Portugal, long a powerhouse in the men’s game, has finally qualified for the women’s tournament and will play the Netherlands at the rechristened Dunedin Stadium (the covered one) on Sunday, July 23.
Carole Costa scored a 94th-minute winner for the Portuguese in their 2-1 triumph over Cameroon in the final qualifying game in Hamilton on Wednesday night.
It was a relative upset, as the Lionesses of Cameroon had reached the round of 16 at the last two World Cups.
"It’s the happiest day of our lives," Costa said after the game.
"We just have to celebrate with this huge group, which have qualified for a World Cup. I think of so many generations who fought for this moment."
Portugal, ranked No 22 in the world and set to be one of eight teams playing in the World Cup for the first time, is in Group E, and will also play the United States (Auckland) and Vietnam (Hamilton).
Haiti beat Chile 2-1 earlier on Wednesday to seal its own fairy tale.
Other games in Dunedin are Philippines v Switzerland (July 21), Japan v Costa Rica (July 26), Argentina v South Africa (July 28), New Zealand v Switzerland (July 30) and Vietnam v the Netherlands (August 1).
