Women's World Cup Groups 2019: Fixtures, TV Schedule and Latest Odds

Twenty-four nations are in France in search of the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, and defending champions the United States are hoping to win back-to-back titles for the first time in their history.

The World Cup groups were drawn in December, with a number of the world's major powers vying for their first world title alongside four former champions: the U.S., Norway, Germany and Japan.

Hosts France will have to face Norway, South Korea and Nigeria in Group A as they look to live up to their billing as joint-favourites to win the tournament:

The United States are highly touted to retain their crown, with Jill Ellis' side seeking to win a World Cup on European soil for the first time in three attempts.

They stand a great chance of topping a Group F lineup that counts world No. 9 Sweden as its biggest danger, with Thailand and Chile less likely to trouble the tournament's top seed.

Phil Neville will take England into his first Women's World Cup as manager, with neighbours Scotland lined up in Group D along with Argentina and 2011 world champions Japan.

Fixtures, TV Schedule

Friday, June 7

France vs. South Korea, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BBC One (UK), FS1 (U.S.)

Saturday, June 8

Germany vs. China, 2 p.m. BST/9 a.m. ET, BBC One (UK), FS1 (U.S.)

Spain vs. South Africa, 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET, BBC Red Button (UK), Fox (U.S.)

Norway vs. Nigeria, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BBC Red Button (UK), Fox (U.S.)

Sunday, June 9

Australia vs. Italy, 12 p.m. BST/7 a.m. ET, BBC Red Button (UK), FS1 (U.S.)

Brazil vs. Jamaica, 2:30 p.m. BST/9:30 a.m. ET, BBC Red Button (UK), FS1 (U.S.)

England vs. Scotland, 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET, BBC One (UK), Fox (U.S.)

Monday, June 10

Argentina vs. Japan, 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET, BBC Two (UK), FS1 (U.S.)

Canada vs. Cameroon, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BBC Red Button (UK), FS1 (U.S.)

Tuesday, June 11

New Zealand vs. Netherlands, 2 p.m. BST/9 a.m. ET, BBC Red Button (UK), FS1 (U.S.)

Chile vs. Sweden, 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET, BBC Red Button (UK), FS1 (U.S.)

United States vs. Thailand, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BBC Four (UK), Fox (U.S.)

Wednesday, June 12

Nigeria vs. South Korea, 2 p.m. BST/9 a.m. ET, BBC Red Button (UK), FS1 (U.S.)

Germany vs. Spain, 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET, BBC Red Button (UK), Fox (U.S.)

France vs. Norway, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BBC Four (UK), Fox (U.S.)

Thursday, June 13

Australia vs. Brazil, 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET, BBC Two (UK), Fox (U.S.)

South Africa vs. China, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BBC Red Button (UK), Fox (U.S.)

Friday, June 14

Japan vs. Scotland, 2 p.m. BST/9 a.m. ET, BBC One (UK), FS1 (U.S.)

Jamaica vs. Italy, 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET, BBC Red Button (UK), Fox (U.S.)

England vs. Argentina, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BBC One (UK), Fox (U.S.)

Saturday, June 15

Netherlands vs. Cameroon, 2 p.m. BST/9 a.m. ET, BBC One (UK), FS1 (U.S.)

Canada vs. New Zealand, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BBC Red Button (UK), FS2 (U.S.)

Sunday, June 16

Sweden vs. Thailand, 2 p.m. BST/9 a.m. ET, BBC Red Button (UK), FS1 (U.S.)

United States vs. Chile, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BBC Two (UK), Fox (U.S.)

Monday, June 17

China vs. Spain, 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET, FS1 (U.S.)

South Africa vs. Germany, 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET, BBC Red Button (UK), Fox (U.S.)

Nigeria vs. France, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BBC Four (UK), Fox (U.S.)

South Korea vs. Norway, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BBC Red Button (UK), FS1 (U.S.)

Tuesday, June 18

Jamaica vs. Australia, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BBC Red Button (UK), FS2 (U.S.)

Italy vs. Brazil, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BBC Four (UK), FS1 (U.S.)

Wednesday, June 19

Japan vs. England, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BBC One (UK), FS1 (U.S.)

Scotland vs. Argentina, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BBC Four (UK), FS2 (U.S.)

Thursday, June 20

Cameroon vs. New Zealand, 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET, BBC Red Button (UK), FS1 (U.S.)

Netherlands vs. Canada, 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET, Fox (U.S.)

Sweden vs. United States, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BBC Four (UK), Fox (U.S.)

Thailand vs. Chile, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BBC Red Button (UK), FS1 (U.S.)

Saturday, June 22: Last 16

Group B winner vs. third place Group A/C/D, 4:30 p.m. BST/11:30 a.m. ET, BBC Two (UK), FS1 (U.S.)

Group A runner-up vs. Group C runner-up, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BBC (Channel TBD, UK), Fox (U.S.)

Sunday, June 23

Group D winner vs. third place Group B/E/F, 4:30 p.m. BST/11:30 a.m. ET, BBC (Channel TBD, UK), FS1 (U.S.)

Group A winner vs. third place Group C/D/E, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BBC (Channel TBD, UK), Fox (U.S.)

Monday, June 24

Group B runner-up vs. Group F winner, 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET, BBC (Channel TBD, UK), FS1 (U.S.)

Group F runner-up vs. Group E runner-up, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BBC (Channel TBD, UK), FS1 (U.S.)

Tuesday, June 25

Group C winner vs. third place A/B/F, 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET, BBC (Channel TBD, UK), FS1 (U.S.)

Group E winner vs. Group D runner-up, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BBC (Channel TBD, UK), FS1 (U.S.)

Thursday, June 27: Quarter-Finals

R16 winner one vs. R16 winner three, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BBC (Channel TBD, UK), Fox (U.S.)

Friday, June 28

R16 winner four vs. R16 winner five, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BBC Four (UK), Fox (U.S.)

Saturday, June 29

R16 winner seven vs. R16 winner eight, 2 p.m. BST/9 a.m. ET, BBC (Channel TBD, UK), FS1 (U.S.)

R16 winner two vs. R16 winner six, 5:30 p.m. BST/12:30 p.m. ET, BBC (Channel TBD, UK), FS1 (U.S.)

Tuesday, July 2: Semi-Finals

QF winner one vs. QF winner two, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BBC (Channel TBD, UK), Fox (U.S.)

Wednesday, July 3

QF winner three vs. QF winner four, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BBC (Channel TBD, UK), FS1 (U.S.)

Saturday, July 6: 3rd-Place Play-Off

SF one loser vs. SF two loser, 4 p.m. BST/11 a.m. ET, BBC Two (UK), Fox (U.S.)

Sunday, July 7: Final

SF one winner vs. SF two winner, 4 p.m. BST/11 a.m. ET, BBC One (UK), Fox (U.S.)

Outright Winner Odds

United States: 7-2

France: 7-2

Germany: 11-2

England: 6-1

Netherlands: 14-1

Japan: 14-1

Australia: 14-1

Canada: 20-1

Spain: 25-1

Sweden: 25-1

Brazil: 25-1

Norway: 33-1

Italy: 50-1

China: 66-1

South Korea: 100-1

New Zealand: 125-1

Scotland: 150-1

Argentina: 400-1

South Africa: 500-1

Chile: 500-1

Nigeria: 500-1

Cameroon: 750-1

Jamaica: 1,000-1

Thailand: 1,000-1

Via Oddschecker.

Preview

In terms of the teams expected to make serious runs at the title in France, the United States, the hosts and Germany should expect fairly routine runs through their respective groups.

Die Nationalelf can anticipate some resistance from Spain in Group B, but the two-time world champions are still likely to make relatively light work of them, as well as China and South Africa.

Commentator Derek Rae said prior to the tournament that Germany should be treated as contenders to finish top of the pile:

As fate would have it, France and the United States are strongly favoured to top Group A and F, respectively, which would put them on course to meet as early as the quarter-finals, presuming they make it that far.

Les Bleues recorded their best World Cup result in 2011, when they finished fourth, but this generation of players are their status as hosts will make them feel they have a grand chance to clinch a maiden title.

Lyon forward Eugenie Le Sommer has 74 goals in 159 appearances for France and is third in her country's all-time scorer list.

She will be hoping to add to her trophy cabinet on home soil after winning a joint-record sixth UEFA Champions League winners' medal. She started in Lyon's 4-1 win over Barcelona in the final.

Norwegian Ada Hegerberg, who scored a hat-trick for Lyon in the Champions League final, would be an obvious to vie for the competition's Golden Boot, but the striker won't be available for her country in France, having chosen not to play at international level since 2017, per BBC Sport.

England could be a better pick to go far in the tournament, and they have a number of attacking weapons who promise to get goals.

The attacking trio of Nikita Parris, 25, Beth Mead, 24, and Ellen White, 30, have looked particularly prolific under Neville and have helped the Lionesses to a record of nine wins from their past 14 matches.

England men's team manager Gareth Southgate sent the team a good luck message ahead of their campaign:

Japan come into the World Cup ranked seventh in the world and have won the World Cup this decade, but a run of four games without a victory hints they may not be as dangerous as in previous years.

What's more, England beat Japan 3-0 when these two sides met at the She Believes Cup in March, suggesting Neville's side could have a simple run at topping Group F.