By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
Less than four months to the start of 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup final in Australia and New Zealand, the Fédération Française de Football (French Football Federation) on Thursday appointed Herve Renard as the new France Women’s football team’s head coach.
The Frenchman who resigned from his position as Saudi Arabia men’s coach on Tuesday, having overseen their famous win over eventual winners Argentina in the group stage of last year’s World Cup in Qatar has signed a contract that runs until August 2024 after the Paris Olympic Games.
Renard, who won the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy with both Ivory Coast and Zambia senior men’s football teams before joining the Saudis replaces Corinne Diacre, who was sacked from her position as head coach earlier in March by FFF, one day after she released a statement claiming there was a “violent and dishonest” smear campaign against her.
The 54-year-old will lead ‘Les Bleus’ into this summer’s World Cup in Australia in New Zealand, which starts on July 20. France are in Group F and will face Brazil, Jamaica and Panama.
This year’s tournament will be first-ever co-hosted FIFA Women’s World Cup final with the group stage running from July 20 and run over a two-week period finishing on August 3 and see group winners and runners-up progress to the round of 16, which takes place from August 5 to August 8.
The quarter-finals, which will be held in Wellington, Auckland, Brisbane and Sydney, are scheduled for August 11 and 12.
The first semi-final will then be played on August 15 in Auckland, with the other semi-final taking place on August 16 at the Accor Stadium in Sydney, which will then host the final on August 20.
A third-place play-off will be played the day before the final on August 19 in Brisbane.
The USA are the defending champions and are looking to become the first team in the competition’s history to win the tournament three times in a row.
