Group A of the Women's World Cup was set to be one of the more tightly contested groups at the tournament, with co-hosts New Zealand drawn alongside 1995 winners Norway, Sweden, and debutants the Philippines.
New Zealand secured a 1-0 win in the opening match of the tournament against Norway at Eden Park in Auckland, against an under-par Norway side who looked unlikely to improve on a quarterfinal exit in 2019. However, they suffered a shock 1-0 loss to the Philippines on matchday two.
It meant everything would be decided in the final day and sadly for New Zealand, a 0-0 draw with Switzerland meant they became the first host nation in the history of the tournament to exit at the first round group stage.
As Norway thumped Philippines they progressed along with group winners Switzerland into the knockout stages.
MORE: New Zealand final World Cup squad
Group A standings and schedule
Women's World Cup Group A table & fixtures
| Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Switzerland | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | +2 |
| 4. Norway | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 | +5 |
| 2. New Zealand | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 3. Philippines | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | -7 |
Group A match results
| Date | Match | Highlights | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, July 20 | New Zealand 1-0 Norway | Highlights | Auckland (NZL) |
| Fri, July 21 | Philippines 0-2 Switzerland | Highlights | Dunedin (NZL) |
| Tue, July 25 | New Zealand 0-1 Philippines | Highlights | Wellington (NZL) |
| Tue, July 25 | Switzerland 0-0 Norway | Highlights | Hamilton (NZL) |
| Sun, July 30 | Switzerland 0-0 New Zealand | Highlights | Dunedin (NZL) |
| Sun, July 30 | Norway 6-0 Philippines | Highlights | Auckland (NZL) |
Group A Round of 16 matchups
Switzerland and Norway will face either of the two teams who have progressed from Group C, which features Spain, Costa Rica, Zambia and Japan.
This means the runners-up face a likely clash with heavyweights Spain, while the winners of Group A could face 2011 champions Japan or Zambia, who recently surprisingly defeated Germany.
Potential path to final for Group A teams
Women's World Cup Round of 16
| Date | Match | Time (AEST) | Time (ET) | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Aug. 5 | Switzerland vs. 2C | 15:00 | 01:00 | Auckland (NZL) |
| Sat, Aug. 5 | 1C vs. Norway | 18:00 | 04:00 | Wellington (NZL) |
| Sun, Aug. 6 | 1E vs. 2G | 12:00 | 22:00 (Aug. 5) | Sydney (AUS) |
| Sun, Aug. 6 | 1G vs. 2E | 19:00 | 05:00 | Melbourne (AUS) |
| Mon, Aug. 7 | 1B vs. 2D | 20:30 | 06:30 | Sydney (AUS) |
| Mon, Aug. 7 | 1D vs. 2B | 17:30 | 03:30 | Brisbane (AUS) |
| Tue, Aug. 8 | 1F vs. 2H | 20:30 | 07:00 | Adelaide (AUS) |
| Tue, Aug. 8 | 1H vs. 2F | 18:00 | 04:00 | Melbourne (AUS) |
Women's World Cup Quarterfinals
| Date | Match | Time (AEST) | Time (ET) | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Aug. 11 | QF1: 1A/2C vs. 1E/2G | 11:00 | 21:00 (Aug. 10) | Wellington (NZL) |
| Fri, Aug. 11 | QF2: 1C/2A vs. 1G/2E | 17:30 | 03:30 | Auckland (NZL) |
| Sat, Aug. 12 | QF3: 1B/2D vs. 1F/2H | 17:00 | 03:00 | Brisbane (AUS) |
| Sat, Aug. 12 | QF4: 1D/2B vs. 1H/2F | 20:30 | 06:30 | Sydney (AUS) |
Women's World Cup Semifinals
| Date | Match | Time (AEST) | Time (ET) | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Aug. 15 | QF1 vs. QF2 | 18:00 | 04:00 | Auckland (NZL) |
| Wed, Aug. 16 | QF3 vs. QF4 | 20:00 | 06:00 | Sydney (AUS) |
Women's World Cup 3rd Place
| Date | Match | Time (AEST) | Time (ET) | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Aug. 19 | Semifinal losers | 18:00 | 04:00 | Brisbane (AUS) |
Women's World Cup Final
| Date | Match | Time (AEST) | Time (ET) | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, Aug. 20 | Semifinal winners | 20:00 | 06:00 | Sydney (AUS) |