Gareth Taylor’s side travel to Perth on 21 August ahead of taking part in the first-ever Perth International Football Cup alongside Leicester City, West Ham United and Paris Saint-Germain.
One year and one day prior to our players touch down in Australia, four of our current stars were taking part in the 2023 World Cup final in Sydney.
Last summer’s tournament captured the imagination of millions around the world and, with ten of our 2024/25 squad involved, City were front and centre…
Australia
Both Alanna Kennedy and Mary Fowler were essential to host nation Australia’s march to the semi-finals, their best-ever showing at the World Cup.
Our City duo helped their nation top Group B with wins against the Republic of Ireland and Canada either side of a 3-2 defeat to Nigeria, both finding the net in the process.
A 2-0 triumph over Denmark would follow in the Round of 16, sparked by a defence-splitting Fowler pass to release Caitlin Foord for the game’s opening goal, before a thrilling 7-6 shootout victory over France.
Only reigning European champions England were able to stop the Australians in their tracks in the semi-finals, inspired by a fantastic individual display from Lauren Hemp.
It meant that the Matildas – despite an incredible run to the semis - had to settle for a fourth-placed finish, losing out to Sweden in the third-place play-off.
England
Expected to go to the distance at the 2023 World Cup, Alex Greenwood, Laura Coombs, Chloe Kelly and Lauren Hemp all helped the reigning European champions do exactly that.
After kicking off their campaign with 1-0 wins over Haiti and Denmark, the Lionesses’ win over China in their final group match was far more clear cut.
And all four of our current City stars were involved in at least one of England’s six goals en route to a 6-1 win over China, with Hemp and Kelly both getting on the scoresheet and Greenwood and Coombs both grabbing an assist.
Greenwood and Kelly were the penalty heroes in the Round of 16 as Sarina Wiegman’s side edged past Nigeria, with Hemp drawing the Lionesses level against Colombia in the last eight en route to a 2-1 triumph.
Into the semi-finals and England were handed a difficult draw against co-hosts Australia, but another goal and assist from Hemp helped them reach their first-ever World Cup final with a 3-1 win.
Sadly, that showpiece occasion would fall Spain’s way, with Greenwood, Coombs, Kelly and Hemp having to settle for a runners up medal after a 1-0 defeat in Sydney.
The Netherlands
Apart from their heavy defeat to Japan in the group stages, perhaps Spain’s most difficult assignment en route to the final came against Kerstin Casparij and Jill Roord’s Netherlands in the quarters.
Ahead of that fixture, the Dutch had gone unbeaten across the entire tournament, conceding just once in the process in a 1-1 draw with reigning champions the United States.
Roord had grabbed four goals in as many matches, scoring in that stalemate against the Americans before a brace in a 7-0 triumph over Vietnam.
She and Casparij helped the Netherlands reach the last eight with a 2-0 victory against South Africa, Roord once again on target, to set up that encounter with Spain.
But La Roja would ultimately come out on top after extra time, with Salma Paralluelo’s clinical 111th minute strike proving the difference.
Japan
One of the 2023 World Cup’s most entertaining teams, Yui Hasegawa’s Japan were tipped by many to go the distance after a hugely impressive group stage performance.
The City midfielder was crucial to that success, grabbing an assist in their opening victory over Zambia as the 2011 champions kicked things off with a 5-0 win.
But it was their final group fixture that really caught the eye, with Japan putting four past eventual world champions Spain to finish in top spot, scoring 11 without conceding over their three fixtures.
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Norway were put to the sword in the Round of 16, but Hasegawa and co.’s tournament came to an end in the quarter-finals against Sweden.
Two goals down after 51 minutes, Japan’s late onslaught on the Swedish goal was in vain as they were edged out 2-1 in Auckland.
Jamaica
The 2023 World Cup was a historic tournament for the Reggae Girlz, as they reached the knockout stages for the first time ever, captained by Bunny Shaw.
Placed in a group with heavyweights Brazil and France, Jamaica were given little chance of progressing, but goalless draws with both nations meant a 1-0 win over Panama in their second fixture was enough for them to finish as runners up.
Shaw, the team’s talisman, had been pivotal to their opening draw with France, but would miss the victory over Panama after being shown a late red card in the opening fixture.
However, she returned to help Jamaica over the line against Brazil, setting up a knockout tie with Colombia.
And while they’d be edged out by a single goal in the Round of 16, Shaw and her team-mates had done enough to create history Down Under.
