This is a lopsided group with two teams in the top eight in the world and then two of the lowest ranked sides in the competition.
GROUP F FIXTURES (times are SAST)
23 July France v Jamaica 12:00
24 July Brazil v Panama 13:00
29 July France v Brazil 12:00
29 July Panama v Jamaica 14:30
2 August Panama v France 12:00
2 August Jamaica v Brazil 12:00
Fifa WOMEN’S RANKINGS
5 – France
8 – Brazil
43 – Jamaica
52 – Panama
GROUP SUMMARY
France and Brazil should waltz through, perhaps the only question being who ends up top of the pool.
France have had their issues in the last few years with player revolts and the likes, but seem more settled now with coach Herve Renard in the team, a man who knows Africa well and took charge of Saudi Arabia at the men’s World Cup in Qatar late last year.
He will therefore have the rare distinction of taking charge at two senior World Cup in the space of seven months.
"To be honest with you, when I first came I didn't ask a lot of questions because it was not under my responsibility," Renard said of France’s internal strife.
"It's always easy to judge from outside. But the most important is to start together on the right way. All the coaches they have a different philosophy on the field, outside of the field. My philosophy is clear – it's we can't win anything without a very good team spirit."
Renard won the Africa Cup of Nations with unfancied Zambia in 2012 and Ivory Coast in 2015, and was also in charge of Morocco at the 2018 men’s World Cup, so knows the pressure of tournament football.
Brazil have had veteran Swedish coach Pia Sundhage in charge since 2019, but despite leading the United States for five years only has a silver medal at the World Cup. How she would dearly love to turn that to gold.
“I truly believe the 10 best-ranked teams, like we are, do have a chance to go all the way,” Sundhage told AP. “USA, Germany, Sweden and England, they have a big chance to win.
“But look at Canada. They won an Olympic gold medal (in 2020) and they always come from behind. If you don’t have any injuries, you have a great team, you gain confidence by winning and having a little bit of luck.”
Brazil will be without injured striker Ludmilla, while there are also concerns over star player Marta and midfielder Angelina.
“It is a team game, it is not one player that will win the World Cup. It will be the team and it will be a cohesive team,” Sundhage said.
Jamaica debuted at the World Cup in 2019 but lost all three games, conceding 12 goals in the process, so will need a vast improvement this time round. That included a 3-0 loss to Brazil.
They claimed a 1-0 friendly win over Morocco on Sunday, their first in eight matches after a horror run of results.
“We are not going to come here to the World Cup to lay down, we are going to push to get some success. We are planning to get out of the group, whichever way we have to get it done, we intend to get it done. So, it's just a matter of how well we execute when it comes to the big day,” Jamaica coach Lorne Donaldson said.
Panama are making their debut, but losses to Spain (0-7) and Japan (0-5) in recent weeks do not suggest they will be able to make impact on the tournament.
THE SQUADS
FRANCE
Goalkeepers: Solene Durand (Guingamp), Pauline Peyraud-Magnin (Juventus), Constance Picaud (PSG)
Defenders: Selma Bacha (Lyon), Estelle Cascarino (Manchester United), Elisa De Almeida (PSG), Sakina Karchaoui (PSG), Maelle Lakrar (Montpellier), Eve Perisset (Chelsea), Wendie Renard (Lyon)
Midfielders: Kenza Dali (Aston Villa), Laurina Fazer (PSG), Grace Geyoro (PSG), Amandine Henry (Angel City), Lea Le Garrec (FC Fleury), Amel Majri (Lyon), Sandie Toletti (Real Madrid)
Forwards: Viviane Asseyi (West Ham), Vicki Becho (Lyon), Kadidiatou Diani (PSG), Naomie Feller (Real Madrid), Eugenie Le Sommer (Lyon), Clara Mateo (Paris FC)
JAMAICA
Goalkeepers: Rebecca Spencer (Tottenham), Sydney Schneider (Sparta Prague), Liya Brooks (Hawaii Surf)
Defenders: Allyson Swaby (Paris St-Germain), Chantelle Swaby (FC Fluery 91), Konya Plummer (unattached), Deneisha Blackwood (GPSO 92 Issy), Satara Murray (Racing Louisville), Vyan Sampson (Hearts), Tiernny Wiltshire (unattached)
Midfielders: Peyton McNamara (Ohio State), Drew Spence (Tottenham), Trudi Carter (Levante), Solai Washington (Concorde Fire), Atlanta Primus (London City Lionesses), Havana Solaun (Houston Dash)
Forwards: Khadija Shaw (Manchester City), Jody Brown (Florida State), Tiffany Cameron (ETO FC Gyor), Kameron Simmonds (University of Tennessee), Paige Bailey-Gayle (Crystal Palace), Kiki Van Zanten (Notre Dame), Cheyna Matthews (Chicago Red Stars), Kayla McKenna (Rangers)
BRAZIL
Goalkeepers: Leticia Izidoro (Corinthians), Barbara (Flamengo), Camila (Santos)
Defenders: Antonia (Levante), Bruninha (Gotham FC), Kathellen (Real Madrid), Lauren (Madrid CFF), Monica (Madrid CFF), Rafaelle (unattached), Tamires (Corinthians)
Midfielders: Duda Sampaio (Corinthians), Kerolin (North Carolina Courage), Luana (Corinthians), Adriana (Orlando Pride), Ana Vitoria (unattached), Ary Borges (Louisville City)
Forwards: Andressa Alves (unattached), Geyse (Barcelona), Nycole (Benfica), Bia Zaneratto (Palmeiras), Debinha (Kansas City Current), Gabi Nunes (unattached), Marta (Orlando Pride)
PANAMA
Goalkeepers: Yenith Bailey (Tauro), Farissa Cordoba (Nanas), Sasha Fabrega (Independiente)
Defenders: Carina Baltrip Reyes (Maritimo), Katherine Castillo (Tauro), Rebeca Espinosa (Sporting SM), Hilary Jaen (Jones College), Wendy Natis (America de Cali), Yomira Pinzon (Saprissa), Nicole de Obaldia (Herediano), Rosario Vargas (Rayo Vallecano)
Midfielders: Laurie Batista (Tauro), Emily Cedeno (Tauro), Marta Cox (Pachuca), Schiandra Gonzalez (Tauro), Erika Hernandez (Plaza Amador), Natalia Mills (Alajuelense), Carmen Montenegro (Sporting SM), Aldrith Quintero (Alhama), Deysire Salazar (Tauro)
Forwards: Lineth Cedeno (Sporting SM), Karla Riley (Sporting), Riley Tanner (Washington Spirit)