Paris: There will be a full house at the Parc des Princes for Friday evening's clash between the French and the United States, which will kick off at 1900 GMT with temperatures expected to remain close to 30 degrees centigrade as France sweats in a heatwave.
"Playing against the United States is just huge," acknowledged the France coach, Corinne Diacre, on the eve of the game.
The USA, who will have 10,000 of their own fans in the stands, have come to France aiming to win the World Cup for the fourth time.
If they do win the tournament, a war of words between the players and US President Donald Trump is likely to intensify after co-captain Megan Rapinoe urged her teammates to join her intended boycott of any White House visit.
Trump this week accused Rapinoe of "disrespect" after a video emerged of her, in an interview with football magazine Eight by Eight, using very strong language to say she would not attend a reception at the White House.
Trump said on Wednesday he would invite Jill Ellis's squad "win or lose" in France.
Rapinoe refused to back down from the comments when she gave a news conference on Thursday.
"I don't think that I would go and I would encourage my teammates to think about giving that platform or having that co-opted by an administration that doesn't feel the same way and doesn't fight for the same things we fight for," she said.
The remaining quarter-finals will be played on Saturday, with Italy taking on the Netherlands before Germany face Sweden.
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