Women's World Cup Kicks Off in Less Than 10 Hours 🏆🇦🇺🇳🇿

Rog writes: All Hail. The 2023 Women's World Cup is upon us, the Real World Cup. Let’s be honest, the other one should always be referred to solely as the Men's World Cup. This tournament, which starts in the early hours of tomorrow morning, is truly seismic. Sixty-four games. A groundbreaking moment for Australasia as it takes place in the home of Kylie Minogue, Cate Blanchett and Murray from “Flight of the Conchords” in nine cities and 10 venues across Australia and New Zealand at a time when the women's game’s profile has never soared higher. The competitive menace has never run deeper – and for the first time - the commercial possibility is also poised to go next level. Thirty-two teams will compete for the trophy, including the United States, which seeks to Chicago Bull-it-up and three-peat, by going back-to-back-to-back. Here at Men in Blazers, we will cover this World Cup by Land, by Sea and by Air, releasing Podcasts, YouTube Videos, live Twitch Watchalongs and this very daily newsletter that will deliver everything you need to know about each day’s narrative right into your inbox, written by the inimitable Meg Swanick.

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It’s Wednesday, July 19th. Give us four minutes, we give you everything World Cup

1. “This is for Katie”: US stars dedicate World Cup campaign to teammate tragically lost too young

Naomi Girma (the San Diego Wave center back whose name will soon be emblazoned across this World Cup as she leads the US from its rookie backline) penned a tribute in the Players Tribune to her best friend, Katie Meyer. Katie was a goalkeeper at Stanford University with Naomi, alongside Sophia Smith, Catarina Macario, and others. Katie tragically took her life in the spring of their senior year.

In her article, Girma announced that with the help of Sophia Smith and Sofia Huerta in particular, the team would launch a mental health campaign in partnership with Common Goal.

Immediate steps include FOX Sports dedicating 1% of its World Cup broadcast coverage to highlight mental health. After the tournament, they plan to send mental health professionals across the country to meet with a variety of youth organizations.

As part of this, Members of the US Women’s National Team released a video supporting those who struggle with mental health. Naomi Girma posted it to her Twitter timeline with the message:

“Vulnerability is a sign of strength, not weakness. My teammates and I are determined to make sure everyone has the support they need. Launching the first mental health initiative of its kind with my friends at @CommonGoalOrg. This one’s for you Katie.”

2. Gianni Infantino addresses the world and makes self-referential joke to his Qatar nonsense

FIFA president Gianni Infantino began the 2023 World Cup by making light of his bizarre 2022 World Cup press conference in which he told media in Doha, “Today I feel Qatari. Today I feel Arabic. Today I feel African. Today I feel gay. Today I feel disabled.” 

This time in Auckland, Infantino told media previewing the 2023 World Cup: “For those of you who are waiting to hear how I feel today, today I feel tired. Because I have just landed.”

Moving beyond the jetlag quip, the most notable item from Infantino’s presser is the surprise assertion that FIFA would not personally oversee direct bonus payments to players. FIFA would send the earmarked per-player amount to federations, who would then distribute bonus payments to players.

Previous understanding had been that a guaranteed bonus payment of at least 30,000 USD per player would be distributed directly to players from FIFA (in addition to lump sums awarded to participating federations). Players that reach the final would receive 270,000 USD each.

Given the myriad World Cup sides already in payment disputes with their federation — including Nigeria, South Africa, Canada, Jamaica and beyond — the news may unsettle some players, though ESPN reports that there will be recourse for players who don’t receive those payments.

🚨 MEN IN BLAZERS "DIRECT FROM DOWN UNDER," PRESENTED BY BUD LIGHT, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH US SOCCER 🚨

Starting tomorrow, we kick off a new series in which we sit down with the USWNT’s biggest stars as they attempt to smite all comers in New Zealand. It’s a series of interviews intended to take you inside that US Camp and the mindset of these elite footballers as they prepare for global football’s biggest tournament. Tomorrow’s guest, none other than San Jose, Calif. hero and Stanford Applied Systems Alum Naomi Girma. Watch our Pod Feed and YouTube Channel.

3. Group H Preview 🇩🇪 🇲🇦 🇨🇴 🇰🇷

i. Germany 🇩🇪

Germany were among the most formidable teams in last summer’s Euros, though ultimately fell in the final to an ascendant host nation. Ranked second by FIFA behind only the US, Germany has nevertheless looked (and been) beatable in their World Cup preparation. That said, they remain strong contenders to take it all. Having won two of eight FIFA tournaments already transpired, Die Nationalelf are an experienced squad containing elite veterans Alexandra Popp (Wolfsburg) and Lina Magull (Bayern Munich), as well as an emerging world-class talent in Lena Oberdorf (Wolfsburg). (For those familiar with how the US succeeded in 2019, Lena Oberdorf is to Germany what Julie Ertz has been to the US Women’s National Team.) Oberdorf is a defensive menace, though she adds no small measure of counter-attacking orchestration to her game.

More: Germany and their star striker Alexandra Popp are out for revenge. Can this World Cup provide the perfect opportunity?

ii. Morocco 🇲🇦

Morocco is proof that intentional investment and development of the women’s game pays dividends, fast. Making good on a king and federation investing in women’s football, Morocco made it to last summer’s AFCON Final for the first time ever as the host nation, where they fell to South Africa. Now, they prepare to play in their first World Cup. Led by Reynald Pedros, the French former manager of global juggernaut Lyon, where he won two Champions League titles, the Atlas Lionesses have looked well-organized in their pre-tournament friendlies and could be a real dark horse contender to escape Group H.

iii. South Korea 🇰🇷

After falling to China in last year’s Asian Cup Final, South Korea are hoping to build on their 2019 World Cup performance, where they departed from their group having lost all three games. With their first foreign manager at the helm in Leicester-born Englishman Colin Bell, South Korea also enter the tournament with their first-ever mixed race footballer in sixteen-year-old US-born Casey Phair. With Germany as clear favorites to place first in this group, South Korea will certainly contend to place second in what may prove to be a close test.

iv. Colombia 🇨🇴

Colombia enters their third World Cup after falling to Brazil in last year’s Copa America final. The respectable finish (which saw them lose 1-0 after a penalty from Debinha) could be a harbinger for a strong showing in this year’s World Cup, and Las Cafeteras look hungry and capable. With 18-year-old Linda Caicedo (Real Madrid) as their still burgeoning young talent (Copa America’s Golden Ball Winner in 2022) to keep an eye on, Colombia is reliably effective in attack but will need to be solid in defense to escape from this group.

More on 18-Year Old Linda Caicedo and her amazing rise to beat cancer and become one of the most coveted players in the world. Read this 

4. Parting Shots

“So the pressure that comes with it, we all kind of have accepted that. It's just kind of what life has become now and I think it's fun. I love it.”- Sophia Smith responds to questions about handling the pressure on this team.

USWNT Collection with the GFOPs at Homage ⭐️🇺🇸👕