With the ninth edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup set to kick off Thursday, July 20 in Australia and New Zealand, the co-host Matildas are preparing to make their 2023 tournament debut in front of a sold-out home crowd. Appearing in their eighth Women's World Cup, the Australian women's national team will look to become just the second tournament host to win the title. Making the hours-long flight from the United States to wear the Aussie green and gold are NWSL midfielders Alex Chidiac and Emily van Egmond.

With the ninth edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup set to kick off Thursday, July 20 in Australia and New Zealand, the co-host Matildas are preparing to make their 2023 tournament debut in front of a sold-out home crowd. Appearing in their eighth Women's World Cup, the Australian women's national team will look to become just the second tournament host to win the title. Making the hours-long flight from the United States to wear the Aussie green and gold are NWSL midfielders Alex Chidiac and Emily van Egmond.Chidiac’s performance in the 2023 Cup of Nations and as a member of Racing Louisville FC cemented a spot on this year’s World Cup roster for the 24-year-old, who has chased a World Cup selection since she first played for Australia in 2015 at age 16. Ahead of her debut on global soccer’s grandest stage this summer, Chidiac has two international goals to her name, including her first goal in a 2018 friendly against Thailand and a goal in a 3-0 win over Jamaica en route to Australia’s second Cup of Nations title in 2023. She’ll look to add to that total when the host nation takes on the likes of seventh-ranked Canada, Ireland and Nigeria in Group B play. In two seasons playing for Kentucky-based Racing, Chidiac has made 16 starts and netted two goals in 28 competitions. The Sydney native will have the unique chance to square off against club teammate and Nigerian international Uchenna Kanu when the two teams meet in group stage play on July 27. San Diego Wave FC attacking midfielder Emily van Egmond brings a veteran presence to the Matildas, with 127 caps and 30 goals to her name as a member of the Australian women’s national team. The midfielder has appeared in three World Cups, as well as both the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games and the 2014, 2018 and 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cups. She debuted for the Matildas at just 16 in 2010 and made her World Cup debut the following year in Germany, scoring her first-ever goal in green and gold in the tournament, a 3-2 victory over Equatorial Guinea. Van Egmond earned her 100th cap for Australia on June 10, 2021, becoming the eighth player to reach the milestone for the Matildas. Van Egmond joined San Diego Wave FC ahead of the club’s inaugural season in 2022, making her NWSL debut on May 1 in a 1-0 win against Houston Dash. She's since appeared in 33 matches (30 starts) for San Diego while earning one goal and two assists over the course of the two seasons. Australia enters the tournament ranked 10th after recently defeating Spain, Jamaica, and Czechia in the Cup of Nations. The Matildas look to continue their winning ways when the team kicks off the World Cup against Ireland on July 20th. The matchup, which will feature North Carolina Courage Denise O’Sullivan and Washington Spirit forward Marissa Sheva for the Girls in Green, will be played in front of 80,000 at Stadium Australia in Sydney. Match coverage begins at 6 a.m. ET.