Following meetings of the FIFA Women’s Football Committee this week in Zurich, Switzerland, the world governing body of soccer has determined the four seeded teams for the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup to be held in the United States this summer. FIFA announced that China, Germany, Norway and the USA will head the four groups, which will consist of four teams each, making the 16-team tournament the largest ever in Women’s World Cup competition. Both the 1991 Women’s World Cup in China and the 1995 tournament in Sweden featured 12 nations. All four countries carry strong traditions of excellence in world competitions. Norway is the defending Women’s World Cup champion, defeating Germany in Stockholm for the title. Norway also finished as runner-up to the USA at the 1991 Women’s World Cup in Guangzhou. At the 1996 Olympics, Norway won the bronze medal. China narrowly lost to Germany in the semifinals of the 1995 Women’s World Cup, and finished fourth at the tournament, losing the bronze medal to the USA. China advanced to the 1996 Olympic gold medal match, where they again fell to the USA and claimed the silver medal. Germany finished fourth at the 1991 Women’s World Cup and was the runner-up in 1995, while the USA claimed the 1991 Women’s World Cup title and the 1996 Olympic gold medal, as well as the bronze in Sweden. More information about the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final Draw and proposed Women’s World All-Star game will be released later this week after additional meetings with FIFA in Switzerland. So far, 15 of the 16 teams have qualified for the Women’s World Cup next summer from June 19 to July 10, 1999, with the winner of the Argentina-Mexico playoff series in December gaining the final berth. Joining host USA will be Oceania champion Australia, South American champion Brazil, CONCACAF champion Canada, Asian qualifiers China, Japan and North Korea, European qualifiers Sweden, Italy, Norway, Denmark, Germany and Russia, and African qualifiers Nigeria and Ghana.