Women's World Cup missing starsGOAL & Getty Images

Beth Mead, Mallory Swanson and the superstars missing from the 2023 Women's World Cup

Australia and New Zealand will host the 2023 Women's World Cup this summer and the tournament is set to feature some of the biggest names in the sport. However, it is impossible to ignore the sheer number of stars that won't be joining in the fun.

Women's football is in the midst of an ACL injury crisis, with players dropping like flies across the 2022-23 club season. And that, sadly, is not the only reason that some huge players will not be able to compete this summer.

Another unfortunate aspect of the modern women's game is off-field turmoil. At one point it seemed like both Spain and Canada would be bringing threadbare squads Down Under and while the majority of players have returned, some still feel unable to play under the banner of their country's football federation.

There are also those whose World Cup absence is harder to explain. Coaches get paid the big bucks to make tough selection decisions, and more than a few choices have been met with feverish opposition across the globe.

Below, GOAL takes a look at just how many top players won't be gracing the World Cup stage...

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