Regional heavyweights and title contenders Australia have arrived here for the AFC women’s Asian Cup, which begins on Thursday with a double header. The 20th edition of the tournament will see 12 teams featuring in 30 games in three stadiums. “@TheMatildas touch down in #MumbaiAirplane arriving for the @afcasiancup. Can’t wait to see them in action!” tweeted Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Barry O’Farrell.
The Matildas is the nickname for the Australian women’s football team. The team was training in Dubai ahead of the tournament.
Australia won the tournament in 2010 and finished runners-up in 2006, 2014 and in the last edition in 2018, losing to Japan in the last two finals.
The best team in the tournament as per FIFA rankings (11th), the Matildas are one of the title contenders along with defending champions Japan.
This is the first time the finals will have 12 teams, instead of the usual eight. Iran is making their tournament debut.
There are three groups of four, with the top two and two best third-placed teams progressing to the quarterfinals. The four teams that make the semifinals will automatically qualify for the FIFA World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2023.
If Australia qualify for the semifinals, the winner of the two play-off matches among the four losing quarterfinalists will also get direct berths in the 2023 FIFA World Cup.
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