United States chase more glory at expanded Women's World Cup

MELBOURNE : Bigger, bolder and breaking new ground, the Women's World Cup kicks off in Australia and New Zealand on Thursday with the United States bidding to extend their golden era by winning an unprecedented third straight title.

Featuring an expanded 32-team lineup and eight nations making their debut, the first edition in the southern hemisphere will be an affirmation of how far the women's game has come since the U.S. won the inaugural 12-team tournament in China in 1991.

The 64-game showpiece gets underway on both sides of the Tasman Sea on Thursday, with New Zealand facing former champions Norway in front of a sell-out crowd at Auckland's Eden Park.

It will be a record attendance for a soccer match in the country if the expected 40,000 turn up.

On the same night, more than 80,000 are tipped to pack out Sydney's Stadium Australia for the home side's opener against newcomers Ireland, a record crowd for a women's soccer game Down Under.

Four years on from dominating in France, the top-ranked Americans remain favourites to secure a record-extending fifth World Cup triumph with a new generation of players.

However, the landscape has changed irrevocably through the World Cup cycle, with money, talent and professionalism shifting to the sport's traditional European heartlands.

Once a cut above, the United States are now just one of a raft of nations with credible hopes of hoisting the trophy come the Sydney final on Aug. 20.

Germany, France, Sweden and European champions England all fancy their chances, while Australia's in-form 'Matildas' expect to go far under star striker Sam Kerr and with the support of an army of green-and-gold fans.

Olympic champions Canada, who upset the U.S. in the Tokyo Games semi-finals, also cannot be