1991 FIFA Women's World Cup

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International football competitionTemplate:SHORTDESC:International football competition
The **1991 FIFA Women's World Cup** was the inaugural FIFA Women's World Cup, the world championship for women's national association football teams. It took place in Guangdong, China from 16 November to 30 November 1991. FIFA, football's international governing body selected China as host nation as Guangdong had hosted a prototype world championship three years earlier, the 1988 FIFA Women's Invitation Tournament. Matches were played in the state capital, Guangzhou, as well as in Foshan, Jiangmen and Zhongshan. The competition was sponsored by Mars, Incorporated. With FIFA still reluctant to bestow their "World Cup" brand, the tournament was officially known as the **1st FIFA World Championship for Women's Football for the M&M's Cup**.

It was won by the United States, whose captain April Heinrichs formed a forward line dubbed the "triple–edged sword" with Carin Jennings and Michelle Akers-Stahl. Jennings was named player of the tournament while Akers-Stahl's ten goals won the Golden Shoe. The United States beat Norway 2–1 in the final in front of a crowd of 65,000 people at Guangzhou's Tianhe Stadium. Total attendance was 510,000, an average per match of 19,615. In the opening match at the same stadium, Norway had been defeated 4–0 by hosts China. Chinese defender Ma Li scored the first goal in Women's World Cup history, while goalkeeper Zhong Honglian, also of China, posted the first official "clean sheet" in the tournament.

The 12 qualified teams were divided into three groups of four (A to C). The top two teams and the two best third-place finishers from the three groups advanced to the knockout round of eight teams.

## Teams

 File:FIFA Womens World Cup 1991.png
Main article: 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
Twelve teams qualified for the 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup final tournament. Each of the six FIFA confederations had at least one representative.

	+ Nigeria
* **Asia (AFC)**
	+ China PR
	+ Japan
	+ File:Former Chinese Taipei Football Flag.svg Chinese Taipei
* **South America (CONMEBOL)**
	+ Brazil

* **Oceania (OFC)**
	+ New Zealand
	+ Denmark
	+ Germany
	+ Italy
	+ Norway
	+ Sweden
* **North America, Central America & Caribbean (CONCACAF)**
	+ United States

## Squads

For a list of the squads that disputed the final tournament, see *1991 FIFA Women's World Cup squads*.

## Match officials

For the first time in FIFA competition, six female officials were included. All functioned as assistant referees, except for Cláudia Vasconcelos who took charge of the third place play–off; becoming the first woman to referee a match sanctioned by FIFA.

* File:Flag of Tunisia.svg Fethi Boucetta

Asia* Dai Yuguang
* Haiseng Li
* Jun Lu
* Xuezhi Wang
* Yu Jingyin
* Zuo Xiudi
* Template:Country data NEP Raja Shrestha Gyanu

North, Central America and Caribbean* Rafael Rodriguez Medina
* Maria Herrera Garcia

* Salvador Imperatore
* File:Flag of Colombia.svg John Toro Rendón

Europe* Gertrud Regus
* File:Flag of Greece.svg Vassilios Nikakis
* Jim McCluskey
* Ingrid Jonsson
* File:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Vadim Zhuk

Oceania* Linda May Black

## Tournament review

FIFA's technical report demonstrates that, after the tournament, players and officials were undecided whether to persist with 80 minute matches, or to change to 90 minutes in line with men's football. Opinion was also divided about the suitability of using a size five football. Some teams reported difficulty in sourcing good quality equipment in the correct size.

The tournament was considered a major success in the quality of play and attendances at the games. FIFA president João Havelange wrote that:

The perceived success of the tournament was a significant factor in the subsequent inclusion of women's football in the 1996 Summer Olympics. Sue Lopez reported that although attendances were very high, many tickets were complimentary. The "novelty factor" of women from foreign lands playing football also encouraged local people to attend.

## Group Stage

### Group A

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November 16, 199120:45

Tianhe Stadium, GuangzhouAttendance: 65,000Referee: Salvador Marcone (Chile)

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November 17, 199119:45

Tianhe Stadium, GuangzhouAttendance: 14,000Referee: Omer Yengo (Congo)

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November 19, 199115:30

Guangdong Provincial Stadium, GuangzhouAttendance: 12,000Referee: Salvador Marcone (Chile)

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November 19, 199119:45

Guangdong Provincial Stadium, GuangzhouAttendance: 27,000Referee: Vassilios Nikkakis (Greece)

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November 21, 199119:45

New Plaza Stadium, FoshanAttendance: 14,000Referee: Gyanu Raja Shresta (Nepal)

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November 21, 199119:45

Ying Dong Stadium, PanyuAttendance: 15,500Referee: Vadim Zhuk (USSR)
### Group B

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November 17, 199119:45

New Plaza Stadium, FoshanAttendance: 14,000Referee: Lu Jun (China)

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November 17, 199119:45

Ying Dong Stadium, PanyuAttendance: 14,000Referee: John Toro Rendón (Colombia)

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November 19, 199119:45

New Plaza Stadium, FoshanAttendance: 14,000Referee: Gyanu Raja Shresta (Nepal)

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November 19, 199119:45

Ying Dong Stadium, PanyuAttendance: 15,500Referee: Vadim Zhuk (USSR)

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November 21, 199115:30

New Plaza Stadium, FoshanAttendance: 14,000Referee: John Toro Rendón (Colombia)

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November 21, 199115:30

Ying Dong Stadium, PanyuAttendance: 12,000Referee: Lu Jun (China)
### Group C

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November 17, 199115:30

Jiangmen Stadium, JiangmenAttendance: 14,000Referee: Rafael Medina (El Salvador)

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November 17, 199119:45

Jiangmen Stadium, JiangmenAttendance: 11,000Referee: Fethi Boucetta (Tunisia)

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November 19, 199115:30

Zhongshan Stadium, ZhongshanAttendance: 12,000Referee: Jim McCluskey (Scotland)

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November 19, 199119:45

Zhongshan Stadium, ZhongshanAttendance: 10,000Referee: Fethi Boucetta (Tunisia)

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November 21, 199119:45

Jiangmen Stadium, JiangmenAttendance: 14,000Referee: Rafael Medina (El Salvador)

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November 21, 199119:45

Zhongshan Stadium, ZhongshanAttendance: 12,000Referee: Jim McCluskey (Scotland)

### Quarterfinals

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November 24, 199115:30

Zhongshan Stadium, ZhongshanAttendance: 12,000Referee: Vassilios Nikkakis (Greece)

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November 24, 199119:45

Tianhe Stadium, GuangzhouAttendance: 55,000Referee: John Toro Rendón (Colombia)

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November 24, 199119:45

Jiangmen Stadium, JiangmenAttendance: 13,000Referee: Rafael Medina (El Salvador)

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November 24, 199119:45

New Plaza Stadium, FoshanAttendance: 12,000Referee: Omer Yengo (Congo)
### Semifinals

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November 27, 199115:30

Ying Dong Stadium, PanyuAttendance: 16,000Referee: Jim McCluskey (Scotland)

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November 27, 199119:45

Guangdong Provincial Stadium, GuangzhouAttendance: 15,000Referee: Salvador Marcone (Chile)
### Third place

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November 29, 199119:45

Guangdong Provincial Stadium, GuangzhouAttendance: 20,000Referee: Claudia Vasconcelos (Brazil)
### Final

Main article: 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup Final
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November 30, 199119:45

Tianhe Stadium, GuangzhouAttendance: 63,000Referee: Vadim Zhuk (USSR)
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## Awards

The following awards were given for the tournament:

## Goal scorers

Michelle Akers-Stahl of the United States won the Golden Shoe award for scoring ten goals. In total, 99 goals were scored from 45 different players with two of them credited as own goals.

10 goals
* Michelle Akers-Stahl

7 goals
* Heidi Mohr

6 goals
* Linda Medalen
* Carin Jennings

5 goals
* Lena Videkull

4 goals
* Liu Ailing
* Pia Sundhage
* April Heinrichs
* Carolina Morace

3 goals
* Bettina Wiegmann
* Tina Svensson
* Anneli Andelen

2 goals

* Susan MacKensie
* Agnete Carlsen

* Mia Hamm

1 goal

* Ma Li
* Sun Qingmei
* Sun Wen
* Wei Haiying
* Wu Weiying
* Zhou Yang
* File:Former Chinese Taipei Football Flag.svg Lim Meei-chun
* File:Former Chinese Taipei Football Flag.svg Chou Tai-ying
* Gudrun Gottschlich

* Britta Unsleber
* Feriana Ferraguzzi
* Rita Guarino
* Adele Marsiletti
* Raffaella Salmaso
* Susanne Hedberg
* Ingrid Johansson
* Malin Lundgren

* Hanne Nissen
* Annette Thychosen
* Kim Barbara Nye
* Birthe Hegstad
* Hege Riise
* Joy Biefield
* Julie Foudy
* Wendy Gebauer

Own goals
* Julia Campbell (for Norway)
* Sayuri Yamaguchi (for Sweden)

## References

1. ↑ "Raising Their Game: An introduction". YouTube. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
2. ↑ "Raising Their Game: Passing the test". YouTube. 2012-06-05. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
3. ↑ Mattei, Al. "WUSA opening a feast for the eyes -- and ears". TopOfTheCircle.com. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
4. ↑ Ciapala, Derek (2012-06-18). "History of the FIFA Women's World Cup, 1991-present - World Soccer - Yahoo! Sports". Sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
5. ↑ "CNN/SI - Women's World Cup - Women's World Cup History - Thursday February 11, 1999 06:04 PM". Sportsillustrated.cnn.com. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
6. ↑ "Raising Their Game: Blazing the way in 1991". YouTube. 2012-06-12. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
7. ↑ Lopez 1997, p. 195
8. ↑ "FIFA Women's World Cup - China PR 1991". FIFA. Archived from the original on 11 March 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2013. In keeping with the true spirit of the celebration, six female referees or assistant referees were appointed among match officials for the first time in FIFA history. Claudia de Vasconcelos of Brazil, the referee for the 3rd-place match, became the first woman to officiate at this level for FIFA. Unknown parameter `|deadurl=` ignored (`|url-status=` suggested) (help)
9. ↑ "FIFA Women's World Cup China '91 - Technical Report & Statistics" (PDF). FIFA. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
10. ↑ Lopez 1997, p. 173
11. ↑ Lopez 1997, p. 175
12. ↑ Lopez 1997, p. 207
13. ↑ Awards 1991

## Bibliography

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* Lisi, Clemente Angelo (2010). *The U.S. Women's Soccer Team: An American Success Story*. Plymouth, England: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0810874156.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

* Lopez, Sue (1997). *Women on the Ball: A Guide to Women's Football*. London, England: Scarlet Press. ISBN 1857270169.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

## External links

* FIFA Women's World Cup China PR 1991, FIFA.com
* FIFA Technical Report (Part 1) and (Part 2)

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