify
  Did not enter
  Not active women's team

Qualified teams

Team Qualified as Qualification date Appearance
in final		 Consecutive
streak		 Previous best performance FIFA
Ranking1
 CanadaHosts 3 March 2011 6th6 Fourth place (2003)8
 Japan 2014 AFC Women's Asian Cup winner 18 May 2014 7th 7 Winners (2011) 3
 Australia 2014 AFC Women's Asian Cup runner-up 18 May 2014 6th 6 Quarterfinals (2007, 2011) 10
 China PR 2014 AFC Women's Asian Cup 3rd place 17 May 2014 6th 1 Runners-up (1999) 14
 South Korea 2014 AFC Women's Asian Cup 4th place 17 May 2014 2nd 1 First round (2003) 17
 Thailand 2014 AFC Women's Asian Cup 5th place 21 May 2014 1st 1Debut 30
  Switzerland UEFA qualification group 3 winner 15 June 2014 1st 1 Debut 18
 England UEFA qualification group 6 winner 21 August 2014 4th 3Quarterfinals (1995, 2007, 2011) 7
 Norway UEFA qualification group 5 winner 13 September 2014 7th 7Winners (1995) 9
 Germany UEFA qualification group 1 winner 13 September 2014 7th 7Winners (2003, 2007) 2
 Spain UEFA qualification group 2 winner 13 September 2014 1st 1 Debut 16
 France UEFA qualification group 7 winner 13 September 2014 3rd 2 Fourth place (2011)4
 Sweden UEFA qualification group 4 winner 17 September 2014 7th 7 Runners-up (2003) 5
 Brazil 2014 Copa América Femenina winner 26 September 20147th7Runners-up (2007)6
 Colombia 2014 Copa América Femenina runner-up 28 September 20142nd2First Round (2011)31
 Nigeria 2014 African Women's Championship winner 22 October 20147th7Quarterfinals (1999)35
 Cameroon 2014 African Women's Championship runner-up 22 October 20141st1Debut 51
 United States 2014 CONCACAF Women's Championship winner 24 October 20147th7Winners (1991, 1999) 1
 Costa Rica 2014 CONCACAF Women's Championship runner-up 24 October 20141st1Debut 40
 Ivory Coast 2014 African Women's Championship 3rd place 25 October 20141st1Debut64
 Mexico 2014 CONCACAF Women's Championship 3rd place 26 October 20143rd2First Round (1999, 2011)25
 New Zealand 2014 OFC Women's Nations Cup winner 29 October 20144th3First Round (1991, 2007, 2011)19
 Netherlands UEFA qualification play-off winner 27 November 2014 1st 1Debut 15
 Ecuador CONMEBOL-CONCACAF play-off winner 2 December 2014 1st 1Debut 49
1.^ The rankings are shown as of 19 September 2014 – the last rankings published prior to the official draw.[2]

Qualifying tournaments

Confederation Tournament Nations started Qualified Slots Qualification started Qualification ends
AFC 2014 AFC Women's Asian Cup 20 5 5 221 May 2013 021 May 2014
CAF 2014 African Women's Championship 26 3 3 314 February 2014 125 October 2014
CONCACAF 2014 CONCACAF Women's Championship 28+11 3+1 3½+1 419 May 2014 52 December 2014
CONMEBOL 2014 Copa América Femenina 10 3 2½ 511 September 2014 42 December 2014
OFC 2014 OFC Women's Nations Cup 4 1 1 625 October 2014 229 October 2014
UEFA 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification (UEFA) 46 8 8 14 April 2013 327 November 2014
Total 134+1 23+1 23+1 4 April 2013 2 December 2014

Africa

(26 teams competing for 3 berths)

As in the previous World Cup cycle, the 2014 African Women's Championship served as the qualification tournament for the Women's World Cup. The qualifying saw a record entry of 25 CAF teams (26 if including final tournament host Namibia). Four teams though withdrew before playing any matches.

A total of eight teams (the host nation and seven teams which came through the qualifying rounds) competed at the final tournament in Namibia from 11 to 25 October 2014. The top three teams of the final tournament qualified for the World Cup.

Group stage

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Nigeria 3 3 0 0 12 2 +10 9 Knockout stage
2  Ivory Coast 3 1 1 1 6 6 0 4
3  Namibia (H) 3 1 0 2 3 5 −2 3
4  Zambia 3 0 1 2 1 9 −8 1
Source: CAF
(H) Host.

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Cameroon 3 2 0 1 3 1 +2 6 Knockout stage
2  South Africa 3 1 1 1 6 3 +3 4
3  Ghana 3 1 1 1 2 2 0 4
4  Algeria 3 1 0 2 2 7 −5 3
Source: CAF

Knockout stage

Semifinals Final
22 October
  Nigeria  2  
  South Africa  1  
 
25 October
      Nigeria  2
    Cameroon  0
Third place
22 October 25 October
  Cameroon (a.e.t.)  2   South Africa  0
  Ivory Coast  1     Ivory Coast  1

Nigeria, Cameroon and Ivory Coast qualified for the World Cup.

Asia

(20 teams competing for 5 berths)

As in the previous World Cup cycle, the 2014 AFC Women's Asian Cup served as the qualifying tournament. A total of 20 AFC teams competed for five berths.

The final tournament, held in Vietnam from 14 to 25 May 2014, was competed by eight teams, four of which – Australia, China, Japan and South Korea – were automatically qualified though their 2010 placement, while the others were determined via a qualification tournament.[3] North Korea was banned from the tournament due to the sanction on their doping cases in 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.[4]

Group stage

The top two teams from each group advanced to the semifinals of the tournament as well as qualifying for the World Cup. The third placed teams advanced to a playoff against each other to determine the fifth and final qualifying team from the AFC.

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Japan 3 2 1 0 13 2 +11 7 Knockout stage and
Women's World Cup
2  Australia 3 2 1 0 7 3 +4 7
3  Vietnam (H) 3 1 0 2 3 7 −4 3 Repechage play-off
4  Jordan 3 0 0 3 2 13 −11 0
Source: AFC
(H) Host.

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  South Korea 3 2 1 0 16 0 +16 7 Knockout stage and
Women's World Cup
2  China PR 3 2 1 0 10 0 +10 7
3  Thailand 3 1 0 2 2 12 −10 3 Repechage play-off
4  Myanmar 3 0 0 3 1 17 −16 0
Source: AFC

Japan, Australia, China and South Korea qualified for the World Cup. Vietnam and Thailand advanced to the fifth-place play-off.

Fifth place play-off

Team 1  Score  Team 2
Vietnam  1–2  Thailand

Thailand qualified for the World Cup.

Europe

(46 teams competing for 8 berths)

A record 46 UEFA teams entered qualification. The eight lowest teams entered the tournament in the preliminary round and were drawn into two groups of four, played in single round-robin format from 4 to 9 April 2013 in Malta and Lithuania respectively. The winners and runners-up of each group advanced to the group stage.

The group stage was played in home-and-away round-robin format from 20 September 2013 to 17 September 2014. All seven group winners qualified directly to the final tournament, while the four runners-ups with the best record against the sides first, third, fourth, and fifth in their groups advanced to play-off matches for the remaining berth.

The play-off matches were played in home-and-away two-legged format on 25/26 and 29/30 October (semi-finals), and 22/23 and 26/27 November 2014 (finals).

Group stage

Group 1

Pos Team Pld Pts
1  Germany 10 30
2  Russia 10 22
3  Republic of Ireland 10 17
4  Croatia 10 8
5  Slovenia 10 6
6  Slovakia 10 4
Source: UEFA

Group 4

Pos Team Pld Pts
1  Sweden 10 30
2  Scotland 10 24
3  Poland 10 16
4  Bosnia and Herzegovina 10 9
5  Northern Ireland 10 5
6  Faroe Islands 10 2
Source: UEFA

Group 7

Pos Team Pld Pts
1  France 10 30
2  Austria 10 21
3  Finland 10 21
4  Hungary 10 12
5  Kazakhstan 10 4
6  Bulgaria 10 1
Source: UEFA

Group 2

Pos Team Pld Pts
1  Spain 10 28
2  Italy 10 25
3  Czech Republic 10 14
4  Romania 10 11
5  Estonia 10 7
6  Macedonia 10 1
Source: UEFA

Group 5

Pos Team Pld Pts
1  Norway 10 27
2  Netherlands 10 25
3  Belgium 10 19
4  Portugal 10 12
5  Greece 10 3
6  Albania 10 3
Source: UEFA

Group 3

Pos Team Pld Pts
1   Switzerland 10 28
2  Iceland 10 19
3  Denmark 10 18
4  Israel 10 12
5  Serbia 10 10
6  Malta 10 0
Source: UEFA

Group 6

Pos Team Pld Pts
1  England 10 30
2  Ukraine 10 22
3  Wales 10 19
4  Turkey 10 12
5  Belarus 10 6
6  Montenegro 10 0
Source: UEFA

Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, England and France qualified for the World Cup. Italy, Scotland, Netherlands and Ukraine advanced to the play-offs.

Play-offs

  Semifinals Final
                         
  Scotland 1 0 1  
  Netherlands 2 2 4  
      Netherlands 1 2 3
    Italy 1 1 2
  Italy 2 2 4
  Ukraine 1 2 3  

Netherlands qualified for the World Cup.

North America, Central America and Caribbean

(28 teams competing for 3 or 4 berths, host nation Canada also qualifies)

As with the previous World Cups, the 2014 CONCACAF Women's Championship served as the region's qualification tournament. A total of 30 teams entered qualifying, with Martinique and Guadeloupe not eligible for World Cup qualification as they are only members of CONCACAF and not FIFA. Therefore, a total of 28 teams were in contention for the three direct places plus the play-off place against CONMEBOL's Ecuador. Canada did not participate as they already qualified to the World Cup as hosts.

The final tournament was held in the United States from 15 to 26 October 2014, and the final group draw took place on September 5.[5] The United States and Mexico received byes to the tournament's final round, where they were joined by Costa Rica and Guatemala from Central America and by Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, and Trinidad and Tobago from the Caribbean zone. Both finalists and the third placed team qualified automatically to the 2015 Women's World Cup. The fourth placed team advanced to play the third placed team from CONMEBOL for an additional World Cup berth. It was announced during the Final Draw on September 5 that Martinique was not able to advance beyond the group round, and that the next best team would have taken their place in the semifinals if they finished in the top two in their group.[6][7]

Group stage

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  United States (H) 3 3 0 0 12 0 +12 9 Knockout stage
2  Trinidad and Tobago 3 2 0 1 3 2 +1 6
3  Haiti 3 1 0 2 1 7 −6 3
4  Guatemala 3 0 0 3 1 8 −7 0
Source: CONCACAF
(H) Host.
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Costa Rica 3 3 0 0 9 2 +7 9 Knockout stage
2  Mexico 3 2 0 1 13 2 +11 6
3  Jamaica 3 1 0 2 8 5 +3 3
4  Martinique 3 0 0 3 1 22 −21 0
Source: CONCACAF

Knockout stage

Semifinals Final
24 October
  Costa Rica (pen.)  1 (3)  
  Trinidad and Tobago  1 (0)  
 
26 October
      Costa Rica  0
    United States  6
Third place match
24 October 26 October
  United States  3   Trinidad and Tobago  2
  Mexico  0     Mexico (a.e.t.)  4

United States, Costa Rica and Mexico qualified for the World Cup. Trinidad and Tobago advanced to the CONCACAF–CONMEBOL play-off.

Oceania

(4 teams competing for 1 berth)

As in the previous World Cup cycle, the 2014 OFC Women's Nations Cup served as the qualifying tournament.

Only four OFC teams played in the tournament, held in Papua New Guinea from 25 to 29 October 2014.[8] That was fewer than in the last four editions of the tournament. The winner qualified.

Final stage

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  New Zealand 3 3 0 0 30 0 +30 9 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup
2  Papua New Guinea (H) 3 2 0 1 7 4 +3 6
3  Cook Islands 3 0 1 2 2 16 −14 1
4  Tonga 3 0 1 2 1 20 −19 1
Source: OFC
(H) Host.

New Zealand qualified for the World Cup.

South America

(10 teams competing for 2 or 3 berths)

As with previous World Cup qualifications, the 2014 Copa América Femenina served as the qualification tournament to the World Cup finals.

All 10 CONMEBOL teams competed in the tournament, to be held in Ecuador from 11 to 28 September 2014. The top two teams of the second stage qualified directly for the World Cup, while the third placed team advanced to play the fourth placed team from CONCACAF for an additional World Cup berth.

First stage

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Colombia 4 4 0 0 10 1 +9 12 Second stage
2  Ecuador (H) 4 2 0 2 3 3 0 6
3  Uruguay 4 2 0 2 5 9 −4 6
4  Venezuela 4 1 1 2 4 6 −2 4
5  Peru 4 0 1 3 1 4 −3 1
Source: CONMEBOL
(H) Host.

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Brazil 4 3 0 1 12 3 +9 9 Second stage
2  Argentina 4 3 0 1 9 1 +8 9
3  Paraguay 4 2 0 2 14 9 +5 6
4  Chile 4 2 0 2 6 5 +1 6
5  Bolivia 4 0 0 4 2 25 −23 0
Source: CONMEBOL

Second stage

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Brazil 3 2 1 0 10 0 +10 7 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup
2  Colombia 3 1 2 0 2 1 +1 5
3  Ecuador (H) 3 1 0 2 4 8 −4 3 CONCACAF–CONMEBOL play-off
4  Argentina 3 0 1 2 2 9 −7 1
Source: CONMEBOL
(H) Host.

Brazil and Colombia qualified for the World Cup. Ecuador advanced to the CONCACAF–CONMEBOL play-off.

CONCACAF–CONMEBOL play-off

The play-off was contested between Trinidad and Tobago, CONCACAF's fourth-placed team, and Ecuador, CONMEBOL's third-placed team. The draw for the order of legs was held in Zürich on 22 July 2014.[9] Ecuador hosted the first leg on 8 November 2014, and Trinidad and Tobago hosted the second leg on 2 December 2014.[10]

Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Ecuador  1–0  Trinidad and Tobago 0–0 1–0

Ecuador qualified for the World Cup.

References and notes

  1. ↑ "Qualification slots for Canada 2015 confirmed". FIFA.com. 11 June 2012.
  2. ↑ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA.com. Zurich, Switzerland: FIFA. 19 September 2014. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  3. ↑ "Women's giants to know opponents". Asian Football Confederation. 18 October 2012. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
  4. ↑ "VN eyes Women's World Cup on 'golden chance'". Tuổi Trẻ. 26 September 2012. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
  5. ↑ "Host Cities and Qualification Format Announced for CONCACAF Women's Championship 2014". concacaf.com. 2014-07-24.
  6. ↑ "Draw Yields Matchups for CONCACAF Women's Championship USA 2014". concacaf.com. 5 September 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  7. ↑ "CONCACAF Women's Championship USA 2014 Regulations". CONCACAF. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  8. ↑ "OFC Women's Nations Cup dates finalised". Oceania Football Confederation. 23 September 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  9. ↑ "New international calendar for women's football in the spotlight". FIFA.com. 22 July 2014.
  10. ↑ "@FIFAWWC". Twitter. 21 October 2014.

External links

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