The favourites all survived the group phase of the 2006 AFC Asian Women's Cup in Adelaide, SA, Australia and will now meet with places in China 2007 on the line. more...

CAF have decided to give both Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea automatic places in the 2006 African Women's Championship after Nigeria stepped up to replace Gabon as tournament hosts. After Gabon's withdrawal, an additional place became available in the eight team tournament. That place will go to Eq Guinea, Nigeria's scheduled opponent in series 3 of the second qualifying round, and both matches of that series are being cancelled.

Six teams escaped successfully from the CONCACAF first qualifying round, with a place in China 2007 the ultimate prize. more...

Australia were rudely welcomed into the Asian Football Confederation with the draw for the 2006 Asian Women's Championship, which they will host in Adelaide, SA, SUN 16-SUN 30 JUL 2006. The Matildas' opponents in Group B include two teams who also appeared at USA 2003, Korea DPR and Korea Rep; only two teams will earn a place in the semifinals. more...

Germany won their first Algarve Cup 4-3 on penalties after the final against the United States ended goalless through 120 minutes. German keeper Silke ROTTENBERG maintained her four match clean sheet, as well as saving Shannon BOXX's attempt during the shootout. Sweden defeated France 1-0 in the third place match of the annual invitational tournament in the Algarve region of southern Portugal.

The FIFA Women's World Player of the Year award has gone to Germany's Birgit PRINZ for the third straight year. At Women's Euro 2005, Prinz scored three goals to tie for second place as her team won their fourth consecutive European title. She has added an additional three in Germany's first three matches in UEFA Group 4 qualifying for China 2007, taking her international total to 90 goals in 144 matches. Brazil's MARTA was second, collecting 429 points in the voting to Prinz's 513, and Shannon BOXX of the United States was third [235 points].

The twenty European nations vying for places at China 2007 are in their winter break, with the UEFA group phase due to resume SAT 25 MAR 2006. Norway, Germany, and England are leading their respective groups with nine points from three matches each. But there are three groups with ties at the top, as Sweden and the Czech Rep are level atop Group 2, Denmark and Spain are tied for the Group 3 lead, and Russia equal Germany's nine points in Group 4. Sweden's Hanna LJUNGBERG leads the individual scoring list with seven goals.

An emphatic 5-1 win over Ireland Rep was the perfect start to Russia's qualifying campaign for the 2007 Women's World Cup. The win in Moscow on SAT 09 JUL 2005 is the world's first qualifying match for China 2007 and gives Russia the early lead in UEFA Group 4, from which only one of Russia, Ireland Rep, Germany, Scotland, or Switzerland will qualify.

Tina THEUNE-MEYER's tenure as head coach of Germany ended with a third consecutive UEFA Women's Championship title as the Germans defeated Norway 3-1 on SUN 19 JUN 2005. Before a crowd of 21,105 in Blackburn, England - the largest ever at an UEFA Women's Championship final - Inka GRINGS and Renate LINGOR staked Germany to a two goal lead before Dagny MELLGREN pulled one back just before halftime. But player of the match Birgit PRINZ scored in the second half to ensure that the defending Women's World Cup champions continue to reign over Europe.

Norway withstood Sweden's comeback to win their 2005 European Women's Championship semifinal 3-2 in overtime, Solveig GULBRANDSEN scoring the winner. The extra period was forced after Hanna LJUNGBERG equalised in the 89th minute. In the final in Blackburn, England on SUN 19 JUN 2005, Norway will meet Germany, who defeated Finland 4-1 in the other semifinal.

England blew a 2-0 lead in their first match at Women's Euro 2005 but recovered to defeat Finland 3-2 on Karen CARNEY's late goal. Anna-Kaisa RANTANEN pulled one back for the Finns early in the second half, and Laura KALMARI equalised in the 89th minute. Only two minutes later, though, Carney collected an earlier save off Satu KUNNAS and lobbed over the Finland defense to delight the Manchester crowd. The other Group A match on opening day saw Sweden and Denmark draw 1-1.

The draw for UEFA's 2007 Women's World Cup qualifiers was made on FRI 18 MAR 2005, putting twenty five hopefuls into five groups. The highlight is Group 4, where defending champions Germany must face Russia; both teams topped their respective groups at USA 2003. France and England are partners in Group 5, after les Bleues eliminated England for UEFA's last place at the 2003 Women's World Cup. The five group winners qualify, with play beginning in AUG 2005. more...