Comic-Con officially starts Thursday in San Diego, but there is another major event beginning on the same day. The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup also kicks off in New Zealand and Australia, and there are several reasons to watch.
Here’s everything you need to know to view this month-long soccer tournament.
Follow all of our World Cup and soccer coverage here.
Local ties: San Diego Wave FC stars Alex Morgan and Naomi Girma will play for Team USA, and three other Wave players will represent their home countries: midfielder Emily van Egmond (Australia), goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan (Canada) and forward Sofia Jakobsson (Sweden).
Top teams: The U.S. women’s national team has won the last two World Cup tournaments and is ranked No. 1 in the FIFA standings. , Sweden, England and round out the top five. Canada is also in this year’s tournament and ranked seventh in the world.
First timers: The Philippines, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland, Vietnam and Zambia are countries making debuts at the Women’s World Cup this year.
Who’s missing: Mexico did not qualify for this year’s World Cup and has only played in the 1999, 2011 and 2015 Women’s World Cup tournaments.
On TV: Games will be shown on FOX and FS1 in English and Telemundo and NBC Universo in Spanish. Group play matches will start between midnight and 5:30 a.m. and between 5 p.m.-11:30 p.m. local time. The full schedule can he found here.
Streaming: See matches on your smartphone, tablet or computer via Peacock in Spanish, and in English at FOXSports.com and the FOX Sports App. You can also watch on streaming services that carry FOX, FS1, Telemundo and NBC Universo like YouTube TV and fuboTV.
- Bluefoot: A soccer staple for 16 plus years, Bluefoot Bar and Lounge will show games throughout the tournament with the play-by-play on its speakers. It has a full bar and serves over a dozen local and international beers. Bluefoot does not serve food, but you can bring your own. 3404 30th St., San Diego. bluefootsd.com
- Fairplay: Catch most games at North Park’s newest sports bars, Fairplay, which opened 11 months ago. It has TVs all around the bar and along the walls. Fairplay has a full menu and serves items like wings, sandwiches, hamburgers and salads; there is even a children’s menu at this family-friendly venue. 4026 30th St., San Diego. fairplaybar.com
- Guava Beach Bar and Grill: For Team USA’s July 26 game vs. Netherlands, the San Diego Wave FC will host a viewing party at Guava Beach Bar and Grill in Mission Beach. The party starts at 6 p.m. The Wave will also have exclusive merchandise, prizes and giveaways. 3714 Mission Blvd., San Diego. guava-beach.com
- Mavericks Beach Club: In Pacific Beach, Mavericks Beach Club will show all the Team USA matches. Mavericks is an indoor-outdoor restaurant with 40 TVs across and five bars. During the USA games, there will be $7 drink specials. 860 Garnet Ave., San Diego. maverickssd.com
- Novo Otay Ranch: The Wave will host a watch party for Team USA’s Friday match versus Vietnam at Novo Brazil Brewing restaurant at the Otay Ranch Town Center. The fun starts at 6 p.m. The venue has a 22-foot LED screen and three 14-foot LED screens. Also, the Wave’s signature Nova hard kombucha La Ola Dragon Fruit will be on sale for $5 a pint. 2015 Birch Road, Suite 1017, Chula Vista. novobrew.com
- O’Brien’s Pub: A watch party for Team USA’s Aug. 1 match, co-hosted by the Wave and the American Outlaws San Diego, will take place at O’Brien’s Pub. The match against Portugal starts at midnight. 4646 Convoy St., San Diego. obrienspub.net
- Shakespeare Pub: This British Pub in Mission Hills will be showing televised matches during normal business hours on its eight TVs. The first one will be Nigeria against Canada on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Shakespeare pub has several drink and food options like fish and chip and non-alcoholic drinks like British sodas and British tea. 3701 India St., San Diego. shakespearepub.com
