History has a funny way of being misremembered. If you search for the 2010 Women's World Cup, you might find yourself a bit confused. That is because there wasn't one. Not a senior tournament, anyway. While the men were buzzing around South Africa with vuvuzelas in 2010, the women’s game was actually in a quiet period of preparation for the massive shift that would happen just one year later.
It’s a common mix-up. People see "2010" and "World Cup" and just assume both genders played. They didn't. The FIFA Women's World Cup operates on a different cycle, and in 2010, the world was mostly watching qualifying rounds and the U-20 version of the tournament.
If you're looking for the big show, you’re thinking of Germany 2011. But 2010 was arguably more important for the foundation of the modern game. It was the year of the "quiet build."
The 2010 Women's World Cup confusion explained
Wait, so what was everyone watching? In 2010, the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup took place in Germany. This is where the confusion usually starts. This tournament was basically a dress rehearsal for the senior 2011 event. It featured 16 teams and showed the world that Germany was ready to host on a massive scale.
Germany won that U-20 title. They beat Nigeria 2-0 in the final. It was huge. Players like Alexandra Popp were becoming household names before they even hit the senior stage.
If you are strictly looking for senior results from 2010, you have to look at the continental qualifiers. This was the year of the 2010 AFC Women's Asian Cup and the CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup. These weren't just side games. They were the literal gatekeepers for the 2011 World Cup.
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Imagine the tension. In the CONCACAF tournament, the United States—the heavy favorites—actually lost to Mexico in the semifinals. It was a massive upset. The USWNT had to scramble through a playoff against Italy just to make it to the 2011 World Cup. Honestly, without that "failure" in 2010, the U.S. might not have developed the chip on their shoulder that led to their later dominance.
Why people get the dates wrong
We're conditioned to think in even numbers. 2010, 2014, 2018. It’s the rhythm of the men’s game. Because the women's cycle falls on the odd years—2011, 2015, 2019—it feels "off" to the casual observer.
But 2010 was a massive year for player development. This was the era of Marta’s peak. The Brazilian legend was winning FIFA World Player of the Year awards (she took her fifth consecutive one in 2010). Even without a World Cup trophy to lift that year, she was the undisputed queen of the pitch.
There was also the 2010 South American Women's Football Championship. Brazil absolutely destroyed everyone. They scored 25 goals and conceded only two. It was a masterclass. If there had been a senior 2010 Women's World Cup, Brazil would have likely been the favorites to take the whole thing.
The 2010 U-20 tournament was the real catalyst
Let’s talk about that U-20 tournament in Germany again. It’s impossible to overstate how much it mattered.
Attendance was wild. Over 24,000 people showed up for the opening match. For a youth tournament, that was unheard of at the time. It proved that there was a massive, hungry market for women's soccer in Europe. FIFA took note. Sponsors took note.
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The technical level was rising, too. You saw the shift from "kick and run" to actual tactical possession. Teams like South Korea were starting to play a very disciplined, technical style that challenged the traditional physical powerhouses like the U.S. and Germany. Ji So-yun, who later became a star at Chelsea, won the Silver Ball and Silver Shoe at that 2010 event. She was incredible to watch.
Major continental results from 2010:
- AFC Women's Asian Cup: Australia won their first title, beating North Korea on penalties.
- CONCACAF Gold Cup: Canada actually won this one, beating Mexico in the final.
- African Women's Championship: Nigeria took the crown, continuing their long-standing dominance on the continent.
- Oceania Women's Nations Cup: New Zealand won comfortably, scoring 50 goals in 5 games. Yes, 50.
Looking back at the stars of 2010
Even without a senior World Cup, 2010 was the year several legends solidified their status.
Homare Sawa was quietly directing the midfield for Japan. No one knew yet that she would lead her country to a miraculous World Cup win just twelve months later in the wake of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
Abby Wambach was in her prime. She was the focal point of the American attack, proving that her aerial ability was basically a cheat code.
And then there’s Birgit Prinz. The German powerhouse was nearing the end of her legendary career, but she was still the face of the sport in Europe. 2010 was her last full year as the undisputed focal point of the German national team before the transition to the younger generation began.
How to actually track women's football history
If you want to be an expert on this, stop looking for even-numbered years.
The women's game thrives on the "odd" cycle. However, 2010 is significant because it marked the end of the "amateur-feel" era. After the success of the 2010 U-20 World Cup and the drama of the 2011 qualifiers, the money started flowing differently. Professional leagues like the WPS (Women's Professional Soccer) in the U.S. were struggling, but the seeds for the NWSL and the professionalization of the WSL in England were being sown.
It was a transitional year. A year of grit.
What to do if you're researching this period:
- Check the U-20 archives: Look for the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Germany. That’s where the best footage from that year lives.
- Search for 2011 Qualifiers: Look at the "Road to Germany." The drama in the CONCACAF and AFC regions in 2010 was top-tier.
- Follow the Ballon d'Or/FIFA Awards: Check the 2010 shortlists. It tells you exactly who the dominant forces were even in a non-World Cup year.
The 2010 Women's World Cup might be a phantom tournament in the minds of some fans, but the football played that year was very real. It was the precursor to the explosion of popularity the sport enjoys today. Without the qualifiers and youth success of 2010, the 2011 tournament wouldn't have been the cultural phenomenon it became.
History isn't just about the big trophies; it's about the years spent qualifying for them.
Next Steps for Enthusiasts:
If you want to understand how the current landscape of women's soccer was formed, look up the highlights of the USA vs. Mexico 2010 Gold Cup semifinal. It is a masterclass in underdog spirit and explains why the U.S. team became so obsessed with never losing again. After that, compare the attendance figures of the 2010 U-20 World Cup to the 2008 version—the jump in numbers is the literal data point that convinced FIFA to invest more heavily in European women's leagues.