Women's World Cup 2023 predictions: Karen Carney on England's chances and top contenders

The 35-year-old is now a familiar face across multiple channels on live football broadcasts and has recently chaired a major review into women's football and how it can grow in the future.

Carney has made numerous recommendations to improve the underlying health of the domestic and international game, but is now looking forward to sitting back and enjoying the tournament to come.

She said: "I'm actually really excited, I'm working on it. I've got to peace with not playing four years on, so I'm extremely excited to broadcast on it and watch loads of football.

"I've been working on different projects, as I'm sure you're aware, so for me to now sit back and watch football, the thing I love, I'm actually super excited!"

Predictions are swirling across the internet as anticipation for the tournament grows, and Carney offered her own thoughts ahead of the Women's World Cup 2023.

RadioTimes.com brings you Carney's predictions for the tournament ahead, including what she expects from England.

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Women's World Cup 2023 predictions

Favourites

KC: USA are the reigning champions and their mentality has always set them apart, but now I think the other teams are catching up. Yes, they're going in as favourites, but I think a lot of people, when you are reigning champions, will want to knock you off your pedestal. They'll be up for the fight, the Americans, but I think there's a lot of people that want to take that trophy home and rightly so.

Contenders

KC: I saw Spain, I've watched France recently with their new manager and the way that they're playing. My gut is saying France. Australia, I'm really impressed with them when they played England on home soil at Brentford, and obviously they'e the host nation. Germany will no doubt want revenge.

England's chances

KC: My heart, of course, wants them to win it. I think it will be very tricky at the quarter-final stage. I think quarter-finals onwards – it was the same at the Euros – every team has an opportunity to win it. And I think this will be the closest tournament we've had to date.

There are so many good teams England, at the quarter-final stage, will really have to dig deep and go to places perhaps we've not seen the team have to go, and part of that's down to injuries and a freshen up of the squad.

Sarina Wiegman has a style. She's really big on wide play. Our wingers are going to be really, really key in that. Keira Walsh has rightly got the plaudits, finally, for being incredible.

Georgia Stanway moved to Germany, she's been brilliant over there and really matured into her role. And Mary Earps, a phenomenal journey and she's had a brilliant season for Manchester United. However, it's not about individuals with England - I think they will have to really pull together as a team.

There have been injuries so I think they'll have to grow as a team even more so and dig deep. We've got an incredible manager who is pragmatic, who is adaptable. I hope we can really kick on and gain confidence, momentum, out of the group stage and into the knockout tournament, as we did in the Euros.

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