The Women’s World Cup trophy will be hoisted on July 7. The title may be decided Friday.

The always looming, highly anticipated, seemingly inevitable clash between the co-favorites comes to fruition two rounds too early, when the United States and France face off Friday afternoon in the quarterfinals at Parc des Princes in Paris.

The meeting between the host country and defending champion is one of the most sought-after tickets in the event’s history, with more than 1,000 tickets listed on StubHub for more than $1,000.

“I hope it’s huge and crazy,” said U.S. captain Megan Rapinoe, who earlier this month called France the team to beat. “This is the best game. This is what everybody wanted. We want it. Seems like they’re up for it. [The media is] up for it, and all the fans. Maybe it’ll be a pretty even split with the fans in the stadium. We’ve been traveling pretty deep in this World Cup. I hope it’s just a total s- -t show circus. It’s gonna be totally awesome. This is what everybody wants. These are the biggest games you dream about as a kid.”

The match, which had been expected since the tournament draw was unveiled in December, was nearly derailed in the round of 16. The U.S. needed a pair of penalty kicks from Rapinoe to advance past Spain with an underwhelming 2-1 win, while France snuck past Brazil in extra time.

The quarterfinal winner will play England in the semifinals Tuesday in Lyon. The quarterfinal loser may end up considered the second-best team in the world.

“I truly think this is the world game for women,” American coach Jill Ellis said. “I’m sure a lot of people would want it later in the tournament.”

While the U.S. is seeking to become the second nation to win consecutive World Cups (Germany won in 2003 and 2007), France could become the first country to simultaneously hold the Men’s and Women’s World Cup titles after its men triumphed in Russia last year.

In 1998, Zinedine Zidane led the French men to a World Cup title with an upset of defending champion Brazil in the Parisian suburbs, but women’s coach Corinne Diacre doesn’t see the advantage of playing at home.

“It’s not simple. We’re playing on our home turf,” Diacre said through a translator this week. “There’s a constant reminder that we have this pressure to perform.”

The top-ranked Americans — who have three women’s titles since the inaugural tournament in 1991 — enter virtually every World Cup with such scrutiny. They haven’t shown much separation in their past eight meetings against the French, going 3-3-2.

In a friendly battle in January, France ended the Americans’ 28-game unbeaten streak with a 3-1 win in which Rapinoe, Julie Ertz, Tobin Heath and Kelley O’Hara didn’t play.

“I’m not worried,” Ellis said after that loss. “We know who we are and what we can do.”

1. Handling the pressure
The two sides shoulder more pressure than any other team in the field. The U.S. is the world’s top-ranked team and the defending Women’s World Cup champion. France is the co-favorite and host country, trying to equal the men’s title run last summer, while having never advanced past the semifinals in the World Cup or Olympics.

2. Reemergence of Alex Morgan
The forward scored five goals in the Americans’ tournament-opening 13-0 rout of Thailand, but hasn’t tallied since. Playing in her third World Cup, Morgan, 29, has been fouled more than any player on the U.S. She struggled with Spain’s physical play, a tactic likely to be employed again by the more talented French.

3. Big spot for Alyssa Naeher
The U.S. goalkeeper, appearing in her first World Cup, faced few chances while recording three clean sheets in group play, but put a second consecutive championship in jeopardy with an untimely error and a goal allowed in the 2-1 win over Spain. Naeher now plays the biggest game of her life in hostile territory.