FIFA Women’s World Cup™ on FOX and FS1 Programming Highlights: Wednesday, July 26

Ratings & Broadcast Information:

• Pop superstar Sia debuts new song “Champion” exclusively on FOX Sports’ coverage of FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™
• Watch Parties across the country are revved up and ready to go for tonight’s USWNT vs. Netherlands match on FOX
• FOX Sports App features bonus stream option for select FIFA Women’s World Cup™ matches
• Former Angel City FC and Gotham FC manager Freya Coombe joins WOMEN’S WORLD CUP NOW as a guest analyst
• Colombia’s 2-0 shutout of Korea Republic on Monday night scored 661,000 viewers on FS1, up +47% from the 2019 average of non-USWNT Group Stage matches on the network

Today’s Results:

• Japan def. Costa Rica, 2 – 0 (90 IN 90 HIGHLIGHTS | REPLAY)
• Spain def. Zambia, 5 – 0 (90 IN 90 HIGHLIGHTS | REPLAY)
• Canada def. Republic of Ireland, 2 – 1 (90 IN 90 HIGHLIGHTS | REPLAY)

Must-See Moments:

• Jenny Taft interviews United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, in New Zealand about the USWNT and the FIFA Women’s World Cup
• Adriana Leon scores game-winning goal for Canada that eliminates Ireland from the tournament
• Olimpico Alert: Katie McCabe scores Ireland’s first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup goal from legendary corner kick
• Teresa Abelleira’s strike for Spain was a pure rocket and quite possibly the goal of the tournament to date
• 19-year-old Aoba Fujino finishes at the near post and scores her first FIFA Women’s World Cup goal
• A chilly Jenny Taft checks in from Wellington, New Zealand on the USWNT’s arrival and its preparation ahead of its next match against the Dutch

Top Stories:

• USA-Netherlands showdown giving vibes of World Cup final (By: Laken Litman)
• USA needs to send a message to the world vs. Netherlands (By: Martin Rogers)
• Rose Lavelle ‘hasn’t changed a bit’ after legendary World Cup moment (By: Doug McIntyre)
• USWNT vs. the Netherlands: Scouting report, prediction for key Group E clash (By: Doug McIntyre)
• Why USWNT should keep a close eye on World Cup Group C (By: Martin Rogers)
• USWNT vs. the Netherlands pick, expert prediction (By: Chris ‘The Bear’ Fallica)

Tonight’s Top Quotes:

• “Can I be honest? I don’t think they care, it’s the Americans, it’s the United States of America. That’s why I hated playing against them because they’re focused on them, what do they need to do to be better in this next game to win the World Cup. They’re going to be excited to play a different kind of Dutch squad than what they faced having more time out wide, being able to work on their movements, work on the rhythm, feeling the vibe, feeling the flow. I feel like I’m singing the song, but it’s about them and it’s about how do they get better in this game because at the end of the time, they want to be in the final game of the World Cup and they wanted to have seen and done everything to be successful.”
  • FOX Sports analyst Karina LeBlanc on the news that Netherlands’ Lineth Beerensteyn will be out vs. the USWNT | WATCH

• “This is the start you want if you’re Spain and so often in midfield, we talk about [Alexia] Putellas, we talk about [Aitana] Bonmati, but how about the late run of [Teresa] Abelleira here. You see a nice little combination play here – [Mariona] Caldentey – [Jennifer] Hermoso – you see Putellas creating a little space getting on the ball. And then just look at number three, holding her run, waiting for it, waiting for it, Jenni Hermoso plays that one first, quality first touch and how about that strike. Clean, pure, right outside the box and a fantastic shot. ”
  • FOX Sports match analyst Danielle Slaton dissects an absolute howler of a goal that opened the scoring for Spain | WATCH

• “I want to see if they get tested (against the Netherlands). I still think the U.S. can absolutely beat this Netherlands team and that would not be a surprise – and they should go out there and beat this Netherlands team. But at least they’ll be under a consistent game where they’re going to have to face problems, they are going to face some speed of the Netherlands, they are going to have to face the set pieces … They are going to have to suffer a little bit – and that’s important. At some point they are going to have to suffer. I’d rather it’s on a continual basis through the tournament, but that it’s happening right now it’s actually, from a viewer’s standpoint, you’ve got to tune in because this is a rematch of the Final, and if you have doubts about this U.S Women’s National Team, I would hope that after 90 minutes either they are confirmed or dispelled and you can say, ‘alright, I’m really happy and excited about the way it’s going,’ because it’s very difficult to base it off the Vietnam game.”
  • FOX Sports’ lead soccer analyst Alexi Lalas on WOMEN’S WORLD CUP NOW talking challenges ahead for USWNT vs. the Netherlands | WATCH

• “When teams try and change the way that they play to face the U.S. – like England did it when they had the last matchup and completely changed everything, and England were absolutely on fire, and then moved everything, took players that had been playing well and changed them and put them out of position to accommodate the U.S. And I feel like the Netherlands did that in the [2019 Women’s World Cup] Final, too and it just changed a little bit of what they did and I think sometimes it’s the power of playing against the U.S. – it makes people think too much. I think they [Netherlands] just have to go in and do what they do.”
  • FOX Sports’ WOMEN’S WORLD CUP NOW analyst Freya Coombe on opponents’ tendency to change identity when matching up against the USWNT | WATCH

Top Shots

Tonight’s Schedule on FOX & FS1 (All Times ET)

• 7:00 PM on FOX – FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP LIVE
  • Carli Lloyd, Alexi Lalas, Ari Hingst, Rob Stone, Heather O’Reilly, Karina LeBlanc, Stu Holden, Chris Fallica
• 9:00 PM on FOX – USWNT vs. Netherlands
  • JP Dellacamera, Aly Wagner, Jenny Taft, Tom Rinaldi, Dr. Joe Machnik
• 11:00 PM on FOX – FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TONIGHT
  • Carli Lloyd, Alexi Lalas, Ari Hingst, Rob Stone
• 3:00 AM on FS1 – FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TONIGHT
  • Carli Lloyd, Alexi Lalas, Rob Stone
• 3:30 AM on FS1 – Portugal vs. Vietnam
  • Jenn Hildreth, Warren Barton, Mark Clattenburg
• 5:30 AM on FS1 – FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TONIGHT
  • Kate Gill, Alexi Lalas, Rob Stone
• 6:00 AM on FS1 – Australia vs. Nigeria
  • Jacqui Oatley, Lori Lindsey, Mark Clattenburg
• WORLD CUP NOW on @FOXSoccer Twitter
  • Hosts: Leslie Osborne, Jimmy Conrad
  • Rotating Guests: Heather O’Reilly, Kate Gill

Full replays of each match are available on the FOX Sports app. For announcements, coverage, notes, photography and more, visit the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™ page on FOX Sports Press Pass.