Women’s football is growing and becoming more competitive

The rankings for international women’s football, which are calculated by FIFA, the sport’s governing body, demonstrate the growth of the game. The first rankings were calculated in 2003, and only included teams that had played at least five international matches before 1999. Only 108 teams qualified. Today there are 188 (compared with 208 in the men’s rankings). Not only are there more teams, their ranking points are also more narrowly distributed, suggesting tighter competition.

In 2003 the score of the top-ranked team, America, was 2.1 times that of the 100th-ranked team (Puerto Rico). Before this World Cup began America was only 1.7 times better than the 100th-ranked team (the Faroe Islands). The convergence has played out on the field at this year’s women’s World Cup. America, the champions in four previous tournaments, managed to win only one match before being knocked out in the round of 16 for the first time, by Sweden. This year there will be new champions. On August 20th England and Spain will both contest their first final.