England are in the World Cup final. That’s right. After winning the Euros on home turf last year, the Lionesses have travelled to the other side of the globe and claimed another unprecedented achievement – this will be their first ever Women’s World Cup final appearance. Can they go one step further and win it? We’ll find out on Sunday morning… 

We already knew this was going to be the biggest FIFA Women’s World Cup ever, with 32 teams competing for the first time. We knew we’d see a fantastic showcase of the best female players. But we got even more than we expected!

This was the World Cup where the power dynamic well and truly shifted. Canada, the Olympic champions – out at the group stage. Germany, two-time World Cup winners who had never failed to reach the quarter-finals – out at the group stage. United States, winners of four World Cups, who had never finished lower than third – out in the round of 16.

Meanwhile the unheralded likes of Nigeria, Colombia, South Africa, Jamaica and Morocco all qualified from the groups and did their nations proud with some superb performances and unexpected but well-deserved results. This isn’t luck. This is women’s football talent expanding beyond the established (rich) nations and becoming a truly global sport.

For England fans, it’s been a rollercoaster of a tournament with some narrow wins alongside the 6-1 demolition of China and the impressive 3-1 win over the co-hosts Australia in the semi-final. Spain have had a more serene journey, but there was an unexpected defeat in the final group game that showed they are vulnerable. They’re a team packed with talent even if Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas has not been at her best after injury – although England did beat them at the Euros last year, so they know they can do it.

Lauren Hemp has starred throughout the knock-out stages, and Ella Toone put in her best performance yet in the semis. So will there be space for Lauren James, who’s available again after suspension, or will Sarina Wiegman stick with the same XI? We suspect James will be held back as an impact sub if needed. It’s going to be close, tense and tough for fans to watch at times, but we’re anticipating a brilliant final to round off a superb tournament.  

When is the Women’s World Cup final on TV?

You can see the FIFA Women’s World Cup final at 10am on Sunday 20 August on BBC One HD (CH 101) and 10.15am on ITV1 HD (CH 103) – the choice of channel is yours. The match will also be available on their streaming services in Apps & Games > BBC iPlayer and Apps & Games > ITVX.

We’re eagerly awaiting Sunday’s final, of course, but in the meantime we’ve looked back over the competition to pick our favourite moments.

A superb strike from 18-year-old Linda Caicedo had put Colombia one up, but when Germany equalised with an 89th-minute penalty, most fans probably thought it was over – and a decent result for the South Americans. But stoppage time is in generous supply at this World Cup, and Colombia took advantage in the 96th minute when defender Manuela Vanegas headed home from a corner. The kaleidoscopic colours of their shirts were nothing compared with the carnival of celebration in the stands.

After two nervy 1-0 victories, and with key midfielder Keira Walsh injured, England fans were anxious ahead of the final group game, where a result was needed against China to ensure progress. Coach Sarina Wiegman tweaked the formation to give Lauren James a more central role and the Chelsea forward responded with two brilliant goals and three assists in an emphatic 6-1 victory. China looked dazed, and the Euros/World Cup double looked back on.

VAR has been a source of frustration for most football fans. Even when decisions go your way, the time they take and the obscure reasons behind them have hardly enhanced the match experience. Hence FIFA’s innovative scheme to have referees explain their judgments over the PA system during this tournament – a first in an international tournament.

It sounds good in theory. In practice, it has meant referees announcing to tense, expectant crowds: “After a review, my decision is… no penalty!” All much clearer, then. Thanks. For. That.

After holding France to a draw and beating Panama, Jamaica – unfairly overlooked by their home federation and relying on crowdfunding to back their World Cup journey – needed a point to qualify for the second round. The opponents: Brazil, home of both dazzling football flair and legendary forward Marta. But the Reggae Girlz’ defence, marshalled by Tottenham keeper Rebecca Spencer, repelled every Brazilian attack to pull off a remarkable achievement.

After Japan and Spain tore through their opening group games, their meeting in the final Group C match looked a mouthwatering prospect, a tight game between two closely matched teams with fast-paced passing styles. Japan didn’t read the script, though, and their lightning-fast counter-attacks put paid to La Roja before half-time, with two goals from Hinata Miyazawa and another from Riko Ueki.

Spain had 77% of possession, but Japan had the moment of the match when Mina Tanaka carried the ball from the halfway line to score and complete a 4-0 rout in the 82nd minute. It was all the more surprising, then, when they went out limply to Sweden at the quarter-final stage.

Four-time World Cup winners the US had stuttered in Group E, drawing with the Netherlands before an uncertain 0-0 against Portugal eventually saw them through to the last 16. They were much better against Sweden but drew a blank, with Swedish keeper Zećira Mušović in inspired form.

After a messy shoot-out including five misses, Sweden’s Lina Hurtig stepped up. Alyssa Naeher blocked her shot, then gaped as the ball spun up and over her. She clawed it back but goal-line technology showed it was over the line… by no more than a millimetre or two. By quite literally the narrowest of margins, the US were out.

After their victory over China, England looked tentative again in the round of 16, and struggled to contain an ebullient Nigeria who had defied expectations to qualify ahead of Canada. They weren’t helped by Lauren James’s late red card for treading on Michelle Alozie, but made it through extra time to set up a penalty shoot-out.

At 3-2, Chloe Kelly had the chance to be the hero once more, after her Euros-winning goal a year earlier. She duly obliged with a successful penalty kick reportedly struck harder than any Premier League goal last season – and immediately went to console the stricken Nigerian keeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, demonstrating again why the Lionesses are so beloved by fans.

In front of a passionate quarter-final crowd in Brisbane, Australia and France battled for 120+ minutes without scoring. French boss Hervé Renard knew what was coming, and sent on keeper Solène Durand just before the end of extra time. She duly saved the Aussies’ second penalty of the shoot-out. Then it got dramatic.

Chelsea’s Ève Perisset, another penalty expert brought on in anticipation of a shoot-out, saw her pen saved by Mackenzie Arnold (who had already saved the first kick from Selma Bacha). The West Ham keeper got up and prepared to take the all-important fifth pen herself. High pressure. Score and the Aussies are through. She hit the post.

Sudden death. It was 4-4, then 5-5, then 6-6. Kenza Dali stepped up for France and Arnold saved again, diving to her left. But the VAR official spotted she was off her line. Retake. Dali and Arnold both went the same way – with the same result. Then Durand saved from Clare Hunt. Vicki Bècho hit the post. Did no-one want to go through? It was down to Cortnee Vine to thump home and put the Matildas in their first ever World Cup semi-final.