Longtime Women’s World Cup fans will see one extremely familiar face at this year’s tournament: Kristine LILLY of the United States. Of the players on the sixteen team rosters, she is the only one who has appeared at every tournament to date. She will look to guide the US to a third title against such stars as Germany’s Birgit PRINZ, Brazil’s MARTA, Sweden’s Hanna LJUNGBERG, and Canada’s Christine SINCLAIR. Teams are permitted to make injury replacements until 24 hours before their first match.

For the third straight time, the United States, Korea DPR, and Nigeria were all drawn into the same Women's World Cup group. And amazingly, Sweden also landed in Group B to make the exact same list as Group A of the 2003 Women's World Cup. It is the first time in World Cup history, men's or women's, that the same four teams have been in a group together for two consecutive tournaments. Other teams who are already familiar with one another include Germany, Japan, and Argentina, all of whom were together in Group C in 2003; this time they are in Group A. Interestingly, this represents the first Women's World Cup that contains no first time qualifiers. more...

Japan have stolen a Women's World Cup berth from Mexico for the second straight time as they won the AFC/CONCACAF playoff 3-2 on aggregate. After a 2-0 win at home, Japan added to their lead with an Eriko ARAKAWA goal just twelve minutes into the second leg in Toluca. Sixteen minutes later, the home side had closed to within one goal, with scores by Fatima LEYVA and Maribel DOMINGUEZ. Japan, though, held on to continue their perfect record of appearing at every Women's World Cup to date.

The OFC group phase will decide the sixteenth and final team to play in the 2007 Women's World Cup at Lae, Papua New Guinea MON 09-FRI 13 APR 2007. The hosts will meet Samoa, Tonga, and heavy favourites New Zealand in a single round robin group.

With the final of the CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup extending deep into overtime, penalties looked all but certain as the United States and Canada remained level at 1-1. But on a late corner, Robyn GAYLE was whistled for a foul in the area, and the world's most capped player, Kristine LILLY, put the penalty past Canadian keeper Erin MCLEOD for the dramatic US win. The third place match saw Mexico roll to a 3-0 win over Jamaica with two goals from Monica OCAMPO and one from Maribel DOMINGUEZ; Mexico advance to the AFC/CONCACAF playoff against Japan.

Brazil failed in their bid for a fifth straight South American women's championship with a 2-0 loss to Argentina in the last match of the CONMEBOL final round. Eva GONZÁLEZ and María Belen POTASSA scored two minutes apart for the Albiceleste, who shockingly snuck into first place after opening the final round with a draw against Paraguay. Brazil, in fact, had a perfect 22 wins in 22 matches in five South American women's tournaments before falling to their Argentine rivals. The two sides finished first and second, earning places at the 2007 Women's World Cup. CRISTIANE ROZEIRA of Brazil was the tournament's top goalscorer, with twelve in seven matches.

CONCACAF's top sides, Canada and the United States, qualified for the 2007 Women's World Cup – by playing only one match. In Carson, CA, USA, Canada won 4-0 over Jamaica on two goals and one assist from Christine SINCLAIR. The second match saw the home side defeat Mexico 2-0, both goals by Abby WAMBACH. Canada will now face the US in the final of the CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup, and in the third place match, Mexico will meet Jamaica with the winner facing Japan in the AFC/CONCACAF playoff.

Nigeria won the fifth African Women's Championship with a 1-0 win over frequent finalists Ghana, remaining the only team to win the tournament. Perpetua NKWOCHA scored the only goal in the 14th minute. It was her seventh goal of the tournament, earning her the top scorer's award for the second African championship in a row. The final came a day after South Africa defeated Cameroon 5-4 on penalties in the third place match, which finished 2-2 at full time.

For the third time in a row, Nigeria and Ghana will represent CAF at the Women’s World Cup. The Super Falcons easily got past their opponents in Group A and then won their semifinal match against Cameroon, 5-0, as Perpetua NKWOCHA scored a hat trick. In the other semifinal, Ghana were awarded a late penalty against South Africa, and Florence OKOE converted past Bridgette MOLALE to seal the win. Nigeria and Ghana will square off on SAT 11 NOV 2006 for the 2006 African Women’s Championship.

The 2006 Campeonato Sudamericano Femenino will be played FRI 10-SUN 26 NOV 2006 in Mar del Plata, Argentina, with each of CONMEBOL's ten member nations playing. The tournament was originally to take place at the 2006 South American Games in Buenos Aires, but both men's and women's football were struck from the Games' programme. Two teams will emerge from each group in the first round, and then the two best in the final group will qualify for the 2007 Women's World Cup. more...

UEFA's last four places at China 2007 were decided in each respective team's last qualifying match. Sweden qualified with a 2-0 win over the Czech Rep as Hanna LJUNGBERG's two goals secured first place in Group 2. In Group 3, Denmark fought off a strong challenge from Finland and took first place with a 1-0 win. Germany held on to win 3-2 against Russia to win Group 4. And in Rennes, France needed a win to qualify from Group 5 and in fact got a late equaliser from Ludivine DIGUELMAN. But Les Bleues couldn't find net again, and England escaped with a 1-1 draw and a ticket to their second Women's World Cup.

Jamaica and Trinidad-Tobago will represent the Caribbean at the CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup after their easy wins in the second qualifying round. Tasha ST LOUIS totaled four goals in the Soca Divas' two wins in Group A, and Venicia REID contributed five for the Reggae Girlz as they dominated Group B. They will join Canada, Mexico, Panama, and the United States at the Women's Gold Cup in the US in NOV 2006.

At the CAF Executive Committee's meeting in Cairo, Egypt on MON 04-TUE 05 SEP 2006, Congo were disqualified from the 2006 African Women's Championship. Scheduled to face Ghana in Obuasi, GHA on SUN 23 JUL 2006, the Congolese side failed to show. With the tournament field duly reduced to eight, CAF drew the teams into two groups. Hosts Nigeria avoided bitter rivals Ghana; their strongest opposition in Group A will be South Africa. Ghana and Cameroon, meanwhile, will surely be the favourites in Group B. The semifinal winners will qualify for China 2007. more...

With a 1-1 draw at Ukraine on SUN 27 AUG 2006, Norway became the fourth nation, and first from UEFA, to qualify for the 2007 Women's World Cup. The match broke Norway's perfect record of six wins in their previous six Group 1 matches, but their nineteen points are nonetheless enough to take the group. Unni LEHN scored Norway's all important goal just before halftime, neutralising Teciana VEREAZUBOVA's earlier goal.

RI Un-Gyong's two goals helped Korea DPR to a 3-0 lead over Japan, and the Koreans held on to win the third place match of the 2006 AFC Asian Women's Cup 3-2 and qualify for China 2007. Next year's hosts then won their eighth Asian championship, defeating Australia 4-2 on penalties after a 2-2 final in overtime. The Matildas were up 2-0 at halftime but conceded goals to HAN Duan and to the tournament's most valuable player, MA Xiaoxu. China PR, Australia, and Korea DPR will play in the Women's World Cup, and Japan await CONCACAF's third placed team in the AFC/CONCACAF playoff.

Australia earned a place at the 2007 Women's World Cup as they won 2-0 against Japan in Adelaide, SA. Caitlin MUNOZ and Joanna PETERS each capitalised on defensive mistakes that dropped Japan into the third place playoff against Korea DPR, who fell 1-0 to China PR. After the match, Korean goalkeeper HYE Yong-Han was shown a red card for kicking at Italian referee Anna DE TONI from behind, and teammates SON Kyong-Sun and SONG Jung-Sun were suspended for violent conduct. All three will miss the third place match, from which the winner qualifies and the loser has another chance in the AFC/CONCACAF playoff.