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Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Manasi Pathak

More teams, more upsets: How minnows challenged giants at Women’s World Cup

World Cup Fifa Football Morocco
Jamaica's players celebrate qualifying for the round of 16 after their match against Brazil at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, also known as AAMI Park, on August 2, 2023 [William West/AFP]

Four years ago, when it was announced that the Women’s World Cup would be expanded from 24 teams to 32, the idea was met with scepticism.

At the time, minnows Thailand had just been thrashed 13-0 by four-time world champions USA, and many were concerned the women’s game was not ready for a bigger pool.

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