Portugal and Haiti qualify for Women’s World Cup for the first time
Both Portugal and Haiti have made their debut qualification for the upcoming Women’s World Cup for the first time.
Portugal scored a 94th-minute winner on Wednesday to seal a place at football’s Women’s World Cup for the first time.
This is coming after the two nations sealed their qualification for the quadrennial football tournament with dramatic wins in the Intercontinental Playoffs in New Zealand on Wednesday 22 February.
The Intercontinental Playoffs (18 to 23 February) are deciding the final three teams in the tournament, with the winners of Groups A, B, and C of the playoffs all advancing to the World Cup.
The first two of those three teams have been decided as both Haiti and Portugal secured narrow 2-1 victories in their matchups with Chile and Cameroon on Wednesday 22 February.
The final playoff between Paraguay and Panama takes place on Thursday 23 February at 2 am CET.
Furthermore, Haiti and Portugal have taken two of the last three places at the World Cup which will be decided at this 10-team inter-continental playoff in New Zealand.
Also, Paraguay will play Panama Thursday for the last place in the 32-team tournament which will be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand in July and August
This year’s World Cup, which takes place in Australia and New Zealand from 20 July to 20 August, has an expanded format of 32 teams (up from 24), with Haiti and Portugal joining the Philippines, Vietnam, Morocco, Zambia, and the Republic of Ireland as debutants in the tournament.
The Portuguese will face reigning world champions the United States, and 2019 finalists Netherlands and Vietnam in a tough Group E at the World Cup.
New Zealand and Australia will serve as hosts for the tournament in July-August.
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