Vancouver - Profiles of the 24 teams set to compete at the women's World Cup to be held in Canada from June 6-July 5:
Group A
Canada
Qualification: Hosts
Previous appearances: 1995, 1999, 2004, 2007, 2011
Best World Cup finish: Fourth in 2003
Honours: CONCACAF champions 1998, 2010, Bronze medal 2012 Olympics
Head coach: John Herdman
FIFA Ranking: 8
China
Qualification: Third at Asian Cup 2014
Previous appearances: 1991, 1995, 1999, 2004, 2007
Best World Cup finish: Runners-up in 1999; quarter-finals in 1991, 2003, 2007
Honours: Asian Cup champions 1986, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2006; Silver medal 1996 Olympics
Head coach: Hao Wei
FIFA Ranking: 16
New Zealand
Qualification: Oceania winners 2014
Previous appearances: 1991, 2007, 2011
Best World Cup finish: Never advanced out of group stage
Honours: Oceania winners 1983, 1991, 2007, 2010, 2014
Head coach: Tony Readings
FIFA Ranking: 17
Netherlands
Qualification: Winners of play-off against Italy
Previous appearances: 0
Honours: 3rd at the 2009 European Championship
Head coach: Roger Reijners
FIFA Ranking: 12
Group B
Germany
Qualification: Winners of UEFA qualifying Group 1
Previous appearances: 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011
Best World Cup finish: Winners 2003 and 2007; runners-up 1995; quarter-finals 1999 and 2011
Honours: World Cup champions 2003 and 2007; European champions: 1989, 1991, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2013
Head coach: Silvia Neid
FIFA Ranking: 1
Ivory Coast
Qualification: Third at African Women's Championship in 2014
Previous appearances: 0
Honours: 3rd at 2014 African Championship
Head coach: Clementine Toure
FIFA Ranking: 67
Norway
Qualification: Winners of UEFA qualifying Group 5
Previous appearances: 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011
Best World Cup finish: Champions in 1995; runners-up in 1991; quarter-finals in 2003
Honours: World Cup champions in 1995; Olympic champions in 2000, 3rd place in 1996; European champions: 1987, 1993
Head coach: Even Pellerud
FIFA Ranking: 11
Thailand
Qualification: Fifth place in Asian Cup 2014
Previous appearances: 0
Honours: Asian Cup champions 1983
Head coach: Nuengruethai Sathongwien
FIFA Ranking: 29
Group C
Japan
Qualification: Asian Cup winners 2014
Previous appearances: 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011
Best World Cup finish: Champions 2011; quarter-finals 1995
Honours: World Cup champions 2011; Asian champions 2014, runners-up 1986, 1991, 1995, 2001; Olympic silver medal 2012
Head coach: Norio Sasaki
FIFA Ranking: 4
Switzerland
Qualification: Winners of UEFA qualifying Group 3
Previous appearances: 0
Honours: 0
Head coach: Martina Voss-Tecklenburg
FIFA Ranking: 19
Cameroon
Qualification: African Women's Championship runners-up 2014
Previous appearances: 0
Honours: African Women's Championship runners-up in 1991, 2004, 2014
Head coach: Enow Ngachu
FIFA Ranking: 53
Ecuador
Qualification: Play-off win over Trinidad and Tobago
Previous appearances: 0
Honours: South American Women's championship third in 2014
Head coach: Vanessa Arauz
FIFA Ranking: 48
Group D
United States
Qualification: CONCACAF champions 2014
Previous appearances: 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011
Best World Cup finish: Champions 1991, 1999; runners-up 2011; 3rd place 1995, 2003, 2007
Honours: World Cup winners 1991, 1999, Olympic champions 1996, 2004, 2008, 2012; CONCACAF champions 1991, 1993, 1994, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2014
Head coach: Jillian Ellis
FIFA Ranking: 2
Australia
Qualification: Asian Cup runners-up 2014
Previous appearances: 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011
Best World Cup finish: Quarter-finals 2007 and 2011
Honours: Olympic quarter-finals 2004; Asian champions 2010, runners-up 2014; Oceania champions 1995, 1998, 2003
Head coach: Alen Stajcic
FIFA Ranking: 10
Sweden
Qualification: Winners of UEFA qualifying Group 4
Previous appearances: 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011
Best World Cup finish: Runners-up 2003; third in 1991 and 2011
Honours: European champions 1984; Olympic Games quarter-finals 2008, 2012
Head coach: Pia Sundhage
FIFA Ranking: 5
Nigeria
Qualification: Winners of African Women's Championships 2014
Previous appearances: 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007
Best World Cup finish: World Cup quarter-finalists 1999
Honours: African champions 1991, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2014
Head coach: Edwin Okon
FIFA Ranking: 33
Group E
Brazil
Qualification: South American champions 2014
Previous appearances: 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011
Best World Cup finish: Runners-up in 2007, 3rd in 1999, quarter-finalists 2003, 2011;
Honours: Olympic silver medallists 2004 and 2008; South American champions 1991, 1995, 1998, 2003, 2010, 2014
Head coach: Oswaldo Fumeiro Alvarez (Vadao)
FIFA Ranking: 7
South Korea
Qualification: Fourth at Asian Cup 2014
Previous appearances: 2003
Best World Cup finish: Did not advance past group stage
Honours: Asian Cup third in 2003
Head coach: Yoon Deok-yeo
FIFA Ranking: 18
Spain
Qualification: Winners of UEFA qualifying Group 2
Previous appearances: 0
Honours: European championships semi-finals in 1997, quarter-finals 2014
Head coach: Ignacio Quereda
FIFA Ranking: 14
Costa Rica
Qualification: CONCACAF runners-up 2014
Previous appearances: 0
Honours: CONCACAF runners-up in 2014, third in 1998
Head coach: Amelia Valverde
FIFA Ranking: 37
Group F
France
Qualification: Winners of UEFA qualifying Group 7
Previous appearances: 2003, 2011
Best World Cup finish: Fourth in 2011
Honours: European championships quarter-finalists in 2013 and 2009; fourth at 2012 Olympics
Head coach: Philippe Bergeroo
FIFA Ranking: 3
England
Qualification: Winner of UEFA qualifying Group 6
Previous appearances: 1995, 2007, 2011
Best World Cup finish: Quarter-finalists in 1995, 2007, 2011
Honours: European championships runners-up in 1984 and 2009
Head coach: Mark Sampson
FIFA Ranking: 6
Colombia
Qualification: South American runners-up 2014
Previous appearances: 2011
Best World Cup finish: Did not advance past group stage
Honours: South American runners-up in 2010 and 2014
Head coach: Fabian Taborda
FIFA Ranking: 28
Mexico
Qualification: Third in CONCACAF 2014
Previous appearances: 1999, 2011
Best World Cup finish: Did not advance past group stage
Honours: CONCACAF runners-up 1998, 2010; third 2014
Head coach: Leonardo Cuellar
FIFA Ranking: 25
AFP
