Rachel Brown-Finnis
Ex-England goalkeeper

This will be close, but Canada have got more experience in their team and I think that will give them the edge.

Brown-Finnis's prediction: 1-2

How many previous World Cup matches have featured both teams with 40-year-old captains? None - until now.

Leading her country in her sixth tournament, Canada's veteran skipper Christine Sinclair said her side should not be underestimated this summer, adding that Canada were "overlooked" before they went on to win the gold medal at Tokyo 2020.

"We can beat any team in the world. It's contagious [winning], you want to do it again and it's just motivated us to prove to the world what we can do again," the 40-year-old said.

"This team is full of rock stars."

Sinclair's numbers are frankly ridiculous - 190 goals in 323 senior internationals, and counting.

On the Nigerian side, Onome Ebi - also into her fourth decade - is Super Falcons captain but starts on the bench today.

Sinclair and Ebi, by the way, hold the joint record of most Women's World Cup defeats as players - 10 apiece. One may hold an unwanted record alone by the end of this game.

BBC Two

All you night owls in the UK, our TV coverage of this game on BBC Two has just begun.

You can click the play button at the top of this page, or you can keep us as a second screen as you watch on the big tele. It is a World Cup, after all.

Nigeria's American-born winger Toni Payne was also asked about the bonus situation, which has got so bad for the African team that there was talk they could boycott this opening match.

"In terms of equal pay, I think, as female footballers, we aim to have the best conditions possible for us," Payne said.

"Obviously, when the issue of payment and equal pay in general for women's football comes to the surface it can be difficult to focus at times, but as a team, we know we can do it."

Will you boycott your match tomorrow?

No.

Will you be paid your bonuses by the federation?

I sure hope so.

Image source, Getty Images

Canada captain Christine Sinclair was asked about the pay dispute the team are embroiled in with their FA at the pre-match press conference.

It saw the Canadian team wearing t-shirts wearing the slogan 'Enough is Enough' before their games at the SheBelieves Cup in February.

"The world of women's football is very small. We all support each other," Sinclair said.

"I feel like each women's team has to face their battles one at a time and obviously this past year, we've been facing ours and Nigeria now with their federation, so we fully support them.

"Every single player in this tournament deserves the world and deserves equal treatment from the federations.

"We all have a lot on our plates, not just the Canadian team. And I have to give a lot of credit to Janine Beckie, who's unfortunately not here with us due to injury but has taken on a massive role in dealing with our federation negotiations, and things like that, so that us as players here at the World Cup, in these couple of weeks leading into the tournament, we haven't had to do anything... and we're not focused on it here, I honestly haven't thought about it for one second."

Image source, Getty Images

Both Canada and the Super Falcons have had a disruptive year in the build-up to this summer's World Cup.

Canadian players threatened to strike over pay equity concerns and a lack of funding, while the Nigerian team threatened to boycott their opening game.

Despite this, Nigeria forward Toni Payne says fans can expect to see a "super united team" who have "all the confidence" to defeat the reigning Olympic champions in Melbourne.

Nigeria have competed at every edition of the Fifa Women's World Cup - this will be their ninth tilt at the trophy, although only twice have they got out of the group stage.

Canada missed the first edition in 1991 but have played at every World Cup ever since - and unlike their opponents have major tournament pedigree.

The Canadians are the reigning Olympic champions (something far more meaningful in women's football than the men's game, as full strength squads play at the Games). They have genuine aspriations of being the third side to do the Olympic-World Cup double, after USA in 1999 and 2015.

So how are you watching this game? Curled up in bed with a wakening cup of coffee? Or are you on holiday in a timezone more conducive to following the football?

Who are you backing to win this match? What did you think of last night's action? Or are you excited for England getting their campaign underway tomorrow?

Whatever you want to chat about, get in touch using the details above.

With this tournament taking place in Australia and New Zealand, there are going to be more than a few early starts for viewers back in the UK.

Or do 3.30am kick-offs count as very late starts? Take your pick.

It's also 3.30am for Nigeria fans in the capital city of Abuja, while in Montreal it is a more managable 10.30pm kick-off.

Wherever you are following this around the world, we salute you.

Canada forward Christine Sinclair captains her country at her sixth World Cup, in what is her 324th international match

Sinclair is looking to become the first footballer, male or female, to score at six World Cups. She, Marta and Cristiano Ronaldo have netted at five each.

WSL winning Chelsea defender Kadeisha Buchanan starts, with club team mate Jessie Fleming on the bench. Ashley Lawrence, who signed for the Blues from PSG this month, also starts.

Canada XI: Sheridan; Rose, Buchanan, Gilles, Lawrence; Leon, Quinn, Grosso, Riviere; Sinclair; Huitema.

Subs: Chapman, Zadorsky, Viens, Schmidt, Prince, Carle, Fleming, D'Angelo, Lacasse, Awujo, Proulx, Smith

Image source, Opta

Important news for Nigeria as star forward Asisat Oshoala starts for the Super Falcons.

The Barcelona woman missed the 2023 Champions League final, but has recovered to lead her team's charge today.

English-born defender Ashleigh Plumptre also starts, at left back.

Nigeria XI: Nnadozie; Alozie, Ohale, Demehin, Plumptre; Ucheibe, Ordega; Abiodun, Oshoala, Payne; Onumonu

Subs: Oluehi, Ogbonna, Ebi, Monday, Kanu, Echegini, Imura, Okoronkwo, Balogun

Image source, Opta

Good morning/afternoon/evening/night, and welcome to our live text coverage of Canada v Nigeria at the 2023 Fifa Women's World Cup.

Following this Group B encounter, we will also have coverage of Philippines v Switzerland in Group A (06.00 BST), followed by the opening game of Group C between Spain and Costa Rica (08.30 BST).

The World Cup is motoring now, and we are here for it.

The night before. We saw joy...

Image source, Getty Images

We saw tears...

Image source, Getty Images

We saw relief...

Image source, Getty Images

And that was just day one.

So now we kick off day two of the 2023 Fifa Women's World Cup - and it promises to be a humdinger between two of the competition's grandest old stagers.