Women's World Cup 2023: Fresh Predictions and Top Storylines for Round of 16 Schedule

Following an unpredictable group stage that saw perennial favorites such as Brazil and Germany eliminated early and underdogs like Morocco and Jamaica score historic wins for their countries, the 2023 Women's World Cup advances to the round of 16 starting Saturday.

Intriguing match-ups and potential upsets await fans of international football, as does the answer to several burning questions.

Can England weather the rash of injuries it has endured to this point and win its first World Cup since 1966? Is the United States team the favorite they were believed to be entering the tournament? Is Spain a favorite to win the cup in its third try?

Ahead of the first round of the knockout stage, find out who is playing when, where you can watch and which storylines to keep an eye on with this preview.

Saturday, August 5

Switzerland vs. Spain (1:00 a.m., prediction: Spain)

Japan vs. Norway (4:00 a.m., prediction: Japan)

Netherlands vs. South Africa (10:00 p.m., prediction: Netherlands)

Sunday, August 6

Sweden vs. United States (5:00 a.m., prediction: Sweden)

Monday, August 7

England vs. Nigeria (3:30 a.m., prediction: England)

Australia vs. Denmark (6:30 a.m., prediction: Australia)

Tuesday, August 8

Colombia vs. Jamaica (4:00 a.m., prediction: Jamaica)

France vs. Morocco (7:00 a.m., prediction: France)

All games broadcasting on FS1 and streaming at FoxSports.com and the Fox Sports app.

Jamaica advanced to the round of 16 by way of a draw with Brazil, eliminating a traditionally strong squad and sending the legendary Marta home early from her final World Cup. It was a monumental moment for the team, despite the 0-0 tie, as it represented the culmination of a long, arduous climb into international football relevance; a climb fueled by the desire of its players and fight for fair conditions.

The Reggae Girlz journey to the knockout round included crowdfunding campaigns, financial backing from Cadella Marley, daughter of the late Bob, and a public denouncement of the Jamaican Football Federation and its lack of support for the team.

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The fight for equality is one that will continue off the field but on it, the team has exceeded even the loftiest of expectations by proving it can hang with the likes of France and Brazil on the grandest stage the sport has to offer.

Theirs is not a story of luck but, rather, skill and a tournament run that has seen the team's defense step up.

Through three matches (vs. France, Panama and Brazil), the team has not conceded a single goal. France, alone, put up seven goals in their other two matches, a testament to the stinginess of the Reggae Girlz defensive unit. It is even more impressive when considering that the opposing offense maintained control of the ball for the majority of the matches against France and Brazil.

The team has tallied 113 clearances, 89 tackles and interceptions and 49 blocks. It has been stellar in its efforts to keep the ball out of the net and goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer has saved 2.4 goals for her team than any other in the tournament, per FBRef stats.

The offense has struggled to this point, with a squad shots-on-target percentage of 20.7, but it is moving the ball well, completing nearly 60 percent of its passes.

Star Khadija "Bunny" Shaw has taken four shots on goal but has nothing to show for them to this point, a trend that is not likely to continue if the opportunity presents itself. She is too good for that, a ferocious attacker who can track down any pass and create a legitimate scoring opportunity.

What she does with her ball control abilities has been most important, giving the defense a moment to breathe after contending with the French and Brazilian offensive barrage in its two most impressive performances.

She is the best player on the Jamaican squad and, even though it has been Spencer that has received the acclaim for her showing in goal, the Reggae Girlz go as Shaw goes.

Their round of 16 opponent, Colombia, is coming off an uninspiring loss to Morocco and while they can score goals (four in three games), they are the perfect opponent for a Jamaican team seeking to continue its historic run through the tournament.

"You were lucky to not be going home right now."

It was scathing analysis from Carli Lloyd, a former member of the United States Women's team, following a draw with a Portuguese team that it should have soundly defeated.

The words, spoken as Lloyd watched the Americans celebrate an uninspiring tie that sent them to the round of 16, may have been been harsh to some but for others, it was earned.

Tournament favorites, the United States has yet to establish the sort of dominance one would expect given a star-studded lineup of Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Mallory Swanson and Rose Lavelle that is joined by the best and brightest the country has to offer in Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman.

The team opened with a 3-0 dismantling of Vietnam but drew both the Netherlands and Portugal, two teams it should have defeated. They have looked disjointed and at times, unfocused. Perhaps the team bought into the hype. Whatever the case may be, they were one Ana Capeta shot to the goal post away from going home.

It will not get easier for the national team, either.

The Stars and Stripes meet a Swedish team in the round of 16 that has put up nine goals in three games, five of which came in an embarrassing of Italy. They have been as good as any team in the tournament to this point and has been excellent on corner kicks, scoring four of its first seven goals in the tournament on set pieces.

It is a weapon it will hope to use against an American team that, despite its lackluster performances to this point, has been exceptional on the defensive side of the ball. They have allowed just one goal in three games and hopes to keep its offensive juggernaut of an opponent off-guard.

Following Lloyd's criticism, and Sweden's assertion that it knows "how to hurt" them, Sunday's game has the makings of one that will define the USWNT.

For better or worse.