August 6 update: Japan will play Sweden in the quarterfinal after the European side eliminated the two-time defending champions United States 5-4 in the penalty shootout to officially end the three-peat bid.
After a clinical group stage showing at the 2023 women’s World Cup with three wins in dominant fashion, Japan continued to march on like business as usual with a 3-1 win over Norway in the round of 16. Here’s a look at who the Japanese will face in the quarterfinals.
Japan will meet either Sweden or the United States in the next round. Sweden swept the group stage as well, while the United States entered the tournament as the favorite to win the whole thing. It’s a tough draw for Japan after winning the group, but this team looks unstoppable offensively at the moment. We’ll see if Japan can keep this efficiency up in the quarterfinal stage.