More the merrier: Expanded field holds up under World Cup pressure

AUCKLAND : More appears to have been merrier at the Women's World Cup as teams that benefited from the expansion of the field to 32 in Australia and New Zealand have largely held up to scrutiny in the group stage.

FIFA expanded the tournament from 24 teams for 2023, with President Gianni Infantino citing the "astounding success" of the 2019 tournament and a need to foster growth in the women's sport.

The move prompted criticism that there was not enough talent in the women's game to justify the size - complaints that echoed the response to FIFA's plan to expand the men's tournament from 32 teams to 48 in 2026.

The string of blowouts that such critics predicted have so far not materialised, however, and the narrative has shifted instead to the increased depth in women's football.

Nigeria have featured in every Women's World Cup but would not have made the cut in 2019 after they finished a surprise fourth in their qualifying tournament.

But with the African confederation granted four instead of three direct-qualification spots for 2023, they booked a ticket.

Nigeria finished second in Group B, after holding Canada to a scoreless draw and shocking 10th-ranked co-hosts Australia 3-2 in their second match of the tournament. They closed out the group stage with a 0-0 stalemate against Ireland on Monday.

"I don't think that teams may have respected Nigeria as much as they should have," said retired U.S. great Carli Lloyd, a Fox Sports analyst based in Sydney for the tournament.

"They have come in and they have been hungry, they have been organised, they have been disciplined," she said.

Although it is hard to calculate, Switzerland and Ireland were also likely beneficiaries of the expanded draw as UEFA, which runs international