Americans will see Dutch early

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — Next year’s Women’s World Cup will feature an early rematch of the 2019 final between the Netherlands, still seeking its breakthrough title, and the United States, the two-time reigning champion in pursuit of its fifth trophy overall.

Auckland was the site of Saturday’s ceremony that featured the draw for the 2023 edition of the quadrennial global showcase for women’s soccer, which will be held from July 20 to Aug. 20 at 10 stadiums in Australia and New Zealand.

The Americans and the Dutch were drawn in Group E with Vietnam and a playoff winner still to be determined — either Cameroon, Portugal or Thailand — in a tournament expanded for the first time to 32 teams drawn into eight groups of four.

The U.S. will play all three of its group matches in New Zealand, facing Vietnam on July 22 in Auckland, the Netherlands on July 27 in Wellington and the playoff winner on Aug. 1 at Auckland.

The U.S. beat the Netherlands 2-0 in the 2019 final in France. The Americans won the 2015 title in Canada to go with championships on their home soil in 1999 and at the inaugural 1991 event in China. They were runners-up in 2011 and finished third at the three other Women’s World Cups.

The Dutch had never qualified for the tournament until 2015, when they were one of the final 16 teams in a 24-nation field. The Americans are No. 1 in the current FIFA rankings, with the Netherlands eighth. Vietnam is 34th.

“Netherlands is a very good team and one that’s developing a lot, and it’s changed a lot in the last two years or so,” U.S. midfielder Lindsey Horan said. “And then the opening game against Vietnam, I think that’s great for us to get us going in the tournament, and just overall I’m very excited.”

Two-time World Cup winner Carli Lloyd of the United States was among the stars who assisted in the draw, which was held in front of a crowd of more than 800.

The tournament is being held for the ninth time but for the first time in the Southern Hemisphere.

Said Lloyd: “It’s going to be the biggest and the best.”