Over the last couple of decades, women’s football has been gathering momentum, and there are numerous International tournaments which now take place on a regular basis. The FIFA Women’s World Cup is the highlight is the pinnacle event on the calendar, and it’s a chance for the very best players to compete on the biggest stage.
The competition is held every four years, and the inaugural event was held in China in 1991. USA have typically dominated this tournament, and they will be looking to notch their fourth World Cup success in the summer of 2019. They are one of four teams to lift the trophy.
USA are the current holders having beaten Japan in the final of the 2015 tournament, which was staged in Canada. This was the first tournament in which 24 teams competed, double the previous amount.
The qualification for the event is a long drawn-out process, and tends to be stretched across a three-year period. There are 23 slots available, and each nation will have the opportunity to qualify for the tournament. Teams are split into continental zones for qualifying to ensure that representatives from all across the world are given the chance to compete at the summer event.
Similar to the men’s tournament, this competition is staged over the course of a month, and begins with the group stage. This will be followed by the knock-out stage. 16 teams will progress to the knock-out stage, and these will eventually be whittled down to just two. These are one-off matches which may be settled by extra time and penalties.
The Women’s World Cup is broadcast across the world, and is enjoyed by a large number of soccer fans. The 2015 final was watched by 23 million viewers in the USA, with more than 750 million tuning in across the world.
Similar to the men’s tournament, the Golden Boot is awarded to the highest-scoring player, whilst the Golden Glove is given to the best goalkeeper at the event. There are a number of other awards presented including the Golden Ball, the Fair Play award and the Most Entertaining Team.
With the main European soccer leagues taking a break for the summer months, the Women’s World Cup tends to take centre stage, making it a huge betting event for punters. There are numerous markets priced up, and it is often the focal point for many bookmakers in the UK.
Brazilian football Marta currently holds the record for most goals at the tournament with 15 in total. She netted seven at the 2007 World Cup, but only scored once in 2015.
When and Where?
The Women’s World Cup is held every four years, and is staged at various locations. In 2019, France will host the tournament. It is typically played over the course of a month, usually in July.
Why is the Women’s World Cup so Popular?
It is a chance for fans of the game to support their country, and cheer on their side in the summer event. It also provides the opportunity for those who wouldn’t be able to follow the leagues week in-week out to see the best players in the world all feature on the same stage.
The competition is helped by its position in the sporting calendar. There are no major European leagues in action during July, and this helps shift the focus towards the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
What Betting Opportunities are Available?
Loads! Most bookmakers will price up the games throughout qualification, and they will have dedicated markets for the tournament itself. UK bookies will tend to prioritise England games, whilst American operators are likely to focus on the progress of the USA.
Ante-Post markets are typically available most of the year round, and as the tournament creeps closer, they will be joined by markets focusing on group betting and top goalscorers.
Key Betting Markets
Ante Post – Tournament Winner – This is easily the simplest market to understand, and unsurprisingly, it’s also the most popular. This is a case of predicting which team will lift the World Cup at the end of the month-long tournament. Previous winners will typically be priced up at the shortest odds.
Ante Post – Top Goalscorer – Star players tend to attract the headlines, and there are always numerous standout competitors on show. This market allows punters to predict which player will score the most goals throughout the competition. If two players are level on goals when the competition concludes, number of assists will be factored in.
Ante-Post – To Make the Quarter-Finals/Semi-Finals/The Final – Most bookmakers will typically offer markets on each nation to make it beyond a particular stage of the competition. If you aren’t confident about a team winning outright, you can simply predict them to make it to the final four instead.
Ante-Post – Team to Score the Most Goals – There are any number of ante-post markets to choose from, but this is one of the most popular. Punters can choose which nation will score the most goals throughout the entire tournament. This doesn’t neccessarily have to be the same side who lifts the trophy.
Match Market – Team to Win (1X2) – Each match will be priced up by the bookmakers, and betting will be available a couple of days prior to kick-off. Punters must select which team will emerge victorious. Cramped odds is commonplace, particularly during the group stages.
Match Market – Under/Over 2.5 Goals – This is ideal for those bettors who don’t feel as though they can confidently predict which team will win the match. This is a case of predicting how many goals will be scored during the 90 minutes. If two sides with porous defences meet, Over 2.5 Goals is usually the obvious way to wager.
Match Market – Match Handicaps – As previous mentioned, some matches can be extremely one-sided, and that doesn’t offer value for the punter. It is possible to give one of the two sides a handicap to overcome. -1 would require the favourites to win by two clear goals or more. Handicaps can also be used for closely contested games. Underdogs can be backed on the +1 handicap, which gives them a goal head-start. If the match is drawn, +1 on the handicap would be a winning bet.
Match Market – To Score First/To Score Anytime – This is another good way of betting without having to predict the outcome of the game. Punters can choose an in-form player to score at any point during the 90 minutes, or to score the first goal of the match. If the opening strike is an own goal, the first goalscorer market will move onto the second goal of the game.
Match Market – Double Result / HT/FT Betting – This is sometimes considered to be another good way of siding with an overwhelming favourite. Punters can predict that a side can be winning at both half-time and full-time. Alternatively, this market also allows players to predict the game to be all-square at the 45 minute mark, with Team A coming out on top in the second half.
Corners/Cards Markets – Most online bookmakers will now offer cards and corner markets on each game throughout the tournament. These will include Over X Corners in the Match, Over X Corners for Team A or Player B to be Carded. These are ideal for players using stat-based analysis ahead of each game.
Bobby’s Big Betting Tips for the Women’s World Cup
Experience is Key – Tournament football is always an interesing dynamic. It is a case of spending a month in close confines with your team-mates often in an unknown country. It requires leaders, and sides with experience in their team always tend to fare better. A team of younger players may be vibrant, and go into the competition as a bit of an unknown, but it’s easy for them to get bullied by more savvy opponents. Ideally, teams are looking for the right blend of youth and experience, but those teams with experienced players tend to progress to the latter stages. Getting the right blend of personalities is vital.
Look for Teams Who are Making Up the Numbers – It may sound a little disrespectful, but there are always a couple of teams who are simply not good enough to compete at the tournament. FIFA ensure there is fairness right across the board, and teams will be able to qualify from all regions, but there is often a gulf in class. In 2015, Ivory Coast conceded 16 goals during the three-match group stage, and that included a 10-0 hammering to Germany. Thailand weren’t much better, conceding 10 in 270 minutes of football. In Group C, Ecuador went home with a goal difference of -16. Getting involved on the goals markets and the handicaps can be a great way of making money if you can spot an outlier. Teams who have the majority of their players competing in a poor domestic league usually struggle on the biggest stage.
Schedules Can be Punishing – The games come thick and fast during the late stages of the tournament, and it can often be profitable to back against the sides with the quickest turnarounds. If it’s Team A vs Team B in the semi-final, and Team A sailed through their last match on 21st July, but Team B needed extra-time and penalties on 22nd July, they may just be suffering from fatigue. It isn’t a hard and fast rule as quality will prevail, but quick turnarounds can sometimes count against sides in these kind of events.
Harmony in the Camp – At World Cup tournaments, I always pay careful attention to how many players are used to playing alongside one another. If the national team consists of players who compete in the same league, or even better, in the same team, this often makes the transition much easier. It can often result in a happier and more settled camp, which is often reflected in the results.
The 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be broadcast live on the BBC and Eurosport. There will be extended highlights and coverage on their websites.
