By: Ray Zhao

In a rainy Sydney, the women’s World Cup is underway. Just nine months after the end of the men’s world cup, women’s matches are starting to draw more and more attention. And just this past weekend, a stunning performance by Jamaica, which was ranked 40 places below its rival France, managed to tie Les Bleues, 0-0.

The current world champions, the USA, is one of the tournament favorites alongside France. This is the one of the first major tournaments to be held under the U.S. equal pay agreement for both women and men. However, this has caused some issues with other players, as this agreement ensures that the reigning champions get to earn nearly twice as much for advancing to the same position as other teams.

Spain, England, and Canada are also other major contenders for the competitive cup. The U.S., which had nearly +275 odds going into the tournament, is most likely to win but will face a tough road.

Most other teams have lived up to their expectations – though by very slim margins. The USA won 3-0 against Vietnam and tied the Netherlands. The Netherlands also survived a massive scare when its goal was reinstated after three long minutes of deliberation over video evidence. That finalized a win over Italy, meaning the Netherlands is likely to advance into the single-elimination bracket. Another close call came when the reigning European champion, England, eked out a narrow 1-0 win over Haiti. Sweden faced a scare against South Africa, though they rebounded to win 2-1.

But no matter what team wins, the women’s World Cup will be filled with wins, losses, heart-stopping moments, and surprise underdog wins. The next game will be tomorrow, when Sweden plays Italy.