Yes, it’s World Cup time again! It may seem like just a few months since the men’s World Cup in Qatar (because it is), or only a year since the women’s Euros in England (because it is), but the sporting calendar is righting itself after all the nonsense of the past few years. The FIFA Women’s World Cup is going ahead on schedule, and it’s time to get excited – for England fans in particular.

The Lionesses go into the tournament in Australia and New Zealand among the hot favourites. They may be on the other side of the world, but if you cheer loud enough, they’ll be able to hear you… Well, maybe not, but you can certainly cheer them as you watch on TV, with all the games live on BBC and ITV channels and streaming services. They may be on at slightly odd times, because of the location, but don’t worry – there are plenty on in the daylight hours!

We’ve got everything you need to know ahead of the Women’s World Cup: our guide to the contenders (including England) and the dark horses, the players to look out for, and a full run-down of all the fixtures and when and how to watch them. Let’s start with the details of England’s group games, including those all-important kick-off times…

England v Haiti

Saturday 22 July, 10.30am, ITV1 HD (CH 103)

England v Denmark

Friday 28 July, 9.30am, BBC One HD (CH 101)

England v China

Tuesday 1 August, 12pm, ITV1 HD (CH 103)

When can I watch every match of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup?

With 64 matches to watch, from the gripping group stage to the nail-biting knockout phase, you’ll need to know when and where they’re on – and you can do just that with our interactive guide! Just click or hover over the plus signs next to the groups to see the details of the games, including channels and kick-off times.

Can England win the Women’s World Cup?

They sure can. They’re ranked among the world’s top teams and, of course, they memorably won the European Championship last summer, showing that they can string together a tournament’s worth of superb performances. The teams in their group shouldn’t cause them too many problems; after all, they saw off world champions the USA in the autumn.

There’s quality throughout the squad. Mary Earps was named FIFA’s Best Goalkeeper for 2022, while Lucy Bronze and Keira Walsh won the Champions League with Barcelona in May. Rachel Daly was the WSL’s top scorer this season, while Millie Bright, Jess Carter and Niamh Charles claimed a domestic double with Chelsea – also home to Lauren James, one of the most exciting talents in world football.

And then there’s the coach. Sarina Wiegman’s record in her last three tournaments reads: Euro 2017, champions (with the Netherlands); World Cup 2019, runners-up (Netherlands again); Euro 2022, champions. As well as that astonishing CV, the England players love working with her. Since she took over they’ve played 32 games, winning 25 and losing just one, while scoring 138 goals and conceding only 12. She’s the ace England needed after always falling short previously.

So are there any reasons they won’t win it?

Yes – the curse of injury. England’s inspirational Euros captain Leah Williamson and the tournament top scorer Beth Mead both ruptured their anterior cruciate ligaments during the season and will miss the World Cup, while playmaker Fran Kirby is also injured and stand-in captain Bright has only just recovered from a knee problem.

The group might be eminently navigable, but there’s a hard path through the knockouts. In the round of 16, the Lionesses will almost certainly face co-hosts Australia – the only team to beat them under Wiegman – or Olympic champs Canada. If they progress, it’s likely to be old foes Germany in the quarter-finals, who England have only ever beaten twice. Although one of those victories was at a World Cup.

Are any other British teams in it?

Sadly not. Northern Ireland just missed out on a play-off place, and while Scotland and Wales both made the play-offs, they both fell at the final hurdle. However, our neighbours the Republic of Ireland qualified for the first time. They’re captained by Arsenal’s Katie McCabe, and 16 of their 23-player squad are based in England or Scotland.

Who else has a good chance of winning?

The USA are the favourites: they’re the traditional giants of the women’s game and have won the World Cup six times, including the last two. However, they’re missing even more key players than England and have an ageing squad. They’ll be reliant on rising but inexperienced stars like Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman to inject some energy.

Euro 2022 finalists Germany are always strong, and Spain are capable of beating most teams despite the absence of around a dozen top players who are unavailable thanks to a dispute with their national FA. France have a talented squad too, while Norway will be keen to improve on their poor Euros showing. 

Australia, with home support and the power of superstar striker Sam Kerr (see below), could be the competition’s dark horses, although they have a tough path through the rounds. We’re not expecting much from co-hosts New Zealand, who arrive in poor form. As for surprise packages, look out for Zambia and their free-scoring striker Barbra Banda, while China could cause problems for the bigger teams.

Who are the players to look out for?

Here are the players we think might help their countries shine in this World Cup. Click or hover over their countries’ flags to find out more…

Watch on the go with the Virgin TV Go app

You can watch the matches wherever you are thanks to the Virgin TV Go, which is available to all Virgin TV customers to register on up to five devices (and view on two devices simultaneously – handy for the final round of World Cup group matches) at no extra cost. It’s available for iPhone, iPad, Android mobile or tablets, and Windows and Mac laptops and desktops. Download the Virgin TV Go app here.