2023 World Cup bracket, TV schedule, odds: Spain slightly favored against England in final

Publish date: 2024-06-14

The final of the 2023 Women’s World Cup is set and it’s a toss up. Spain takes on England in a rematch of a Euro 2022 quarterfinal and La Roja are given the slightest of edges in the odds.

To get to this point there were plenty of upsets. Germany, Canada and Brazil all went out in the group stage and the two-time defending champion Americans went out in the Round of 16. England had been the favorite after the U.S. went out, but Spain has emerged as the favorite to win the tournament.

Five of the last eight teams were from Europe, which is down from seven of the last eight in 2019. Japan was the last remaining former winner (2011) in the field before it went down to Sweden in the quarterfinals. In a tournament where underdogs have done some major damage, it will be fitting to see a first-time champion.

Seven of the eight group winners advanced to the quarterfinals. Spain, which finished second in Group C, opened the knockout stage with a 5-1 win against Group A winner Switzerland.

Australia’s run to the semifinals as host was one of the better runs for a host nation in tournament history.

2023 World Cup winner odds

All odds from BetMGM and all times are ET.

Third-Place Match

Sweden vs. Australia

4 a.m., Saturday, August 19 on FOX

How will Australia respond to its semifinal loss? The hosts had never made a World Cup semifinal before this tournament, but having lost it could take all the momentum away from a group that had become the talk of its nation.

The Matildas had a third-place match at the Olympics in 2021, which tends to carry more weight because the teams are playing for an Olympic medal. Australia lost to the U.S. in that one.

Sweden is taking part in its fourth third-place match at a World Cup. The Swedes have won all three, including in 2019.

The betting odds have this as a virtual toss-up. This match is in Brisbane, where Australia’s quarterfinal penalty-shootout victory against France took place.

World Cup Final

Spain vs. England

6 a.m., Saturday, August 20 on FOX

Since the Americans imploded in this tournament, England and Spain have emerged as the two teams the betting market likes the most. England was favored right after the U.S. went out, but Spain has been the tournament favorite since the quarterfinals ended.

Spain has the slightest edge in the odds on BetMGM (-120 vs. -110 for England), but that’s essentially a toss up.

England has more big match experience coming off the Euro 2022 triumph. That win also included a quarterfinal victory against Spain. La Roja led late in the second half, but the Lionesses tied the match in the 84th minute and got a winner in extra time.

Spain has continued to give away late leads in this tournament. The Netherlands scored in the 91st minute to tie the quarterfinal and Sweden scored in the 88th minute to tie the semifinal. Spain survived in both cases, but may have lost some confidence in closing out matches.

This is the first World Cup final for both nations.

Semifinals

Spain 2, Sweden 1

Odds to advance: Spain -190, Sweden +135

Both teams had dramatic, tight victories to get this far. Spain survived an added time equalizer from the Netherlands to win in extra time. It was La Roja’s first World Cup semifinal. Sweden, meanwhile entered its fifth World Cup semifinal.

The Swedes needed Japan to hit a penalty off the bar to pull out a 2-1 win in that quarterfinal. Sweden’s win avoids a group stage rematch between Japan and Spain, something Spain might be happy to see after an ugly 4-0 loss to Japan in that one.

Spain, which quickly emerged as one of the tournament favorites after a couple lopsided wins to start group play, was the favorite in this one.

This was the first meeting between these two teams at a World Cup. They did meet in group play in Euro 1997, a game Sweden won 1-0.

England 3, Australia 1

Odds to advance: England -165, Australia +115

Neither of these teams had an easy time in the quarterfinals. England fell behind Colombia late in the first half and Australia had its back up against the wall in the penalty shootout multiple times.

Australia became the second host nation to advance past the quarterfinals and is getting star striker Sam Kerr back to fitness. Kerr subbed on in the 55th minute against France, her longest appearance of the tournament. After playing for more than an hour with extra time, she could be ready to start in the semifinal.

This was the first time Australia made it this far in a World Cup, but it was England’s third straight semifinal. In the previous two, the Lionesses lost 2-1. For this match, however, the English were favored.

Quarterfinals

Spain 2, Netherlands 1 (AET)

Sweden 2, Japan 1

Australia 0, France 0 (Australia wins 7-6 on penalties)

England 2, Colombia 1

Round of 16

Spain 5, Switzerland 1

Netherlands 2, South Africa 0

Japan 3, Norway 1

Sweden 0, USA 0 (Sweden wins 5-4 on penalties)

Australia 2, Denmark 0

France 4, Morocco 0

England 0, Nigeria 0 (England wins 4-2 on penalties)

Colombia 1, Jamaica 0

(Photo: Hannah Peters / FIFA via Getty Images)

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