Canada

The first big test in 2024 for the United States women’s national team will be the inaugural Concacaf W Gold Cup. You might have questions like who are the teams playing in Concacaf W Gold Cup, how does it work, where are the games, etc.

This guide is here to help.

2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup basics

• Dates: Feb. 20 through March 10
• Locations: Los Angeles, California | Carson, California | Houston, Texas | San Diego, California
• No. of teams: 12

Teams playing in Concacaf W Gold Cup

Christine Sinclair bid an emotional farewell to international soccer on Tuesday with one final match that brought an end to a superlative career in which she catapulted the Canadian national women's team from obscurity to Olympic champions.

The result of the friendly, a 1-0 win over Australia played in Sinclair's home province of British Columbia, did not matter as the night was all about celebrating Canada's most successful soccer player of all time.

Christine Sinclair, the world's all-time leading international goalscorer, has announced her retirement from the Canada women's national team but said she still planned to play for Portland Thorns in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) next season.

The 40-year-old Sinclair's illustrious international career includes a record 190 goals for Canada in 327 games, an Olympic gold medal and six World Cup appearances.

"Honestly, you can't play forever," Sinclair told Reuters. "And this seems like a good time to be done."

SYDNEY — The unpredictability of results at the Women's World Cup, with former champions bowing out early and debutants advancing, is evidence that playing standards are improving across the board, FIFA's Technical Study Group (TSG) said on Friday.

The TSG analyzed data from the first 48 matches of the tournament and have concluded that defensive organization is better and goalkeepers are better positioned and making more saves, while fewer goals are being scored.

MELBOURNE - Hayley Raso scored a first half brace and Mary Fowler struck after the break as Australia crushed Canada 4-0 on Monday to storm into the last 16 of the Women's World Cup and send the Olympic champions spinning out of the tournament.

In front of a febrile crowd at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Raso struck in the ninth minute with a low, right-footed shot and doubled down in the 39th from a goalmouth scramble as unused captain Sam Kerr cheered by the touchline.

The Republic of Ireland's Women’s World Cup journey is all but over as a 2-1 defeat to Canada on Wednesday eliminated the Irish from the competition.

The 2023 edition of the tournament was the first time Ireland had qualified. Despite losing the first two games, The Girls in Green still got admirable results. A 1-0 loss to hosts Australia and a 2-1 defeat to the 2020 Olympic gold medalists Canada is nothing to be ashamed of.

Ireland’s big World Cup moment has to be the Katie McCabe goal vs Canada. The Irish opened Wednesday’s game with a stunning goal from their captain.

MELBOURNE — Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie saved a penalty to help Nigeria secure a valuable 0-0 draw against Olympic champions Canada in their Women's World Cup opener on Friday in a result that threw the group wide open.

Nnadozie denied Christine Sinclair from the spot in the 50th minute with a low dive to her left as the Canada skipper missed out on becoming the first player to score in six World Cups in front of 21,000 fans at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.

The 2023 Women’s World Cup kicks off Thursday in Australia and New Zealand and teams/fans are geared up for the travel.

Soccer fans might remember last year’s men’s tournament in Qatar where the furthest distance between two stadiums was 35 miles. That is no longer the case for Australia and New Zealand where travel will be a major factor. 

Perth, Australia, and Hamilton, New Zealand, are the two furthest host cities sitting 3,333 miles apart.