WC23 Preview: USWNT ready to roll in OZ/NZ

There is no better time to be a women's sports fan, but especially a women's soccer fan, than now! The wait is almost over for the biggest moment in global women's football to take center stage in the World Cup 2023. The remarkable energy from the World Cup in 2019 is still felt globally, shattering every viewing record and marketing metric in history. What's to come in WC23? We're going to find out. 

Equal Pay

This is the first World Cup in history where our USWNT are competing on an equal playing field as their male counterparts. After a long and arduous legal battle with US Soccer from 2015-2022, the women's team walked away with a huge win in their pursuit for equal pay and equality across the board with playing conditions, resources and of course, monetary compensation. This is the first time in USWNT history where they will have charted flights throughout the entire tournament, which will have a tremendous impact on their recovery in between games. Only now will we be able to see the true magnificence and talent of our USWNT players on an equal playing field.

In saying all of this, it's important to note that we are far from equality in the global game, with FIFA paying the men's World Cup champions $440 million compared to the women's $150 million. While this is a 300% increase from the prize money compared to 2019, in inequities are apparent. 

The Top Contenders

There are 32 teams traveling to Australia and New Zealand to compete in the 2023 World Cup, however there are a few top contenders to keep an eye on. While many of the top European teams have been rocked by injuries, coaching battles and equal pay federation backlash, it cannot be over-stated how strong many of the European teams are. The competition is fierce and the talent pool is deep.

• Spain is one of the most talented teams in the tournament, by far. Their best player, Alexia Putellas, is the back-to-back Ballon d'Or winner, and their entire squad of 32 are exceptional. 
• Last year, all signs were pointing to England being the top contender for the WC23. They won their first Euro trophy in 2022 by demolishing all the other European giants. They have the force and support of their entire country behind them for this Cup. 
• After parting ways with their long-time coach, France is now strongly positioned as a top contender heading into OZ/NZ. They have talented squad with some young golden players that could prove to very impactful on the world's biggest stage. 
• Australia is going into the WC23 ranked 6th, however being on their home soil will undoubtedly give them a surge of excitement, inspiration and tenacity that could be very dangerous. 
• While the USA team feels like a shell of itself compared to the 2019 team, they are undeniably going into the WC23 ranked #1-- and deservingly so. This team is filled with a slue of young stars, a championship mentality and they have what no other team has, Megan Rapinoe. Rapinoe is the heartbeat and leader of the team and always rises to the occasion. The bigger the stage, the better she plays. With this being her last World Cup, there's no telling what magic she'll pull off! 

Rapinoe's Last Hurrah

Megan Rapinoe has been pure magic for the women's global football game. She's changed the landscape forever, she's given players everywhere permission to be themselves and do the right thing always, while also continuing to perform at the highest level for decades. 

We sat down with Megan at the Mendi office before she took off to New Zealand to ask her a few questions regarding her decision to retire, her mindset going into her fourth World Cup and some of the biggest takeaways having three World Cups under her belt. One things for sure, without the role of intentional recovery, nutrition and supplementation she would not of been able to play as long as she has. She's graciously noted her go-to Mendi wellness essentials, like the gummies, sleep tincture and salve stick, as being an integral part of her recovery the past two years. 

Stay tuned through the next month to get an inside look on Megan's perspective on the WC23!