Canada welcomes the world for Women’s World Cup 2015
Team Canada - Courtesy/ edmontonjournal.com
With the backdrop of FIFA’s corruption scandal, the spotlight is now on FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015, which starts on Saturday, June 6 in Edmonton, Canada.
For the most part, women’s soccer is considered pure and played for the love of the game by women who are nowhere near the top athlete earners. There was no Women’s World Cup until 1991 while Women’s soccer was only added to the Olympics in 1996.
Nothing would be sweeter of course than for Canada to win its first World Cup on home soil.
Christine Sinclair, the face of Canadian soccer and captain of the team, has played in three World Cups and two Olympics and Canadians are hoping she can lead the team to victory. Sinclair has over the years become one of the leading scorers in the women’s game. Only American star Abby Wambach has more goals (178) than Sinclair (153) among active players.
| Group AJune 6
Canada vs. China New Zealand vs. Netherlands June 11 Canada vs. New Zealand June 15 China vs. New Zealand
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Group BJune 7 Norway vs. Thailand Germany vs. Cote d’Ivoire June 11 June 15
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Group CJune 8 Cameroon vs. Ecuador Japan vs. Switzerland June 12 Japan vs. Cameroon June 16 |
| Group DJune 8 Sweden vs Nigeria June 12 June 16 |
Group EJune 9 Spain vs. Costa Rica Brazil vs. Korea Republic June 13 Korea Republic vs. Costa Rica June 17
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Group FJune 10 France vs. England Colombia vs. Mexico June 11 June 17 |
The Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) was founded in 1912 and affiliated to FIFA later that same year, predating both the USA and Mexico.
Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Cameroon are the only teams representing Africa.
The final match will be played on July 5 in Vancouver.
– By Esther (Essie) Wambui