Union of European Football Associations is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs football, futsal and beach football in Europe and the transcontinental countries of Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Kazakhstan, as well as some Asian countries such as Israel, Cyprus and Armenia. UEFA consists of 55 national association members. Because of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, FIFA and UEFA suspended all Russian national teams and clubs from any FIFA and UEFA competitions.
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.
Kristine Marie Lilly Heavey is an American retired soccer player. She was a member of the United States women's national team for 23 years and is the most-capped football player in the history of the sport, gaining her 354th and final cap against Mexico in a World Cup qualifier in November 2010. Lilly scored 130 goals for the US national team, behind Mia Hamm's 158 goals, and Abby Wambach's 184.
Sun Wen is a Chinese former professional footballer who played as a forward. She previously captained the China national team and the Atlanta Beat of the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA).
Birgit Prinz is a German former footballer, two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion and three-time FIFA World Player of the Year. In addition to the German national team, Prinz played for 1. FFC Frankfurt in the Frauen-Bundesliga as well as the Carolina Courage in the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA), the first professional women's league in the United States. Prinz remains one of the game's most prolific strikers and is the second FIFA Women's World Cup all-time leading scorer with 14 goals. In 2011, she announced the end of her active career. She currently works as a sport psychologist for the men's and women's teams of Bundesliga club TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
Victoria Margareta Sandell Svensson is a Swedish football manager and former player. Nicknamed Vickan, she was team captain on the Swedish women's national team and Djurgårdens IF Dam, captaining the national team during the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup, and is one of the most merited Swedish footballers of all time. She was originally known as Victoria Svensson, and then Victoria Sandell Svensson after marrying Camilla Sandell in April 2008 and adding her surname to her own.
Cristiane Rozeira de Souza Silva, known as Cristiane, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Santos and the Brazilian women's national team. A prolific forward, she was part of Brazil's silver medal-winning teams at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic football tournaments. In total she has participated in five FIFA Women's World Cups and four Olympics.
Sarah Joelle Gregorius, is an association football player who has represented New Zealand at international level. She plays for AFC Amsterdam since august 2021.
Aya Sameshima is a Japanese footballer. Primarily a left back, she currently plays for Omiya Ardija Ventus in the WE League and has over 100 caps for the Japan national team.
Jane Törnqvist is a former footballer who most recently played for Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC. She is currently the Strength and Conditioning Coach of India women's national team. A tough tackling central defender, she wore number 3 for her club. She played 109 games for the Sweden women's national team before retiring from international football in 2005.
Anna Linda Christine Fagerström is a Swedish former football midfielder who played for Bälinge IF, Hammarby IF and Djurgårdens/Älvsjö in the Damallsvenskan and Bollstanäs SK in Division 1. With Djurgårdens she played the 2005 European Cup's final.
Ri Hyang-ok is a North Korean association football referee and former footballer. She played as a midfielder and was a member of the North Korea women's national football team. She was part of the team at the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup and 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup. Since 2005 she has been a FIFA listed referee, and was chosen to officiate at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France.
Marina Burakova is a former Russian women's international footballer who played as a defender. She was a member of the Russia women's national football team. She was part of the team at the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup and 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup where she was the team captain.
Vera Stroukova is a retired Russian women's international footballer who played as a defender. She was a member of the Russia women's national football team. She was part of the team at the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Anastasia Vyacheslavovna Pustovoitova is a Russian association football referee. Previously, she was a Russian women's international footballer who played as a defender.
Elena Denchtchik is a former Russian women's international footballer who played as a midfielder. She was a member of the Russia women's national football team. She was part of the team at the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Maria Pigaleva is a former Russian women's international footballer who played as a goalkeeper. She was a member of the Russia women's national football team. She was part of the team at the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Mavis Dgajmah is a Ghanaian women's international footballer who plays as a forward. She was a member of the Ghana women's national football team. She was part of the team at the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup and at the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup. On club level she played for La Ladies in Ghana.
Oksana Shmachkova is retired a Russian women's international footballer who played as a defender. She was a member of the Russia women's national football team. She was part of the team at the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup as well as UEFA Women's Euro 2001 and 2009. On club level she played for various clubs in Russia including FC Energy Voronezh and WFC Rossiyanka.
The Germany women's national football team has represented Germany at the FIFA Women's World Cup on eight occasions in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019. They have won the title twice and were runners-up once. They also reached the fourth place in 1991 and in 2015.
