Women's World Cup a welcome distraction from FIFA troubles

Abby Wambach of the United States directs her teammates in the second half against South Korea during an international friendly match on May 30. AFP  

by Michelle Kaufman

FIFA president Sepp Blatter resigned, and investigations continue into racketeering within soccer's governing body, but the sport will get a month-long respite as the Women's World Cup gets underway Saturday in Canada.

Amid all the negativity engulfing FIFA since news of the scandal broke last week, there are plenty of positive storylines surrounding the tournament.

"A cloud has been lifted," said Alexi Lalas, a Fox Sports analyst. "Not just for the Women's World Cup, but for soccer in general. You saw euphoria ... when this news came out. That's wonderful. As far as the Women's World Cup, now we can concentrate on what ultimately is the most important thing when it comes to FIFA and soccer, and that's the actual play on the field."

The growth of the women's game will be highlighted, as the field expanded from 16 to 24 teams and an extra knockout round was added. Eight nations will be participating for the first time - Spain, Switzerland, Netherlands, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Thailand, Cameroon and Ivory Coast.

Nearly 900,000 tickets have been sold, including a sellout crowd of 50,000 for the opening match Saturday between Canada and China at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.

The tournament will be hosted in six cities from Vancouver to Moncton, and despite a lawsuit by players that was later dismissed, matches will be played on artificial turf in Canadian Football League stadiums.

Many of the world's top players - including Abby Wambach of the United States, Marta of Brazil and Hamare Sawa of Japan - accused the organisers of discrimination, saying that elite men's teams would never be forced to play on anything but natural grass. The complaint was filed with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, but dropped in January.

The attention now turns to the games, and with the tournament being played just north of the US border, record TV audiences are expected.

"Based on the momentum soccer in the US gained in Brazil last summer, if the US women go deep and, ideally, go to the final and win, it could be a seminal moment for soccer in the United States," said David Neal, executive producer for Fox Sports' Women's World Cup coverage.

Added Mr Lalas: "We are blowing this thing out. The difference from last summer is this US team has a chance to win the World Cup, and it doesn't matter if you're a diehard or just coming to the game, the chance to sing the national anthem, raise the flag and scream 'USA,' we know that's what's America's all about."

Although casual fans may assume the Americans are a lock to win, the truth is the US team did not win the past three Women's World Cups. Germany won back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2007, and Japan beat the US in penalty kicks in the 2011 championship game. The last time the US raised the cup was 1999, when Brandi Chastain, Mia Hamm and Julie Foudy were on the team.

This US team has some of the most famous players in the world on its roster - Wambach, Hope Solo, Christie Rampone, Alex Morgan - and they are under intense pressure to win the final in Vancouver on July 5.

It won't be easy.

Team USA landed in the "Group of Death" with Sweden, Australia and Nigeria. Sweden is coached by former US coach Pia Sundhage, who knows the American players as well her own. Germany remains a powerful team, and Japan has the precision and focus to make it to the final again. Brazil has five-time FIFA Player of the Year, Marta.

And then there's France. The French qualified for their first World Cup in 2003, lost in the first round, and then in 2011 made it all the way to the semifinals. Since then, France has developed one of the most dynamic attacks in the game, and they could make a deep run again. The US team lost to France in a friendly in February, barely beat England, and tied and lost to Brazil in a tournament there.

"France is one of my favourites," said Angela Hucles, a former member of the US team. "What we're seeing is the growth of the women's game, a lot more attention and support at the international level. We still have a long way to go, but with the expansion of this tournament, it allows for some teams that wouldn't have had opportunity at the world stage, and that helps push the other teams.''

Tony DiCicco, the U.S. coach in 1999, added: "The level of teams in this World Cup is the best it's ever been.''

Finally, some good FIFA news.