Home Nations Face Play-Off Path to Women's World Cup 2027
England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland begin their qualification journeys through play-offs for the next Women's World Cup.
Several home nations will embark on a play-off route to secure their spot in the 2027 Women's World Cup.
England, the reigning European champions, must navigate two rounds of home and away fixtures. Their first challenge comes against Greece, with the initial leg taking place in Crete on Friday, October 9, at 5:30 PM BST. The return leg is scheduled for Tuesday, October 13, at King Power Stadium in Leicester.
Should Sarina Wiegman's side overcome Greece, they will face the winner of a tie between Slovakia and Ukraine. The away fixture in that potential second-round match would be played first, with dates between November 26 and December 5, 2026, yet to be confirmed.
Wiegman recently announced her squad, noting the absence of Ella Toone and Chloe Kelly. She explained their omission by stating they "have not been playing to their full potential" in recent weeks, a sentiment she conveyed directly to the players.
Despite a challenging draw in the qualifying groups that placed them against world champions Spain, England is considered to be in a strong position for the play-offs. They hold a significant advantage in FIFA world rankings over Greece, who are ranked 55 places below them. England also secured dominant victories against Ukraine in their qualifying group stage.
Northern Ireland faces a difficult opening tie against a promising young Portuguese squad, having lost to them twice in Euro 2025 qualifying. A potential second-round opponent, Iceland, also proved a tough challenge for England this year. Scotland, aiming for their second Women's World Cup finals appearance after missing the 2023 tournament, has shown improved form, including a draw against Belgium. They could face strong opposition in Sweden in the second round.
Wales, who have historically struggled against top-20 ranked nations in competitive matches, will need a strong performance to advance. However, Rhian Wilkinson's team achieved a commanding 4-0 victory over their play-off opponent, Albania, in their qualifying group.
The Republic of Ireland, after a strong qualifying campaign, faces a tough path, potentially meeting Belgium in the second round. Their immediate focus is a long trip to Kazakhstan for their first play-off match.
Broadcast details for the England matches include commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live.