FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023: Matildas will host Spain, Czech Republic and Jamaica in Cup of Nations in NSW next month

The Matildas will prepare for an historic home FIFA World Cup by hosting a four-team Cup of Nations in February, writes ADAM PEACOCK.

The Matildas will face World Cup hopefuls Spain in a Cup of Nations tournament across New South Wales next month.

Sam Kerr and the Matildas will welcome three world class teams, including powerhouse Spain, to New South Wales next month to prepare for the historic home FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Australia will play Spain, considered one of the main threats at the World Cup, in Sydney on February 19, in between meetings with Czech Republic in Gosford three days earlier and Jamaica in Newcastle on February 22 for the Cup of Nations.

All match days will be double-headers featuring all four teams.

The games will serve as a crucial preparation for the Matildas ahead of July’s World Cup, the first to be staged on home soil, where they will face Ireland, Canada and Nigeria in a tough Group B.

The Matildas will play all three nations in matches scattered through February.

“Spain, Czechia and Jamaica have been carefully selected for the Cup of Nations to ensure we have the right preparation heading into the FIFA Women’s World Cup,” Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson said.

“Not only are all three nations filled with quality, but they also provide a difference in playing style and approach with the three-match days aiming to mirror tournament group play to the best of our ability.”

Spain is filled with world class talent and rated among the favourites to lift the World Cup, despite back-to -back Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas still recovering from a major knee injury. The Spaniards are currently ranked seventh in the world, five places above Australia.

There will be plenty of attention paid to Putellas’ recovery in the lead up to the World Cup in July. Picture: Visionhaus/Getty Images

Jamaica, whom the Matildas defeated 4-1 at the 2019 World Cup, is ranked 44th in the world, while the Czechs, who recently drew with powerhouse England, are ranked 28.

“Following the announcement of the ‘Farewell Match’ in Melbourne for July, 2023, it’s great to unveil the next of several match announcements in the lead-up to [the] FIFA Women’s World Cup on our home shores,” Football Australia CEO James Johnson said.

“Securing events like the Cup of Nations attracts the world’s best players, officials and supporters to NSW, who stay in our hotels, visit our attractions and spend in our retail stores, restaurants, bars and cafes.” NSW Minister for Tourism Ben Franklin added.

The Matildas got the better of Jamaica the last time the teams met at a World Cup. Picture: Maja Hitij/Getty Images

The Cup of Nations concept evokes fond memories for the current Matildas squad.

A similar tournament held in the USA in 2017 served as the breakout moment for the current generation of Australian players with wins over USA, Japan and a 6-1 thrashing of Brazil. Expectation has risen for the team ever since and is set to peak in the middle of the year when the world comes to Australia and New Zealand for the biggest ever Women’s World Cup.

The Matildas endured a rocky start to 2022 with an early exit at the Asian Cup, but improved towards the end of the year with impressive wins over top teams Denmark and Sweden.

The Matildas finished the year strongly with wins over Sweden and Denmark. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

The Matildas are scheduled to play more friendlies both home and abroad in April and June ahead of their opening game of the World Cup on July 20 against Ireland in Sydney.

Such is the appetite for tickets, some are pushing for the match to be moved from the 45,000 capacity Allianz Stadium to the much bigger Accor Stadium at Homebush.

There is precedent for late changes to a FIFA World Cup schedule, with Qatar’s opening match of the 2022 men’s event shifted a day earlier just three months out from the start of the tournament.

Originally published as FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023: Matildas will host Spain, Czech Republic and Jamaica in Cup of Nations in NSW next month