Belinda Wilson on the rapid progress of the women's game

00:08
Reflecting on the 2023 World Cup
Belinda Wilson describes FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 as “one of the best tournaments I have witnessed”, and not just because it happened to take place in her home country. As she points out, the players at the 2023 tournament were more technically and tactically capable than at previous competitions. They were also more organised than ever before, and young players in particular were better equipped to cope with the pressure of the big stage. In short, every area of every team improved markedly compared to 2019, helping to make this the best Women’s World Cup ever. 

03:12
Looking to the future
Women’s football has made rapid progress in recent years, but every aspect of the game can still improve, from the quality of domestic leagues to coach education and training methods.  The decision to allow five substitutes at this World Cup also made a small but significant contribution to the development of the game, as it allowed more players more exposure to football at the highest level. In 2023, 45% of players had never played at World Cup before. The more players get that exposure by 2027, the better that tournament is likely to be.