FIFA Women's World Cup: All 29 games in New Zealand ranked

We rank all 29 games in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Dunedin – from last to first.

29: SPAIN V ZAMBIA, GROUP C, AT AUCKLAND, JULY 26.

European rising power Spain is likely to look to this game to rest some frontline players.

28: COSTA RICA v ZAMBIA, GROUP C, at HAMILTON, JULY 31.

Costa Rica (36th) should chalk up a win but the Zambians (77th) will have their best chance of pinching a point.

27: SWEDEN v SOUTH AFRICA, GROUP G, AT WELLINGTON, JULY 23.

African nations are still in the development phase on the women’s world football scene so it would be too much to expect the South Africans to match a third-ranked Sweden side spearheaded by Caroline Seger, who captained them to the bronze medal in 2019.

26: UNITED STATES v VIETNAM, GROUP E AT AUCKLAND, JULY 22.

Vietnam has, of course, caused a major upset against the US before, if not in the sporting arena, but the 32nd-ranked side will be lucky to escape a double-figure defeat here on the basis of their poor showing against the Football Ferns.

25: SOUTH AFRICA v ITALY, GROUP G AT WELLINGTON, AUGUST 2.

The 2018 Springboks got a 36-34 win at Wellington Regional Stadium, but it’s hard to see South Africa’s Banyana Banyana beating the Italians in their home away from home.

24: VIETNAM v NETHERLANDS, GROUP E, AT DUNEDIN, AUGUST 1.

The Dutch should be too strong on their second visit to the deep south.

23: PORTUGAL v VIETNAM, GROUP E, AT DUNEDIN, AUGUST 1.

Important to Portugal’s advancement chances.

22: ZAMBIA v JAPAN, GROUP E, AT HAMILTON, JULY 22.

Everyone loves an underdog and the Zambians are the lowest ranked team (77th) in New Zealand. Japan are great to watch on attack and should get plenty of goals.

21: ARGENTINA v SOUTH AFRICA, GROUP G, AT DUNEDIN, JULY 28.

Another tough assignment for the South Africans against the Argentines who have a clutch playing professionally in Spain.

20: SPAIN v COSTA RICA, GROUP C, AT WELLINGTON, JULY 21.

A potentially tasty encounter here given Spain’s 16th-century colonisation of Costa Rica.

19: NETHERLANDS v PORTUGAL, GROUP E, AT DUNEDIN, JULY 23.

A likely win for the Dutch, but World Cup first-timers Portugal, led by veterans Dolores Silva and Ana Borges, could advance if they upset.

18: NORWAY v PHILIPPINES, GROUP A, AT EDEN PARK, JULY 30.

Interesting mainly because both teams are in New Zealand’s group.

17: JAPAN v COSTA RICA, GROUP C, AT DUNEDIN, JULY 26.

The two Christchurch-based teams are heading south for a clash under the Dunedin stadium roof with Japan clear favourites.

16: ARGENTINA v SWEDEN, GROUP G, AT WAIKATO STADIUM, AUGUST 2.

Sweden will be highly-favoured, but the Argentines won on their first visit to Hamilton, against the Football Ferns in February.

15: ITALY v ARGENTINA, GROUP G, AT EDEN PARK, JULY 24.

Worth a watch as much for the fan atmosphere in the stands as the passion on the pitch.

14: SWEDEN v ITALY, GROUP G, AT WELLINGTON, JULY 29.

Island Bay will be empty and Club Garibaldi crammed as the 16th-ranked Italians take on the highly-fancied Swedes.

13: PORTUGAL v UNITED STATES, GROUP E, AT EDEN PARK, AUGUST 1.

Any chance to watch the United States is an opportunity worth taking for NZ football fans.

12: SWITZERLAND v NORWAY, GROUP A, AT WAIKATO STADIUM, JULY 25.

Potentially the best game Hamilton fans could get to see. A Swiss upset of the Norwegians could throw the group wide open and help the Ferns’ cause.

11: SWITZERLAND v PHILIPPINES, GROUP A, AT DUNEDIN, JULY 21.

Of vital importance to Football Ferns fans because this outcome could go a long way to reducing the Kiwis’ odds of making the second round.

10: JAPAN v SPAIN, GROUP C, AT WELLINGTON, JULY 31.

Purists will purr about this match-up between two of the best exponents of the tiki-taka ‘beautiful game’. Japan, ranked 11th, will bring English Women’s Super League players Yui Hasegawa, Fuka Nagano, Risa Shimizu and Honoka Hayashi.

9: ROUND OF 16, GROUP A WINNER V GROUP C RUNNER-UP, AT AUCKLAND, AUGUST 5.

Could potentially pit Norway, the favourites to win Group A, against Spain, who have soared to sixth in the world rankings. Alexia Putellas, the 100-cap midfielder and top scorer, leads a side of players from Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.

8: ROUND OF 16, GROUP C WINNER v GROUP A RUNNER-UP, AT WELLINGTON, AUGUST 5.

An ideal scenario here would be for the Football Ferns to qualify after wins over the Philippines and Switzerland to play the top Group C side, potentially 11th-ranked Japan.

7: NZ FOOTBALL FERNS v SWITZERLAND, Group A at Dunedin Stadium, July 25.

A Ferns win over the Philippines would give them a shot against the Swiss, and an historic first-time advance to the World Cup playoffs, with the winner in Dunedin set to secure a Round of 16 berth. Ordinarily, Switzerland - ranked 20th - would be expected to beat the Ferns, but they have only won one of their last six fixtures and could be there for the taking.

6: NZ FOOTBALL FERNS v NORWAY, at Eden Park, July 20.

After the hype of the opening ceremony it would be a disaster if the first World Cup game on New Zealand soil ended in a drubbing for the home side.

Hard to see the Ferns toppling 12th-ranked Norway, captained by Chelsea’s Maren Mjalde, but a doughty draw - a tough task against a Norwegian forward line led by Barcelona’s Caroline Graham Hansen - would boost the Kiwi public’s interest.

5: QUARTERFINAL, WINNER MATCH 50 v WINNER MATCH 52, AT AUCKLAND, AUGUST 11.

Important because it’s a sudden-death fixture with everything at stake, and it could potentially pit the second and third-ranked teams from 2019, Sweden and the Netherlands.

4: QUARTERFINAL, WINNER MATCH 49 v WINNER MATCH 51, AT WELLINGTON, AUGUST 11.

Sudden death games are always fun for neutrals. It’s impossible to forecast the combatants, but it could be Norway v the United States, former v current champions.

3: UNITED STATES v NETHERLANDS, Group E at Wellington, July 27.

Another likely sell-out for the 2019 World Cup final rematch between the USA champions and the Dutch silver medallists. The world No 1 USA will bring a bunch of players chasing a third successive world title, including superstars Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan. The Dutch, now ranked ninth (a measure of women’s football’s burgeoning depth), won’t have injured captain Vivianne Miedema but Lieke Martens and Sherida Spitze still supply star power.

2: NZ FOOTBALL FERNS v PHILIPPINES, at Wellington Regional Stadium, July 25.

Why is a pool game the second most important contest of the tournament? Because the Football Ferns’ future credibility rests on it. The New Zealand sporting public will demand a positive result and this represents the Ferns’ best chance to achieve a first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup finals win.

1: SEMIFINAL, Winner Match 57 v Winner Match 58, at Eden Park, August 15.

The biggest game of football ever held in New Zealand and likely to be the most important women’s sporting event here too. Eden Park is sure to be packed for a game that will deliver a World Cup finalist.