Canada has been drawn with co-host Australia, Ireland and Nigeria at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. Saturday's draw was relatively kind to the seventh-ranked Canadians, who avoided several heavyweights when they were placed in Group B alongside Australia.
The 13th-ranked Matildas were the second-lowest-ranked team they could have faced out of Pot 1. Only co-host New Zealand, at No.
22, had a lower ranking in the pot containing the co-hosts and top seeds. Canada defeated Australia twice in September, 1-0 and 2-1 in Brisbane and Sydney respectively, and is 6-2-2 against the Matildas this century.
Ireland, ranked 24th, will be making its World Cup debut. The Canadians won their only meeting with Ireland, 2-1 in 2014. But the draw did not do Canada any favours in No.