This week, we have some information on women's national teams' rosters and some preparatory game results from the upcoming, historic 10-team Intercontinental Playoffs in New Zealand, from which three last teams will qualify for this summer's 2023 Women's World Cup Finals hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

We also add our prognosis for the three groups and our thoughts on the additional six friendly matches that will be held from February 18-23.

2023 Women's World Cup Intercontinental Playoffs in New Zealand

We look at some team rosters and news, including preparatory games results, ahead of the 10 team Intercontinental Playoffs in New Zealand from February 18-23, with three last teams qualifying for the 2023 Women's World Cup Finals this summer.

Group A

Cameroon

Cameroon has not had any friendly full internationals since last summer's regional championships. They will hope that an experienced group of players from clubs abroad—primarily in Europe—will guide the Lionesses to their third consecutive Women's World Cup Finals and then onto the Round of 16 for the third time as well.

Portugal

Head coach Francisco Neto called in 25 players for the February WWC Qualifiers, with 18 playing in the Portuguese league—which has improved quite dramatically over the past few years—four in Spain and one each in France, Italy and Switzerland:

Goalkeepers: Rute Costa (SL Benfica), Inês Pereira (Servette FC—Switzerland), Patrícia Morais (SC Braga).

Defenders: Ana Seiça (SL Benfica), Carole (SL Benfica), Catarina Amado (SL Benfica), Diana Gomes (Sevilla FC—Spain), Joana Marchão (Parma Calcio 2022—Italy), Lúcia Alves (SL Benfica), Sílvia Rebelo (SL Benfica).

Midfielders: Ana Rute (SC Braga), Andreia Norton (SL Benfica), Andreia Jacinto (Real Sociedad—Spain), Dolores Silva (SC Braga), Fátima Pinto (Deportivo Alavés—Spain), Kika Nazareth (SL Benfica), Tatiana Pinto (Levante UD—Spain), Vanessa Marques (SC Braga).

Forwards: Ana Borges (Sporting CP), Ana Capeta (Sporting CP), Carolina Mendes (SC Braga), Diana Silva (Sporting CP), Jéssica Silva (SL Benfica), Kelsey Araújo (Le Havre—France), Telma Encarnação (CS Marítimo).

Last November Portugal defeated Haiti 5-0 and Costa Rica 1-0 and will play New Zealand in a friendly in Hamilton on February 17 (see more below).

Thailand

Thailand, which has made the last two WWC Finals, lost to Australia (2-0) in November away and went to Japan in December to play three exhibitions against WE-League sides. Prior to those matches, Thailand finished runners-up to host Philippines at last summer's AFF championship (the ASEAN regional championship for Southeast Asia), defeating Indonesia and Malaysia by a 4-0 scoreline each, Singapore 3-0, the Philippines 1-0 and tied Australia's U-23 WNT 2-2, to win Group A in the first round. They then bested Myanmar 2-0 in the semifinals but fell to the host side and WWC Finalist Philippines (3-0) in the Final Match.

Tribal Football's Prognosis:

Cameroon always has some talented individuals on their side but do they have the time to coalesce into an effective team? They missed a spot in the last Olympic Games Finals to surprise side Zambia and Thailand definitely could spring a surprise in the first match. Portugal should have too much experience for the first match winner; with the only hope for an upset is a high scoring game, as Portugal's defense can give away easy goals; they have qualified for the last two UEFA Women's EURO Finals but are still waiting for their Women's World Cup Finals debut—they could see that dream become a reality this month.

Group B

Chile

The head coach of the Chilean Women's National Team, José Letelier—a former professional goalkeeper and in charge of the side since 2015—named 25 players for a training camp between January 30 and Sunday, February 5 at the Quilín Sports Complex and Juan Pinto Durán Complex in Santiago. Chile held two practice matches against Panama during this camp, with Chile dropping the first game on February 3 3-1 to their CONCACAF visitors and then bounced back with an emphatic 4-0 win on February 5, with both games at the Juan Pinto Duran Complex without fans. Chile has one more friendly scheduled against New Zealand on February 17 in Auckland, since they have a Group B bye due to a higher seeding than Haiti and Senegal (see more below).

The roster for the camp and matches against Panama was:

Chile 23

Australia 1

Colombia 1

GOALKEEPERS

Ryann Torrero – Colo-Colo

Gabriela Bórquez – University of Chile

Valeria Rojas – Palestinian

DEFENDERS

Carla Guerrero – University of Chile

Fernanda Ramirez – Colo-Colo

Rosario Balmaceda – Football Federation of Chile

Catalina Figueroa – Catholic University

Monserrat Hernández – Santiago Morning

Michelle Olivares – Colo-Colo

Fernanda Hidalgo – Colo-Colo

MIDFIELDERS

Gisela Pino – Deportivo Cali (Colombia)

Yastin Jimenez – Colo-Colo

Yessenia López – Colo-Colo

Ivette Olivares – Palestinian

Llanka Groff – University of Chile

Millaray Cortés – Catholic University

Anaís Álvarez – Colo-Colo

Amber Figueroa – Santiago Morning

FORWARDS

Daniela Zamora – University of Chile

María José Rojas – Melbourne City (Australia)

Isidora Olave – Colo-Colo

Javiera Grez – Colo-Colo

Valentina Navarrete – Santiago Morning

Thiare Parraguez – Catholic University

Yenny Acuña – Santiago Morning

For the Final Roster for New Zealand, as expected, some primarily European-based players were brought in:

GOALKEEPERS
Christiane Endler – Olympique de Lyon (France)

Antonia Canales - Real Oviedo (Spain)

The two foreign-based players replace Borquez and Rojas.

DEFENDERS

Camila Saez – Deportivo Alaves (Spain)

Francisca Lara - Villarreal (Spain)

The two European-based players replace Hernandez and Olivares.

MIDFIELDERS

Karen Araya – Madrid CFF (Spain)

The new addition from Europe is in while Groff, Cortes, Alvarez and Figueroa are out.

FORWARDS

Amber Figueroa – Santiago Morning

Sonya Keefe – CP Cacereño (Spain)

The new additions are in while Parraguez is out. Amber Figueroa, with local side Santiago Morning, played last year at the U-7 WWC Finals in India, where Chile did not make the knockout stage, from a tough group with Germany and Nigeria, but did defeat New Zealand.

Note: Forward Yenny Acuna has just recently moved to Bahia in Brazil.

After last year's Copa America Femenina, Chile tied with Mexico in Mexico City (1-1) on October 10, then tied the Philippines by the same score at home in Vina de Mar on November 12, before defeating Philippines (1-0) on November 15 in Santiago on a 24th minute goal by midfielder Karen Araya (32), who has over 55 full caps and plays at Madrid CFF in Spain; she has also played professionally for clubs in Brazil and Chile. In December, Chile lost to the unofficial Basque national team (3-0). They should be concerned with their recent string of friendly results going into the Intercontinental Playoffs.

Haiti

Head Coach Nicolas Delepine (43), who has coached in France and took over the Grenadieres in January of 2022, named 23 players to the roster for the New Zealand Qualifiers, including 15 from France, 6 from the U.S., 1 from Portugal (Claire Constant) and 1 from Canada—Goalkeeper Gabrielle Marie Emilien, who won a Canadian National Championship in 2018 with the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees and a FISU Women's University World Cup of Football title in 2019 in Jinjiang, China, by defeating Paulista University of Brazil in the final. She also played at Howard University in Washington D.C. The six U.S.-based players are Lara-Sofia Larco, Kerly Theus, Ruthny Mathurin, Milan Pierre-Jerome, Danielle Etienne and Noa Gathier. All the other players (15) are based in France.

Haiti's one friendly match after the regional finals last summer in Mexico was a 5-0 loss to Portugal in Almada in Southern Portugal on November 11, 2022.

Senegal

The national women's team of Senegal retained its UFOA- Zone A (West African Football Union) championship, held from January 20-29, 2023 after beating host nation Cape Verde with the only goal of the match, from a goal by Korka Fall (32), who plays at home but was the first African player in the Spanish first division in 2010 when she joined Zaragoza. Senegal defeated Guinea-Bissau (4-0) in the semifinals, with Fall scoring again. In the Group stage, Senegal defeated Guinea (4-0), Gambia (4-1) and Sierra Leone (4-0) respectively. The Lionesses scored 13 goals in the tournament and conceded only one. Senegal won the first UFOA-Zone A championship in 2020 in Sierra Leone.

Two friendlies against Cameroon away in November were cancelled, which would have been good tune-ups for both CAF teams ahead of the Intercontinental Playoffs.

Tribal Football's Prognosis: I have followed Haiti closely for over a decade since Shek Borkowski (now Puerto Rico Sol's head coach) was appointed in 2012 and brought a very young side to train every summer in rural Indiana. I think Haiti could win both matches, first dispatching Senegal and then surprising 2019 WWC finalists Chile. If Haiti is on song, their attack is brilliant and, if they make the Group B Final Game, Chile—which as discussed above, has had some dreadful and surprising friendly results since last summer—is not a typical high scoring side (at last summer's Copa America Femenina, they scored twice and surrendered six against the top two sides in their first round group—Colombia and Paraguay—and let Venezuela score a late tying goal in the 5th-6th place game; they only advanced to the Intercontinental Playoffs in penalty kicks after a 1-1 tie), Haiti could advance. Again, Haiti's best chance would be to attack continually., as they did in the CONCACAF Finals against host side Mexico in a 3-0 stupendous and historic win. They bring the most players from abroad (all 23 players) of any side going to New Zealand. Chile will be favored by most, but Haiti could become only the second Caribbean side—and the first from the French-speaking nations in the region—to make the Women's World Cup Finals.

Group C

Chinese Taipei

The latest training camp roster as of early January included 21 domestic based players, two free agents/out of contract players and one who plays in the Japanese WE-League:

F/MF Zheng Yazki Taipei Xiongzan

MF Ding Jiaying Taipei Xiongzan

GK Cheng Siyu Chiba JEF United (Japan)

MF Lin Yahan Taipei Xiongzan

GK Cai Mingrong Taichung Blue Whale

D Li Peirong Taichung Blue Whale

MF/D Zhang Jilan Taichung Blue Whale

F Lai Liqin Taichung Blue Whale

F Su Yuxuan Taichung Blue Whale

D Pan Xinyu Taichung Blue Whale

MF Wang Xianghul Hualien

GK Xhu Fangyi Hualien

MF/D Pan Yanxin Hualien

MF Xu Yiyun Hualien

MF Xhan Bihan Hualien

MF Zhuo Liping Hualien

F Lin Xinhui Out of Contract

D Zhang Suxin New North Airlines

F Li Yiwen New North Airlines

D Chen Yinghui New North Airlines

F/MF Bao Xinxuan Free Agent

F/MF Chen Yanping New North Airlines

M Wu Kaiging Kaohsiung Yangshin

F Li Xiugin Kaohsiung Yangshin

21-year-old midfielder Bao Xinxuan (in blue) in action for Chinese Taipei.

File photo, photo by reporter Wang Yisong, Daily News/Txtreport.com

Chinese Taipei lost a recent friendly match 2-0 against Thailand on January 18, 2023 in Thanyaburi, a district of Pathum Thani Province. Yan Shikai, the head coach of the Blue Magpies, said after the match that, with the two goals his side allowed, Chinese Taipei needs to think about how to improve its defense. He was pleased with the offense though as, despite Thailand shutting them out, they had many scoring opportunities.

Besides the loss to Thailand, Chinese Taipei lost all three of their matches at the East Asian Women's Football Championships last July: to China (2-0), Japan (4-1) and Korea Republic (4-0). They have not won a game in a year since defeating Thailand 3-0 in the Women's Asian Cup Finals in India in February of 2022.

Panama

Panama has named its final squad of 23 players for the Final 2023 WWC Qualifiers in New Zealand, with four playing in neighboring Costa Rica, three in the States, two in Spain and one each in Colombia, Italy, Mexico and Portugal, while one is out of contract—goalkeeper Yenith Bailey, who has played for clubs in Paraguay (where she won a league title with Libertad Limerno and won the league's Golden Glove award) Costa Rica (Dimas Escazu) and Colombia (Atletico Nacional)—with the other nine playing in Panama:

GOALKEEPERS

1 SASHA FÁBREGA TAURO FC

12 YENITH BAILEY

22 STEPHANI VARGAS CD PLAZA AMADOR

DEFENDERS

2 HILARY JAÉN JONES COLLEGE (USA)

3 WENDY NATIS AMÉRICA DE CALI (COL)

4 KATHERINE CASTILLO TAURO FC

5 YOMIRA PINZÓN DEP. SAPRISSA (CRC)

15 ROSARIO VARGAS RAYO VALLECANO (ESP)

16 REBECA ESPINOSA CD PLAZA AMADOR

21 NICOLE DE OBALDÍA CS HEREDIANO (CRC)

23 CARINA BALTRIP-REYES CS MARÍTIMO MADEIRA (POR)

MIDFIELDERS

6 DEYSIRÉ SALAZAR TAURO FC

7 EMILY CEDEÑO CD PLAZA AMADOR

8 SCHIANDRA GONZÁLEZ CD PLAZA AMADOR

10 MARTA COX PACHUCA (MEX)

11 NATALIA MILLS LD ALAJUELENSE (CRC)

14 CARMEN MONTENEGRO CD UNIVERSITARIO

18 ERIKA HERNÁNDEZ CD PLAZA AMADOR

20 ALDRITH QUINTERO ALHAMA CF EL POZO (ESP)

FORWARDS

9 KARLA RILEY SPORTING FC (CRC)

13 RILEY TANNER WASHINGTON SPIRIT (USA)

17 GABRIELA VILLAGRAND ANGELO STATE UNIVERSITY (USA)

19 LINETH CEDEÑO UC SAMPDORIA (ITA)

The coach of Panama's Senior Women's National Team, Nacho Quintana, has looked to the nation's diaspora with a Panamanian parent or grandparent in order to strengthen the competition within the squad, particularly with about half the squad based at home. Riley Tanner is a recent example of a new recruit to the squad; she was born in the U.S. in Grand Rapids, Michigan, while her mother was born in Panama City and moved to the U.S. when she was four years old.

She explained that: "I started playing football at a young age, with aspirations to play professionally in the NWSL or abroad. I'm fortunate to have had the opportunity to play soccer at the college level, starting at the University of South Carolina and then transferring to the University of Alabama, where I finished my Public Health degree in 2022."

Playing for Panama has been tremendous for Tanner: "I am very grateful for the opportunity that the Panamanian team has given me and how welcoming they have been to me. I am honored to represent Panama and look forward to helping in any way the coaching staff deems appropriate to achieve the goals the national team has been working so hard for."

She hopes that this summer she will be playing in the Women's World Cup: "I dream every day of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup. In the world of football, it's events like this that dreams are made of. The World Cup is the pinnacle and I would love to have the opportunity to help lead Panama to its first World Cup."

Tanner (23) was drafted by the Washington Spirit with the number 30 overall selection in the third round of the 2023 NWSL College Draft and, if she makes the squad and plays, would be the first Panamanian international in the league.

Panama was undefeated in four consecutive friendlies since the CONCACAF Finals last summer, winning 1-0 and then tying Ecuador 1-1 in October in South America, and defeating Venezuela 3-1 in November at home. Last week, in their two friendlies against Chile, they won the first match (3-1) on February 3 with goals by Riley Tanner, Hilary Jaen and Marta Cox, who all play in the U.S. or Mexico (Cox at Pachuca). Their winning streak ended on February 5 when Chile defeated them 4-0.

Papua New Guinea

The Papua New Guinea Football Association selected Spencer Prior, a native of England and former English Premier League player, in late November 2022 to guide the Papua New Guinea Women's National Team into the Intercontinental Playoffs this month in New Zealand, for one last chance to become only the third Oceania Football Confederation side—after New Zealand and former OFC member Australia—to make the Finals. He replaced fellow English coach Nicola Demaine—now based in New Zealand—who guided the team to the OFC title last summer.

Prior (51) said about his appointment: "Our aim has been to get the players to buy into the expectations on and off the pitch of what will be required to win two games of football against teams that have spent three and a half years preparing for this moment. We have an opportunity to achieve the ultimate goal of qualifying for a spot at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, which will raise the profile of women's football in PNG.

Prior, who holds an Asian Football Confederation pro-coaching diploma and a UEFA B-license among other football credentials, played in the English Premier League with Manchester City, Leicester, Norwich and Derby County.

PNGFA technical director Paul Isorua said Prior was preferred ahead of two other shortlisted applicants and a total of 15 applications for the position: "Apart from his pro-coaching diploma and UEFA B coaching license, Spencer is also a football coach educator, conditioner and analyst. He also holds a Bachelor of Psychological Science besides football. His coaching career is focused more on women's football development because he strongly believes that women's football has the potential to bridge the gap of football development in all countries."

Prior has been the head coach for the Thailand women's national team (2016/17), the Australian Under-20 women's team (2012/13) and as assistant coach for the Australian senior women's team (2011/2013).

PNG Football Association technical director Paul Isorua (on right) with the new women's national head coach Spencer Prior.

Photo courtesy Papua New Guinea Football Association.

PNG had two friendly internationals in September set against Singapore away but unfortunately they were cancelled. They then had two games against the Philippines, with the latter winning the first game 5-1 on December 11 as well as the second game 9-0 on December 15, with both games held in Sydney. PNG has an uphill battle against Panama in their first-round qualifier on February 19 in Auckland. Panama qualified for the 2019 Intercontinental Play-in two-leg final with Argentina from CONMEBOL four years ago but fell 5-1 on aggregate.

Paraguay

The Paraguayan Women's National Team (the Albirroja) named 23 players for the Intercontinental Playoffs in New Zealand this month.

Most of the squad are from abroad:

Brazil 9

Spain 7

Paraguay 3

Chile 3

Portugal 1

Goalkeepers

1. Cristina Recalde (Juan Grande Feminine – Spain).
2. Alicia Bobadilla (Palmeiras – Brazil).
3. Gloria Saleb (Olimpia – Paraguay).

Defenders

1. Daysy Bareiro (Juan Grande Femenino – Spain).
2. Tania Riso (Juan Grande Feminine – Spain).
3. Fiorela Martínez (Sport Extremadura CD – Spain).
4. Verónica Riveros (Avai Kindermann – Brazil).
5. Limpia Fretes (Avai Kindermann – Brazil).
6. Camila Arrieta (Cruzeiro – Brazil).
7. María Martínez (Universidad de Chile – Chile).
8. Natalia Barros (Cerro Porteño – Paraguay).

Midfielders

1. Fanny Godoy (Juan Grande Feminine – Spain).
2. Dulce Quintana (RP Football Club – Portugal).
3. Rosa Miño (Palmeiras – Brazil).
4. Ramona Martínez (Palmeiras – Brazil).
5. Fabiola Sandoval (S.C Internacional – Brazil).
6. Dahiana Bogarín (Colo Colo – Chile).

Forwards

1. Jessica Martínez (Sevilla FC – Spain).
2. Lice Chamorro (Deportivo Alavés – Spain).
3. Lourdes González (Avai Kindermann – Brazil).
4. Fany Gauto (S.C Internacional – Brazil).
5. Rebeca Fernández (Universidad de Chile – Chile).
6. Fátima Acosta (Libertad/Limpeño – Paraguay).

Since last summer's Copa America Femenina, Paraguay lost friendlies to Colombia 4-0 and 1-0 in October and split with Jamaica at home in November (a 2-1 win and a 1-0 loss), with both opponents making the WWC Finals for this summer.

In other good news for the national women's team, Paraguay will also play in the CONCACAF Gold Cup W 2024 Championship after a new strategic agreement was signed by CONMEBOL and CONCACAF in late January. The Gold Cup W inaugural event will take place in the U.S. and include eight CONCACAF women's national teams and four from CONMEBOL—the top four teams from the 2022 Copa America Femenina: champions Brazil, second place side Colombia, third-place Argentina and fourth place Paraguay.

Tribal Football's Prognosis:

Group C is the most difficult group to predict. In the first game between Chinese Taipei and Paraguay, Paraguay should advance albeit narrowly, though the longer that the AFC side can stay in the match, the better chance they have of an upset. In the other match, Panama should easily defeat PNG, and overall Panama should win the Final match. Their key player is goalkeeper Yenith Bailey (21), who is spellbinding at times, and has played abroad in three different countries, including Paraguay. If Haiti does the same as well (see above), it would result in two CONCACAF teams coming through the repechage, for a total of six at the finals: the U.S., Canada, Jamaica and Costa Rica were direct qualifiers, which would boost Panama's and Haiti's individual FIFA rankings and help CONCACAF in their coefficients for future guaranteed WWC spots.

Friendly Matches During the New Zealand Tournament

There are six friendly matches that will be held during the tournament, including games involving the first-round losers in Groups A, B and C. We have previously criticized the idea that four teams were flying half way around the world to play one match (See: The Week in Women's Football: UEFA 2023 Women's World Cup Qualifying; Intercontinental Playoffs - Tribal Football). Now we have the added friendly matches between the four first round losers, with nothing at stake and are likely to be perceived as appealing to these teams and fans in New Zealand only as the equivalent to a team bonding session at the dentist. Argentina and New Zealand will each play two matches against each other and then one against the teams in Group A and B that have first round byes (New Zealand faces Portugal of Group A in Hamilton and Argentina plays Chile of Group B in Auckland), with both matches on February 17, 2023.

We do wonder why neighbors Chile and Argentina are flying half-way around the world for a friendly, when Argentina could have faced Portugal and New Zealand face Chile. New Zealand and Argentina do benefit from three important friendly matches ahead of the Finals this summer, but this Intercontinental Playoffs and surrounding matches seem too complex and developed on the fly. For the 2027 Finals, a return to 2-4 intercontinental play-ins—held on a home-and-away basis to involve each participant's fans and media—would be more parsimonious and less expensive to stage.

Tim Grainey is a contributor to Tribal Football. His latest book Beyond Bend it Like Beckham is on the global game of women's football. Get your copy today.

Follow Tim on Twitter: @TimGrainey