Canada have consistently been ranked among the top teams in the world, but have underperformed somewhat at the World Cup, reaching the quarter-finals just twice in their eight campaigns.
The seventh best team in the FIFA rankings will be hoping to improve on that in this year’s Women's World Cup and they have landed in Group B with hosts Australia, the Republic of Ireland and Nigeria.
After failing to qualify for the inaugural World Cup in 1991, Canada have been at the next eight editions of the tournament.
However, the Canucks have only reached the knockout stages three times and a fourth-place finish in 2003 is their best effort.
After finishing as runners-up to the Netherlands in their group four years ago, Canada were edged 1-0 by Sweden in the round of 16 and they will be hoping to improve on that showing this time around.
The North Americans have won the Olympic gold medal since the last World Cup, taking home the title in Japan after beating Sweden on penalties in the final, and that should provide a boost to this team in this year’s World Cup.
Canada qualified for this year’s World Cup as a result of their efforts at last year’s CONCACAF W Championship.
The Canucks breezed through the group stages, beating Trinidad and Tobago, Panama and Costa Rica without conceding, scoring nine times in the process.
The North Americans then got the better of Jamaica 3-0 in the semi-finals, before losing out narrowly to the United States in the final after Alex Morgan scored a late penalty.
That effort saw Canada qualify for their ninth World Cup finals.
Bev Priestman is Canada’s manager for this year’s World Cup.
The Englishwoman worked under former manager John Herdman, who has gone on to manage Canada’s men’s team, and was hired as his replacement when Herdman departed.
Priestman has also been an assistant coach under Phil Neville when he was England’s manager.
She led Canada to the Olympic title in 2020 and was named IFFHS Women's World Best National Coach in 2021.
Goalkeepers: Sabrina D’Angelo, Lysianne Proulx, Kailen Sheridan
Defenders: Kadeisha Buchanan, Allysha Chapman, Vanessa Gilles, Ashley Lawrence, Jayde Riviere, Shelina Zadorsky, Gabby Carle
Midfielders: Simi Awujo, Jessie Fleming, Julia Grosso, Quinn, Sophie Schmidt
Forwards: Jordyn Huitema, Cloe Lacasse, Olivia Smith, Adriana Leon, Christine Sinclair, Nichelle Prince, Deanne Rose, Evelyn Viens
Christine Sinclair is the captain and a behemoth of Canadian football, winning Canada Soccer Player of the Year 14 times and holding the all-time record for international goals scored by men or women with 190 goals.
The 40-year-old has over 300 caps for her nation and is one of just three players to score at five editions of the World Cup, a record she will be hoping to add to this time around.
Sinclair has been nominated for FIFA Women's World Player of the Year seven times, in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2016.
She has played for the Portland Thorns in the National Women’s Soccer League since 2013, winning three championships with them, in 2013, 2017 and 2022.
Sinclair will be hoping to guide her team to World Cup glory in what could be her last edition of the tournament.
Nominated as an heir to Sinclair’s success has been Jordyn Huitema, who plays for OL Reign in the National Women’s Soccer League.
The 22-year-old played for Paris Saint-Germain from 2019 until last year, scoring 18 goals in 71 appearances for the French giants.
Huitema has netted nine times in 27 games for OL Reign since her move and won the NWSL Shield in 2022.
She was part of the team that won the 2020 Olympics title and has scored 16 goals in 64 matches for her nation and will be an integral part to any success her side have at this year’s tournament.
Group B:
Nigeria v Canada, Melbourne, July 21, 2023
Canada v Republic of Ireland, Perth, July 26, 2023
Canada v Australia, Brisbane, July 31, 2023