Even Prince William may watch live online as England takes on Japan in the first FIFA World Cup Semifinal for an England national side, women’s or men’s, since 1990. In fact, England Manager Mark Sampson says his team is on a “mission” to win the World Cup. But standing in their way Wednesday is the defending World Cup champions, Team Japan.
“This team is making history and I can’t wait to see them in action against Japan,” Prince William, who as one of his many duties, serves as president of England’s Football Association, said on Monday .
“I know a lot of people have been following the team’s progress, and I’m sure many more will now seize the chance to support this great moment for English football. The Lionesses are doing their country proud,” the Prince declared.
To find out how to watch the England vs. Japan FIFA 2015 Women’s World Cup Semifinal live online, see the information in the final paragraph of this article. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. local time at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. That’s the same as United States Mountain Time, or 7 p.m. Eastern Time, 4 p.m. Pacific, on Wednesday, July 1.
Of course, the match doesn’t go on in England until midnight, but millions are expected to stay up to see if their women can become the first football team from the land that invented the game to make it to a World Cup final since 1966.
“We’re feeling a huge wave of support sent from back home which has given the players that extra motivation, that extra sense of pride and passion and it is making them wake up with an extra spring in their step,” said Sampson. “We are going to keep embracing that support. We really hope that people can stay with us, stay connected with this team, get behind us again and let’s get ourselves through to a final.”
In Japan, England face the world’s fourth-ranked team — and the only team in the 2015 World Cup to have won all five games it has played. The team is also rich in experience, returning almost all of the players from its 2011 World Cup Championship team that defeated the USA on penalty kicks.
Midfielder Homare Sawa has already made history by appearing in her sixth World Cup. Now 36, she joined the Japan national team when she was just 15-years-old.
Will England fulfill their “mission” and reach the World Cup Final, or will Japan get a chance to defend their World Cup championship? To find out, watch the England vs. Japan FIFA Women’s World Cup Semifinal match live online from Edmonton by going to Fox Sports Go at this link , or paying for a subscription to Fox Soccer2Go, available at this link . The Spanish-language live online stream will be carried by NBC Sports Live Extra, which may be accessed at this link . To watch on mobile devices, download the Fox Sports Go app, or the NBC Sports Live Extra app for Spanish.
[Image: Tony Marshall / Getty Images]