The FIFA Women's World Cup is an international association football competition contested by the senior women's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's international governing body. The competition has been held every four years and one year after the men's FIFA World Cup since 1991, when the inaugural tournament, then called the FIFA Women's World Championship, was held in China. Under the tournament's current format, national teams vie for 31 slots in a three-year qualification phase. The host nation's team is automatically entered as the 32nd slot. The tournament, called the World Cup Finals, is contested at venues within the host nation(s) over a period of about one month.
Pia Mariane Sundhage is a Swedish football manager and former professional player. She is the head coach of the Brazil women's national team. As a player, Sundhage played most of her career as a forward and retired as the top scorer for the Sweden national team, but she also had stints playing as a midfielder and a sweeper.
Ann Kristin Aarønes is a Norwegian former footballer. She first played for Spjelkavik IL, then for Trondheims-Ørn and the Norwegian national team. Later she played for the WUSA's New York Power, during the club's first season of play in 2001.
Linda Medalen is a former Norwegian footballer. She is one of Norway's most celebrated former footballers, finishing her international career with 152 caps, scoring 64 goals. She was on the Norway team that won the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Gro Espeseth is a former Norwegian footballer, world champion and olympic champion.
Margunn Haugenes is a Norwegian footballer. She became Olympic champion in 2000. She has won silver medals with the Norway national team, in the World Cup and in the European Championships.
Agnete Synnøve Carlsen is a former Norwegian professional footballer who played as a midfielder. With the Norway women's national team, Carlsen won the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup and an Olympic bronze medal in 1996. At club level Carlsen played for SK Sprint-Jeløy in Norway, then joined Japanese L. League team Nikko Securities Dream Ladies on a professional contract.
Francielle Manoel Alberto, commonly known as Francielle or Fran, is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a midfielder for the Brazil women's national football team. At club level she most recently played for Norwegian Toppserien club Avaldsnes IL. She previously played for Corinthians, São José and Santos in Brazil, as well as for Saint Louis Athletica and Sky Blue FC of Women's Professional Soccer (WPS).
Lene Mykjåland is a Norwegian footballer who played for LSK Kvinner and the Norway women's national team, having made her debut for the senior team on 7 March 2007, in a 1–2 loss against Germany.
Kaupanger Idrettslag is a Norwegian sports club from Kaupanger in Sogndal. It has sections for association football, athletics, floorball and skiing.
Birthe Hegstad is a Norwegian former footballer who played for Klepp IL and for the Norway women's national football team.
Camilla Huse is a Norwegian former footballer. She made her debut on the Norway women's national football team in 2005.
Guro Knutsen Mienna is a Norwegian former footballer who played for Røa IL of the Toppserien league and for the Norway women's national football team.
Lise Klaveness is a Norwegian lawyer and former footballer who played 73 matches for Norway's national team between 2002 and 2011. She is currently the president of the Norwegian Football Federation.
Anneli Andelén is a Swedish former association football forward who won 88 caps for the Sweden women's national football team, scoring 37 goals. She represented Sweden at the FIFA Women's World Cup in 1991 and 1995. Andelén also played professional club football in Japan with Suzuyo Shimizu F.C. Lovely Ladies.
Anette Hansson is a Swedish former football defender who won 39 caps for the Sweden women's national football team, scoring three goals.
Gry Tofte Ims is a former Norwegian footballer. She has played for Klepp IL since 2003 and was named captain of the team at the end of 2008 after the retirement of Ane Stangeland Horpestad. By 2012 she was placed fourth in the club's all-time appearance list.
Giorgia Brenzan is an Italian football coach and former goalkeeper. She was part of the Italy squad at the 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup and 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup. At club level she made over 700 appearances, collecting two women's Serie A winner's medals and four Coppa Italia winner's medals.
Paola Bonato is an Italian footballer who played as a defender for the Italy women's national football team. She accrued 71 caps between 1983 and 1991, and was part of the team at four editions of the UEFA Women's Championship and at the inaugural 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup. In a 19-year career at club level she won seven Serie A winner's medals and three Coppa Italia winner's medals, while playing for Trani, Lazio and Reggiana.
Stine Hovland is a Norwegian football defender, who plays for Arna-Bjørnar in the Toppserien and the Norway national team. A relatively late bloomer, Hovland did not play in the Norwegian Toppserien until she was 24 years old and she made her national team debut at 27 years old.
