England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have announced who they will face in qualifying for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
Qualifying for the tournament, to be held in Brazil, will follow the same format as the Nations League, with each country playing six matches in three stages, including four groups.
In League A, England will face Spain, who lost in the 2023 World Cup final but won in the Euro 2025 final, as well as Iceland and Ukraine.
The Republic of Ireland are also in League A and will play against France, Netherlands and Poland.
Wales will face Czech Republic, Albania and Montenegro in League B.
Scotland, also in League B, will face Belgium, Israel and Luxembourg.
Northern Ireland will face Switzerland, Türkiye and Malta in League B.
League A
Group A1: Sweden, Italy, Denmark, Serbia.
Group A2: France, Netherlands, Poland, Ireland.
Group A3: Spain, England, Iceland, Ukraine.
Group A4: Germany, Norway, Austria and Slovenia.
League B
Group B1: Wales, Czech Republic, Albania, Montenegro.
Group B2: Switzerland, Northern Ireland, Türkiye and Malta.
Group B3: Portugal, Finland, Slovakia, Latvia.
Group B4: Belgium, Scotland, Israel, Luxembourg.
League C
Group C1: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Estonia, Lithuania and Liechtenstein.
Group C2: Croatia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Gibraltar.
Group C3: Hungary, Azerbaijan, North Macedonia, Andorra.
Group C4: Greece, Faroe Islands, Georgia.
Group C5: Romania, Cyprus, Moldova.
Group C6: Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia.
How are the qualifying rounds held?
The European Qualifiers will be held in the same format as the Women’s Nations League, with each country divided into three leagues: League A with 16 teams, League B with 16 teams and League C with 21 teams.
Teams are divided into groups of four or three (League C) and compete over six matchdays, with each team playing one home match and one away match against all other teams in the group.
The winners of each group in League A automatically qualify for the World Cup. The remaining seven direct spots in Brazil and further qualification to the inter-confederation play-offs in February 2027 will be determined by two rounds of play-offs in October and November/December 2026.
How will the qualifying playoffs be conducted?
Path 1: The teams finishing 2nd and 3rd in their League A group will play the six group winners and the top two teams from League C. Teams in League A are seeded and play the second leg at home. The eight winners will advance to the second round of the playoffs.
Pass 2: The four fourth-place teams from League A and the four winners from League B group will play the second and third place teams from League B group in a draw of eight. Teams from League A and group winners from League B will be seeded and play the second leg at home. The eight winners will advance to the second round of the playoffs.
In the second round, teams from both passes will be tied at eight, with the winner of pass 1 from the first round earning seeding and a home berth in the second leg.
The top seven winners of the second round of the playoffs based on the overall league rankings of the 2026 Women’s European Qualifiers will qualify directly for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The remaining player from the second round of the playoffs will qualify for the World Cup Inter-Confederation Playoffs. The participating European teams will directly participate in the second phase of the inter-confederation play-offs in February 2027.
When are the qualifying matches held?
Qualifying rounds 1 and 2: February 26th to March 7th, 2026
Qualifying rounds 3 and 4: April 9th to 18th, 2026
Qualifying Rounds 5 and 6: June 3-9, 2026
Playoffs Round 1 and Round 2 Draws: June 24, 2026
Playoffs Round 1 (2 legs): October 7-13, 2026
Playoffs Round 2 (2 legs): November 26 to December 5, 2026
Inter-Confederation Playoffs: February 2027
World Cup: June 24-25, 2027 July 25 – Brazil
