Canadian women's soccer team draws Australia, Ireland, Nigeria for World Cup

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. 45 Nigeria, the highest-ranked team in Pot 4. The Super Falcons have never missed a World Cup and made the quarter-finals in 1999. Canada is 2-1-2 against Nigeria.

The Olympic champion Canadians will play their opening-round games in Australia, starting with Nigeria.

It's the first Women's World Cup to be held in two countries, the first with an expanded 32-country field, up from 24, and the first in the Southern Hemisphere.

The 64-game tournament is scheduled to run from July 20 to Aug. 20 across 10 different venues in nine different cities — five cities in Australia and four in New Zealand.

Canada coach Bev Priestman and Canada Soccer general secretary Earl Cochrane were in the audience for the draw, along with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Anika Wells, Australian federal minister for sport. Canadian Victor Montagliani, president of CONCACAF and a FIFA vice-president, was also on hand.

The trophy was also