Haiti and Portugal will take part in the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time ever after the two nations sealed their qualification for the quadrennial football tournament with dramatic wins in the Intercontinental Playoffs in New Zealand on Wednesday 22 February.
This year’s World Cup, which takes place in Australia and New Zealand from 20 July to 20 August, has an expanded format of 32 teams (up from 24), with Haiti and Portugal joining the Philippines, Vietnam, Morocco, Zambia and the Republic of Ireland as debutants in the tournament.
The Intercontinental Playoffs (18 to 23 February) are deciding the final three teams in the tournament, with the winners of Groups A, B and C of the playoffs all advancing to the World Cup.
The first two of those three teams have been decided as both Haiti and Portugal secured narrow 2-1 victories in their matchups with Chile and Cameroon on Wednesday 22 February. The final playoff between Paraguay and Panama takes place on Thursday 23 February at 2am CET.
