Women’s World Cup statistics and review

Spain won their first Women’s World Cup as England came up just short in Sunday’s final in Sydney.

Here we look at the key 2023 Women’s World Cup statistics after a thrilling tournament in Australia and New Zealand.

Goals

Olga Carmona’s winner in the final was the 164th goal of the tournament, meaning an average of 2.56 in each of the 64 matches.

That is significantly lower than last summer’s European Championship, won by the Lionesses on home soil, when there was an average of just over three goals per game – 95 in 31.

While that was higher than the last men’s Euros – averaging 2.78 goals per game (142 in 51) – this summer has seen fewer goals than at the most recent men’s World Cups. The 2022 event in Qatar saw 172 goals in 64 games (2.69 per game), three more than in 2018 (169, 2.64 per game).

Spain led the way with 18, with Miyazawa helping Japan rack up an impressive 15 before being knocked out in the quarter-finals. Sweden scored 14 and England 13 with the Netherlands, France and Australia the other teams in double figures.

Japan’s Hinata Miyazawa won the Golden Boot with five, one ahead of Sweden defender Amanda Ilestedt, Germany’s Alexandra Popp, Jill Roord of the Netherlands and France striker Kadidiatou Diani.

Attendances

There were record attendances for a women’s game in both host nations.

Australia played in front of capacity crowds of 75,784 at Stadium Australia in Sydney for their opener against the Republic of Ireland, against Denmark in the last 16 and for their semi-final against England. The Lionesses’ quarter-final against Colombia and the final also matched that record.

In New Zealand, Auckland’s Eden Park hosted 43,217 fans for Spain and Sweden’s semi-final and their respective previous knockout matches against Switzerland and Japan. The 42,137 at the same venue for the opening game of the tournament, New Zealand’s win over Norway, was the country’s record for a home international involving either the men’s or women’s teams.