Very little of the 2023 Women’s World Cup has lived up to the expectations many had before it began.
For starters, the U.S. women’s national team made its earliest exit instead of gunning for a three-peat; powerhouses like Germany, Brazil and Canada crashed out before the knockouts; and World Cup debutant Morocco made its way into the round of 16.
But one expectation this tournament has lived up to is that this would be the most competitive Women’s World Cup yet. The worries of expanding to 32 teams too soon have been erased as competition has been fierce, and new contenders have emerged.
