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The official match schedule of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015 was announced on Thursday, March 22. Running from Saturday, June 6 until Sunday, July 5, the tournament’s opening ceremony and opening matches will take place in Edmonton, Alberta while culminating in Vancouver, British Columbia for the championship final.
Canada, the host nation, has been allocated as seed A1. Their first two matches will be played in Edmonton before wrapping up the group stage in Montreal, Quebec. Other group matches will begin focused in particular cities as follows: Group B in Ottawa, Ontario; Group C in Vancouver; Group D in Winnipeg, Manitoba; Group E in Montreal and Group F in Moncton, New Brunswick.
As the world’s largest women’s football tournament and for the first time ever, 24 teams (an increase from 16) will compete in a total of 52 matches. There’s great potential to impact the growth of the sport in Canada and beyond; Peter Montopoli recently told FIFA.com:
From the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2015, we want to leave a legacy for sport, for women, and for Canada that reaches far beyond the competition's 30 days. Certainly, this competition will have a positive effect on all levels of football across the country - both men's and women's soccer - but it most surely will help establish a new era in the women's game.
Preliminary qualification begins April 2013 in Europe, continuing until November 2014 for the final spot in the tournament decided between the fourth place CONCACAF (North, Central American and Caribbean) and third place CONMEBOL (South American) teams.
From around the globe, 5 teams from AFC (Asia), 3 from CAF (Africa), 3 or 4 from CONCACAF (in addition to Canada), 2 or 3 from CONMEBOL, 8 from UEFA (Europe) and 1 from OFC (Oceania) will compete at the WWC 2015.
In hosting the tournament, Canada joins a small number of other countries who have staged the WWC, including Germany 2011, China 2007, USA 2003, USA 1999, Sweden 1995 and China 1991.
Canada will also stage the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2014. The official match schedule and host cities are expected to be announced in the coming months with ticketing beginning in August 2013.
Tickets for the WWC 2015 will go on sale sometime between July and September 2014. Fans can sign up to receive the latest information on tickets, schedules, etc. on the CanadaSoccer website.
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