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Portugal, Panama and Haiti have secured their place at the 2023 Women’s World Cup as three of eight tournament debutants.
The tournament, which has been expanded to 32 teams, will be held in Australia and New Zealand in July and August.
Panama beat Paraguay 1-0 at Hamilton’s Waikato Stadium on Thursday to confirm their place, while Portugal overcame Cameroon 2-1 at the same venue.
Haiti, meanwhile, defeated Chile 2-1 in Auckland.
The three nations, along with Morocco, Vietnam, Zambia, the Republic of Ireland and the Philippines are set to play in a Women’s World Cup for the first time.
Indeed, Panama, Portugal and Vietnam had never previously qualified for a FIFA women’s competition, while Morocco – whose men’s team enjoyed a stunning run to the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar last year – became the first-ever Arab nation to be represented in FIFA’s flagship women’s tournament.
Haiti have been placed in Group D alongside China, Denmark, who are making their first World Cup appearance since 2007, and European champions England.
The matches in that pool will be played in Australia, as they will be in Group F, with Panama set to face Jamaica along with heavyweights Brazil and France.
Portugal will go up against Vietnam, the Netherlands and two-time reigning champions the United States in Group E, which will be played out in New Zealand.
Co-hosts New Zealand take on Norway in Auckland in the tournament’s opening game on July 20.
