England will play Spain in their World Cup qualifying group as the Lionesses were handed a blockbuster rematch with their Euro 2025 final opponents.
Sarina Wiegman’s side beat Spain on penalties to defend their European crown, but the two finalists from the 2023 World Cup were drawn in the same qualifying group as the road to the 2027 tournament in Brazil begins. Iceland and Ukraine will join England and world champions Spain in League A3.
The Lionesses faced the prospect of a testing route to Brazil after being placed in pot two, as a result of their Nations League performance where they finished runners-up to Spain before the Euros. The European qualifying format for the 2027 World Cup mirrors the Nations League.
Wales, who will want another taste of a major international tournament after making their debut at Euro 2025, will play Czechia, Albania, Montenegro in League B1, while Northern Ireland face Switzerland, Turkey and Malta in League B2 and Scotland take on Belgium, Israel and Luxembourg in League B4.
The Republic of Ireland, who qualified for the 2023 World Cup, face a tough group of their own against France, Netherlands and Poland in League A2.
There are only four automatic qualifying spots in European qualifying, which will go to the four League A winners, with every other team from League A and the best performing teams from League B and League C going through to the play-offs.
Follow all the latest updates, results and reaction from the draw below:
World Cup 2027 qualifying draw
- England face Spain as World Cup qualifying groups revealed
- Lionesses to also play Iceland and Ukraine in road to 2027 World Cup
- League B1: Wales, Czechia, Albania, Montenegro
- League A2: France, Netherlands, Poland, Republic of Ireland
- League B2: Switzerland, Northern Ireland, Turkey, Malta
- League B4: Belgium, Scotland, Israel, Luxembourg
Sarina Wiegman: 'We seem to play Spain all the time'
14:47 , Jamie BraidwoodSarina Wiegman has reacted to England’s World Cup qualifying group, with the Football Association releasing these quotes after the Lionesses were drawn to face Spain, Iceland and Ukraine.
"We seem to meet up all the time, either in tournaments or in draws such as the Nations League now and you can see both teams are very, very competitive and close and so here we go again."
“I think it's also nice to play Iceland and Ukraine. We haven't played them for a long time. “Of course, they [Ukraine] got promoted to League A, which was very good for them and it's a team that we don't know very well at the moment but I find it nice to play a team that we don't know yet, to have that challenge.
“Iceland, of course, had to play against Northern Ireland in the play-offs which was was a tough team to play. I haven't played them with England, but they have some very good players in their squad too.
“I think it’s an exciting group and when we were drawn with Spain, you could tell in the room at the draw that it gave some excitement.”
England to renew rivalry with Spain in 2027 Women’s World Cup qualifying
14:17 , Jamie BraidwoodEngland are set to renew their fierce rivalry with world champions Spain after being drawn together in qualifying for the 2027 World Cup.
The highly anticipated league stage draw pits the reigning global champions against the European title holders.
The Lionesses, who were defeated 1-0 by Spain in the 2023 World Cup final, secured a measure of revenge against their rivals this summer by beating them in the final of the Euros.
The two teams could not be separated after extra time as they played out a 1-1 draw, before England secured a 3-1 penalty shootout victory.
England to renew rivalry with Spain in 2027 Women’s World Cup qualifying
England and Spain to renew rivalry in World Cup qualifying
13:12 , Jamie BraidwoodThere’s plenty of respect between England and Spain, but there’s a growing edge to their rivalry too - with some Spain fans jumping on comments made by Hannah Hampton after the penalty shoot-out victory where the goalkeeper joked that she had thrown Cata Coll’s ‘cheat sheet’, printed on her water bottle, into the crowd.
It could be spicy.
Qualifying groups for England, Scotland, Wales, Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland
12:55 , Jamie BraidwoodLeague A2: France, Netherlands, Poland, Republic of Ireland
League A3: Spain, England, Iceland, Ukraine
League B1: Wales, Czechia, Albania, Montenegro
League B2: Switzerland, Northern Ireland, Turkey, Malta
League B4: Belgium, Scotland, Israel, Luxembourg
Women’s World Cup European qualifying
12:54 , Jamie BraidwoodThe World Cup qualifiers will take place across three windows in February/March, April and June.
The fixtures will be confirmed in due course.
England to play Spain, Iceland and Ukraine
12:42 , Jamie BraidwoodSo Iceland and Ukraine join England and Spain in League A3. England should not face too many problems against the other two teams in the group, but the Lionesses will face to battle it out with Spain for the only automatic qualification spot. The other teams in the group will go through to the play-offs.
Women’s World Cup European qualifying draw: League A
12:36 , Jamie BraidwoodSo A3 is the one to avoid... but that’s exactly where England land! It’s England v Spain again! There will be a rematch of the World Cup final and Euro 2025 final in World Cup qualifying.
League A1: Sweden, Italy, Denmark, Serbia
League A2: France, Netherlands, Poland, Republic of Ireland
League A3: Spain, England, Iceland, Ukraine
League A4: Germany, Norway, Austria, Slovenia
Women’s World Cup European qualifying draw: League A
12:33 , Jamie BraidwoodLeague A is next: England will face one of Spain, France, Germany or Sweden... will we get a rematch of the Euro 2025 final?
Women’s World Cup European qualifying draw: League B
12:30 , Jamie BraidwoodSo Wales will play Czechia, a good draw for the Dragons. Northern Ireland will play a Switzerland side who reached the quarter-finals of the Euros. And Scotland are with a dangerous Belgium side who beat England earlier this year! Scotland also draw Israel.
League B1: Wales, Czechia, Albania, Montenegro
League B2: Switzerland, Northern Ireland, Turkey, Malta
League B3: Portugal, Finland, Slovakia, Latvia
League B4: Belgium, Scotland, Israel, Luxembourg
Women’s World Cup European qualifying draw
12:25 , Jamie BraidwoodLeague C is done. The six group winners and two-best runners-up will advance to the play-offs, where they would face League A opposition across two legs in the first round. Liechtenstein, Gibraltar and Andorra, as the lowest-ranked sides in the draw, had to be allocated into the four-team groups.
Women’s World Cup European qualifying draw: League C
12:24 , Jamie BraidwoodLeague C1: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Estonia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein
League C2: Croatia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Gibraltar
League C3: Hungary, Azerbaijan, North Macedonia, Andorra
League C4: Greece, Faroe Islands, Georgia
League C5: Romania, Cyprus, Moldova
League C6: Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia
Women’s World Cup European qualifying draw
12:14 , Jamie BraidwoodAfter some extended preamble and a reminder of the draw process, we are almost ready to begin, starting with League C.
Women’s World Cup European qualifying draw
12:04 , Jamie BraidwoodThe draw ceremony begins with some reflections on Euro 2025, before we turn our attention to the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. There is a separate tribute from Nadine Kessler, Uefa’s head of women’s football, to the “one and only” Sarina Wiegman after winning her third European Championship crown in a row.
Women’s World Cup European qualifying draw
12:03 , Jamie BraidwoodThe draw will start with League C, then go on to League B, before finishing with League A.
Women’s World Cup European qualifying pots: League A
12:01 , Jamie BraidwoodLeague A
Pot 1: France, Germany, Spain, Sweden
Pot 2: Netherlands, England, Italy, Norway
Pot 3: Denmark, Austria, Iceland, Poland
Pot 4: Slovenia, Serbia, Ukraine, Republic of Ireland
Women’s World Cup European qualifying pots: League B
11:57 , Jamie BraidwoodLeague B
Pot 1: Belgium, Portugal, Wales, Switzerland
Pot 2: Scotland, Czechia, Finland, Northern Ireland
Pot 3: Albania, Türkiye, Slovakia, Israel
Pot 4: Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Latvia
Women’s World Cup European qualifying pots: League C
11:53 , Jamie BraidwoodHere’s a reminder of the pots for qualifying, starting with League C - which features 21 teams.
League C
Pot 1: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Romania, Belarus, Croatia, Greece
Pot 2: Cyprus, Kosovo, Azerbaijan, Faroe Islands, Kazakhstan, Estonia
Pot 3: Lithuania, Armenia, Bulgaria, Moldova, North Macedonia, Georgia
Pot 4: Andorra, Liechtenstein, Gibraltar
Mary Earps says Hannah Hampton’s ‘bad behaviour was rewarded’ with recall
11:45 , Jamie BraidwoodMary Earps says she told England manager Sarina Wiegman that Hannah Hampton’s “bad behaviour is being rewarded” when her rival for the No 1 position was recalled to the squad, amid a series of explosive revelations from the former Lionesses goalkeeper around her decision to quit the team.
Earps’ autobiography ‘All In’ will be released next week but it has been serialised in the Guardian, with details of the goalkeeper’s shock retirement before Euro 2025, claims of tensions behind the scenes at the Lionesses and criticism of Wiegman’s methods of communication revealed for the first time.
Mary Earps says Hannah Hampton’s ‘bad behaviour was rewarded’ with England recall
Mary Earps claims reaction to autobiography has been ‘distorted’ amid public backlash
11:40 , Jamie BraidwoodMary Earps’s new book has been the big talking point around women’s football this week and the former England goalkeeper has claimed the reaction to her autobiography has been “distorted” and insisted she did not intend to “tear anyone down”.
Extracts from the 32-year-old Paris Saint-Germain keeper’s book, which is due to be released this week, have been published by The Guardian.
Her suggestion that her replacement as the Lionesses’ No 1, Chelsea’s Hannah Hampton, had been rewarded for “bad behaviour” after being dropped for being “disruptive and unreliable” in particular made headlines.
Mary Earps claims reaction to autobiography has been ‘distorted’ amid public backlash
England to be without Michelle Agyemang in World Cup qualifying
11:35 , Jamie BraidwoodEngland gave their support to Michelle Agyemang in a statement, writing: “As a member of the Lionesses family, she has the full support of the FA and everyone associated with our England teams.
“Lionesses staff will remain in regular contact with Michelle and her club and be on hand to aid any aspect of her rehabilitation.
“We are with you on your road to recovery, Michelle.”
Michelle Agyemang tears ACL with Lionesses hero ruled out for season
11:30 , Jamie BraidwoodEngland will be without Michelle Agyemang in Women’s World Cup qualifying after the striker was ruled out for the rest of the season with ruptured anterior cruciate ligaments
The 19-year-old, who earned national adulation for her super-sub role in England’s Euro 2025 triumph this summer, was left in tears as she was stretchered off in Wednesday’s 3-0 friendly win over the Australia.
She appeared in excruciating pain as she went down clutching her knee and after undergoing scans, the extent of the injury has been confirmed as the worst case scenario.
Michelle Agyemang tears ACL with Lionesses hero ruled out for season
What happened in the Uefa Nations League?
11:25 , Jamie BraidwoodThe previous Uefa Nations League took place between February and May 2025, before the European Championships. England finished second to Spain in their group, which is why they are in Pot 2 of today’s draw. Spain, France, Germany and Sweden were group winners and advanced to the Nations League Finals, which is why they are top seeds in today’s draw.
England finished second to Spain but ahead of both Belgium and Portugal, who were ultimately relegated. As were Scotland, Wales and Euro 2025 quarter-finalists Switzerland, which is why all of those teams have ended up in League B.
Poland, Slovenia, Republic of Ireland, Serbia and Ukraine were all promoted to League A, so they are all possible opponents for England to draw in their qualifiers.
So, on one hand, England could face a tough draw against a top European side like Spain or Germany, but the teams that have been relegated from League A are stronger than those promoted from League B.
How does the format for World Cup qualifying work?
11:20 , Jamie BraidwoodThe European qualifiers for the Women’s World Cup follows the same format as the Uefa Nations League, and is also used in qualifying for the European Champions.
There are three leagues - League A, League B and League C - with 16 teams drawn into groups of four in both League A and League B, and 21 teams drawn into six groups in League C.
This time, because there are fewer qualification spots for the World Cup than the Euros, only the top four teams in each League A group advance automatically.
The remainder of League A teams join the group winners and runners-up from League B and League C in entering the play-offs.
There are then seven more qualification spots available via the play-offs, with one further team going through to the Fifa’s intercontinental play-offs.
When will World Cup qualifying take place?
11:15 , Jamie BraidwoodThe league phase of the qualifiers will take place across three international windows from February to June 2026. The play-offs will then take place across October and December 2026.
Women’s World Cup qualifying seedings
11:11 , Jack RathbornLeague A
Pot 1: France, Germany, Spain, Sweden
Pot 2: Netherlands, England, Italy, Norway
Pot 3: Denmark, Austria, Iceland, Poland
Pot 4: Slovenia, Serbia, Ukraine, Republic of Ireland
League B
Pot 1: Belgium, Portugal, Wales, Switzerland
Pot 2: Scotland, Czechia, Finland, Northern Ireland
Pot 3: Albania, Türkiye, Slovakia, Israel
Pot 4: Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Latvia
League C
Pot 1: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Romania, Belarus, Croatia, Greece
Pot 2: Cyprus, Kosovo, Azerbaijan, Faroe Islands, Kazakhstan, Estonia
Pot 3: Lithuania, Armenia, Bulgaria, Moldova, North Macedonia, Georgia
Pot 4: Andorra, Liechtenstein, Gibraltar
When is the Women’s World Cup European qualifying draw?
11:05 , Jamie BraidwoodThe Women’s World Cup European qualifying draw takes place at 12pm GMT (1pm local time) on Tuesday 4 November, 2025 at Uefa headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
Lionesses set to discover World Cup 2027 qualifying opponents
11:00 , Jack RathbornEngland will discover their path to the 2027 Women’s World Cup as the qualifying draw is made on Tuesday.
Having successfully defended their European crown by beating Spain to win Euro 2025 in the summer, the Lionesses will be looking to go one step further at the World Cup after losing to Spain in the 2023 final in Sydney.
However, the European champions find themselves in pot 2 ahead of the qualifying draw - with the revamped qualifying format, also used ahead of the Euros, following the same style of the Uefa Nations League.
Why are European champions England in pot 2 for Women’s World Cup qualifying?
