Women's World Cup preview: Ireland join top table as USA start as favourites

Bigger, bolder and breaking new ground, the Women's World Cup kicks off in Australia and New Zealand on Thursday and Ireland are straight into the action as they take on one of the host nations in Sydney on the opening day.

Vera Pauw's side secured qualification to the prestigious event throughout a hard-fought, yet impressive, campaign and now rightly take their seat at the top table among the elite nations of the women’s game.

A baptism of fire, perhaps, for the emerging Ireland side as they face a very tough task in their quest to progress to the knock-out stages of the month-long tournament, starting with that testing opening game against Australia.

Canada, the highest-ranked side in the FIFA World Rankings not to receive one of the eight top seeds in the World Cup draw, and the Matildas look set to battle it out for top spot in the group.

Ireland are underdogs to go through, and will have to secure at least two good results in the group to have a chance of making it into the round of 16, while Nigeria, the remaining side in the group, are also expected to provide a stern test for Pauw’s side, despite the fact that they sit 18 places below the Irish in the FIFA world rankings in 40th place.

Australia come into the tournament in fine form, with recent friendly wins over European powers England and France that were part of a longer stretch of nine wins in their past ten senior international matches.

Canada are also tipped to go far in the tournament, while striker Christine Sinclair has 190 international goals - the most scored by anyone in the world, male or female, for a national team – and the 40-year-old will certainly get all the attention coming into the tournament, while 22-year-old Jordyn Huitema is also expected to