Women's World Cup 2019: Groups Schedule and Full Bracket Predictions

The 2019 Women's World Cup gets under way on Friday, with the host nation France taking on South Korea.

The showdown in Paris will trigger a month of stellar action, as the 24 teams involved go in search of glory. As the home side, France will be expected to do well in front of packed crowds and emulate their men's side, who won the World Cup in Russia a year ago.

However, the tournament is set to be competitive. The United States are the defending champions, and their star-studded squad makes them the favourites for many; Germany and England will also go into the World Cup with real belief of lifting the trophy in Lyon on July 7.

Read on for a full preview of the group-stage games and a prediction of how the tournament will play out.

Groups

Group-stage schedule, viewing details 

(Per FIFA's official website)

Friday, June 7

Group A: France vs. South Korea, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, Paris, BBC One/Fox Sports 1

Saturday, June 8

Group B: Germany vs. China, 2 p.m. BST/9 a.m. ET, Rennes, BBC One/Fox Sports 1

Group B: Spain vs. South Africa, 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET, Le Havre, BBC Red Button/Fox

Group A: Norway vs. Nigeria, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, Reims, BBC Red Button/Fox

Sunday, June 9

Group C: Australia vs. Italy, 12:00 p.m. BST/7 a.m. ET, Valenciennes, BBC Red Button/Fox Sports 1

Group C: Brazil vs. Jamaica, 2:30 p.m. BST/9:30 a.m. ET, Grenoble, BBC Red Button/Fox Sports 1

Group D: England vs. Scotland, 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET, Nice, BBC One/Fox

Monday, June 10

Group D: Argentina vs. Japan, 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET, Paris, BBC Two/Fox Sports 1

Group E: Canada vs. Cameroon, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, Montpellier, BBC Red Button/Fox Sports 1

Tuesday, June 11

Group E: New Zealand vs. Netherlands, 14:00, Le Havre, BBC Red Button/Fox Sports 1

Group F: Chile vs. Sweden, 17:00, Rennes, BBC Red Button/Fox Sports 1

Group F: USA vs. Thailand, 20:00, Reims, BBC Four/Fox

Wednesday, June 12

Group A: Nigeria vs. South Korea, 2 p.m. BST/9 a.m. ET, Grenoble, BBC Red Button/Fox Sports 1

Group B: Germany vs. Spain, 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET, Valenciennes, BBC Red Button/Fox

Group A: France vs. Norway, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, Nice, BBC Four/Fox

Thursday, June 13

Group C: Australia vs. Brazil, 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET, Montpellier, BBC Two/Fox

Group B: South Africa vs. China, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, Paris, BBC Red Button/Fox

Friday, June 14

Group D: Japan vs. Scotland,  2 p.m. BST/9 a.m. ET, Rennes, BBC One/Fox Sports 1

Group C: Jamaica vs. Italy, 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET, Reims, BBC Red Button/Fox

Group D: England vs. Argentina, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, Le Havre, BBC One/Fox

Saturday, June 15

Group E:Netherlands vs. Cameroon, 2 p.m. BST/9 a.m. ET, Valenciennes, BBC One/Fox Sports 1

Group E: Canada vs. New Zealand, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, Grenoble, BBC Red Button/Fox Sports 2

Sunday, June 16

Group F: Sweden vs. Thailand, 2 p.m. BST/9 a.m. ET, Nice, BBC Red Button/Fox Sports 1

Group F: USA vs. Chile, 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET, Paris, BBC Two/Fox

Monday, June 17

Group B: China vs. Spain, 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET, Le Havre, Online/Fox

Group B: South Africa vs. Germany, 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET, Montpellier, BBC Red Button/Fox Sports 1

Group A: Nigeria vs. France, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, Rennes, BBC Four/Fox

Group A: South Korea vs. Norway, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, Reims, BBC Red Button/Fox Sports 1

Tuesday, June 18

Group C: Jamaica vs. Australia, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, Grenoble, BBC Red Button/Fox Sports 2

Group C: Italy vs. Brazil, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, Valenciennes, BBC Four/Fox Sports 1

Wednesday, June 19

Group D: Japan vs. England, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, Nice, BBC One/Fox Sports 1

Group D: Scotland vs. Argentina, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, Paris, BBC Four/Fox Sports 2

Thursday, June 20

Group E: Cameroon vs. New Zealand, 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET, Montpellier, BBC Red Button/Fox

Group E: Netherlands vs. Canada, 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

Group F: Sweden vs. USA, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, Le Havre, BBC Four/Fox

Group F: Thailand vs. Chile, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, Rennes, BBC Red Button/Fox Sports 1

Live-stream links: BBC iPlayer, BBC.co.uk, Fox Sports Go, fuboTV

Bracket Prediction

Last 16

South Korea 1-2 Australia

England 2-0 New Zealand

France 3-1 Italy

Spain 0-2 United States

Brazil 3-0 China

Netherlands 1-2 Japan

Germany 2-0 Norway

Sweden 1-0 Canada

Quarter-Finals

Australia 0-2 England

France 1-2 United States

Brazil 2-3 Japan

Germany 3-1 Sweden

Semi-Finals

England 0-1 United States

Japan 1-2 Germany

Final 

United States 2-1 Germany

For the bracket predictor, visit the FIFA website.

Tournament Preview

Going into the 2015 World Cup in Canada, the United States were massive favourites to take the title. They were fantastic throughout the competition, with a 5-2 win over Japan in the final a measure of their dominance. However, it's unlikely they will have things quite their own way this year.

For many, France are likely to be the biggest challengers to Jill Ellis' side, and given both teams are on the same side of the draw, the duo could meet in the quarter-finals should they progress as expected.

The U.S. women's national team have found things tough against the French in recent matches, too, as they were beaten 3-1 in a January friendly.

Paul Carr of ESPN commented on the USWNT's issues against Les Bleues:

Meanwhile, Copa90 US said that loss may well be a good omen for the champions:

The core of the France side is likely to be made up of players from Lyon's all-conquering outfit. They won the women's UEFA Champions League for the fourth time in a row in May, hammering Barcelona 4-1 in the Budapest final.

Seven of the 23-woman squad are from Lyon, including star striker Eugenie Le Sommer.

The UWCL Twitter account shared some clips of her predatory instincts in front of goal:

Aside from the two favourites, England and Germany are definitely teams to watch out for. The former were particularly impressive in winning the SheBelieves Cup earlier in the year.

The Lionesses were able to finish above high-class opposition in that tournament, beating Brazil and Japan either side of a 2-2 draw with the United States. 

BBC's Richard Conway said the English should be excited about what this group of players can accomplish in France:

It would be a massive surprise if Germany weren't in the picture for the title, too. The two-time winners are a hugely dangerous outfit, with Dzsenifer Marozsan—also of Lyon—one of the standout midfielders in the game and skipper Alexandra Popp lethal in front of goal.

Even so, the United States still feel like the team to beat, as the blend of quality, physicality and experience available to Ellis surpasses every other squad in the competition. Although they've been inconsistent at times this year, expect the champions to click into gear when the serious stuff gets started.