FRANKFURT, June 23: When Germany won its first major title in women’s football at the 1989 European Championship, the players received a gift — a discounted coffee set.

The second-choice product from a local manufacturer, featuring a tacky design of red and blue blooming flowers, may have been a poor choice for a prize but, then again, the German football federation once banned organized women’s football from 1955 to 1970.

The women’s game has come long way since its pioneer days. If the German team wins the upcoming tournament at home, each player will receive a bonus of (euro) 60,000 ($85,410). “The World Cup will give women’s football a new dimension,’’ says Katja Kraus, a former Germany goalkeeper who has risen to top management levels in the men’s Bundesliga.

Germany will be seeking to become the first team to win three straight titles when the tournament kicks off Sunday against Canada in Berlin’s Olympic stadium and runs through to July 17.  That was the stadium that also hosted the 2006 men’s World Cup final, when Italy beat France.

All 32 games will be broadcast live in Germany by the two public television channels.

The United States comes into the tournament as Olympic champion and ranked No. 1 in the world, but the Americans lost 3-1 to Norway in a warm-up match and was the last team to qualify in a playoff against Italy, which was thrashed 5-0 by Germany three weeks ago.

The US won two of the first three World Cups but the last was in 1999. Still, the Americans don’t see themselves as underdogs.

“If we’re at our best, there’s not a team in the world that can beat us,’’ veteran forward Abby Wambach said.

Though the US could run into Brazil in the quarterfinals if it struggles in the group stage, the earliest the team could meet Germany is the semifinals.

Brazil, runner-up four years ago, is unbeaten since April 2009 and has Marta, the five-time FIFA player of the year. But the Brazilians haven’t played much since regional qualifying.

The Germans have only lost three games since February 2009 - but all three were to the Americans.

The United States has a tough group, with North Korea, Sweden and Colombia. Germany and Canada also face Nigeria and upcoming France.

England plays Japan, New Zealand and Mexico. Brazil is with Norway, Australia and Equatorial Guinea.

Equatorial Guinea has a Brazilian coach, seven naturalized Brazilian players and a few others born elsewhere. The team has also been accused by African rivals of using male players, a charge the team has vehemently denied.—AP