Women's World Cup 2015: Group-Stage Schedule, Top Teams and Predictions

Canada will play host to what is poised to be the most high-profile World Cup in the history of women’s football, and there is already excitement aplenty ahead of the opening clash in Edmonton on Saturday.

Some 24 teams will battle it out for the right to be crowned world champions, and it's going to be intriguing to see the strides some of the more illustrious nations in the game have made since Germany hosted the showpiece four years ago. Japan were surprise winners in 2011.

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Here's a look at how the groups are shaping up for this one and some focus on the two teams most likely to be standing triumphant after the Vancouver final on July 6.

Group A	Group B	Group C	Group D	Group E	Group F
Canada	Germany	Japan	United States	Brazil	France
China PR	Ivory Coast	Switzerland	Australia	South Korea	England
New Zealand	Norway	Cameroon	Sweden	Spain	Colombia
Netherlands	Thailand	Ecuador	Nigeria	Costa Rica	Mexico

For a full schedule of group-stage matches, check out the tournament’s official website.

United States

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Jillian Ellis' U.S. women's national team are the big favourites to win this tournament, and all eyes will be on this talented squad after they fell at the final hurdle against Japan four years ago.

As noted by Paul Carr of ESPN.com, the Americans do have an exceptional record when it comes to making it into the final stages of this tournament:

But the team's supporters will look back on their two World Cup wins, which came in 1991 and 1999, and probably think this crop of players should have sampled a little more. Encouragingly, there’s a clutch of experienced stars who will be desperate to make amends for 16 years of hurt.

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Alex Morgan is one of a few bright young players in this squad, but as Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated noted, Ellis has confirmed she might miss the start of the tournament because of injury problems:

This USWNT squad is probably the most talented in the tournament, but players such as Abby Wambach, Christie Rampone and Heather O'Reilly have been scarred by recent failures in this competition. That obdurate mental hurdle will prevent them from going all the way again.

Prediction: Runners-up

Germany

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The top-ranked team in the world coming into this competition is Germany, and a quick glance at their squad provides an emphatic indicator as to why. Aside from the USWNT, they're the favourites, but they will have to overcome a small injury crisis if they're going to win their third world title, as Nadine Kessler and Luisa Wensing are both out with injury problems.

Silvia Neid's team head to Canada after a flawless qualifying campaign. At the back, they're resolute, with Annike Krahn and Babett Peter meticulous in their defensive duties. It's at the sharp end of the field that they really come alive, though, especially through the supreme predatory instincts of Anja Mittag.

Here's a look at the kind of goalscoring qualities she possesses:

What will also inspire this group is the tepid manner in which they were eliminated on home soil four years ago. Ever since that quarter-final loss to Japan, Germany’s preparations have been geared towards the 2015 World Cup, and after beating Brazil 4-0 in a friendly back in April, they are primed to go far in Canada.

As noted by Carr, this nation has major pedigree when it comes to the big occasion:

A relatively straightforward group should see Neid’s team qualify for knockout rounds with ease; expect this quality outfit to move through the gears from that point on, sampling the title many feel they should have taken four years ago.

Prediction: Winners