The Portuguese women’s football team faces Belgium this Thursday, in Vizela, in the first play off of European qualification for the 2023 World Cup, fueling the hope of debuting in the main national team competition.
After two participations in European Championships, in 2017 and last July, the ‘quinas’ team, which finished second in Group H, behind Germany, European runner-up, feeds the dream of reaching a World Cup for the first timehaving two one-legged qualifiers on the way, both on national soil.
First play off will be played this Thursday, against Belgium, second in Group F, won by Norway, starting at 6:00 p.m., in Vizela.
If they win, Francisco Neto’s team play in the second round against Icelandsecond in Group C, behind the Netherlands, on Tuesday, also starting at 6:00 p.m., but in Paços de Ferreira.
If he beats the Belgians and Icelanders and is one of the two best (points in the group stage, with first, third, fourth and fifth, and in the second round of the play off) among the three winners of the second round, Portugal qualifies for the World Cup.
If it manages to qualify, but as the worst classified, Portugal goes to an intercontinental ‘play-off’, which will dictate the last three places, in New Zealand (February 17 to 23, 2023), with Chinese Taipei, Thailand, Cameroon , Senegal, Papua New Guinea, Haiti, Panama, Chile and Paraguay.
The Women’s World Cup Finals will take place in Australia and New Zealand from July 20 to August 20, 2023.
Source: Observadora
