UEFA Women's EURO 2025 qualifying: Matchday 3 and 4 preview

The Women's European Qualifiers for UEFA Women's EURO 2025 continue on 31 May and 4 June, with double-headers in most of the groups taking them past the halfway stage.

We preview the latest matches on the road to Switzerland, where the top two in each League A group will automatically qualify to join the hosts in the finals, and 28 other teams will earn berths for the autumn play-offs.

Group A1

League A

Four home wins in April have left this group very tight. Neither Norway nor Italy have failed to qualify since the group stage was introduced in 1997, though this is their first competitive encounter since 2006. Indeed, the only time they have met in the last 16 years was a 2-1 win for Italy at the 2022 Algarve Cup.

Finland are yet to beat the Netherlands since the 2-1 Helsinki win that took the EURO 2009 hosts into the quarter-finals (the Dutch were to follow them in getting out of the group). The 1-0 win for the Netherlands against Norway on Matchday 2 was crucial to get them back on track after they followed up losing both games in February's UEFA Women's Nations League finals – to miss out on an Olympics berth – by then succumbing 2-0 in Italy on qualifying Matchday 1.

Friday 31 May
Norway vs Italy (18:00)
Netherlands vs Finland (20:45)

Tuesday 4 June
Finland vs Netherlands (18:00)
Italy vs Norway (18:15)

All kick-off times CET

Group A2

Fresh from adding the Nations League trophy to the FIFA Women's World Cup, Spain lost no momentum last month as they cruised to a 7-0 victory in Belgium, where Salma Paralluelo hit a hat-trick, and then beat Czechia 3-1. Denmark also picked up six points but now face the toughest test of all against the team that knocked them out of EURO 2022 with a 1-0 scoreline in their decisive group game.

Czechia are aiming for a debut qualification, meanwhile, and both they and Belgium will be keen to recover from their April losses and close the gap on the top two. Belgium, in particular, are looking for a change of fortunes after conceding 11 goals in their first two games, a contrast from the two 5-1 wins against Hungary that preserved their League A status in February, during which coach Ives Serneels passed 150 games in charge.

Friday 31 May
Czechia vs Belgium (18:30)
Denmark vs Spain (19:00)

Tuesday 4 June
Belgium vs Czechia (20:00)
Spain vs Denmark (21:30)

All kick-off times CET

Group A3

There is no room for error in this group, as England can attest after letting a lead slip in the 1-1 home draw with Sweden at Wembley, though their subsequent victory in the Republic of Ireland underlines how tough this section is for the promoted side. France beat both Ireland and Sweden 1-0 and the double-header against England is hugely anticipated, with Les Bleues no doubt keen to avoid as much jeopardy as possible with July's qualifying deciders coming just before their bid for home Olympic glory.

Sweden's home loss to France was a disappointment after the display at Wembley, and in their opening displays Ireland showed they would be no pushover for the three giants in the group. Ireland did draw a World Cup qualifier in Sweden in April 2022, the home side needing a Kosovare Asllani equaliser 11 minutes from time. The point took Sweden to the finals, but for Ireland it was a vital step towards the play-offs and their own debut qualification.

Friday 31 May
Republic of Ireland vs Sweden (20:30)
England vs France (21:00)

Tuesday 4 June
Sweden vs Republic of Ireland (18:30)
France vs England (21:00)

All kick-off times CET

Group A4

Germany made a slow start on their path to the Nations League finals and Olympic qualification but sit proudly top of this group after two games, coming back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 in Austria and then beating Iceland 3-1. Poland, without a point, do have a weapon Germany will be more than familiar with, however – Ewa Pajor, scorer of more than 100 goals with Wolfsburg.

On three points apiece, both Austria and Iceland will look to come out of their encounters in control of second place. Austria did beat their opponents 3-0 at Women's EURO 2017, but more recently Iceland managed a 1-0 away win in a July 2023 friendly.

Friday 31 May
Austria vs Iceland (18:00)
Germany vs Poland (20:30)

Tuesday 4 June
Poland vs Germany (18:00)
Iceland vs Austria (21:30)

All kick-off times CET

Leagues B & C

Given that the top three in each League B group are assured of play-off berths, several should be clinched in these games, with Portugal and Wales starting on maximum points. The double-header between Portugal and Northern Ireland, who both took part in the 2022 finals, will be of special interest.

Switzerland, also on six points, do not need to worry about any play-offs as finals hosts, but they will be eager to move further clear in the Group B1 promotion place and continue to pick up good results under Pia Sundhage, with next July in mind.

Belarus, Slovenia, Montenegro, Greece, Romania and Luxembourg are all yet to drop a point in League C, where first place equals both a play-off berth and promotion. The best three runners-up also head for the play-offs.

Friday 31 May

Group B1 
Türkiye vs Azerbaijan (19:00)
Switzerland vs Hungary (20:00)

Group B2 
Serbia vs Slovakia (18:00)
Scotland vs Israel (20:05)

Group B3 
Malta vs Bosnia and Herzegovina (19:30)
Portugal vs Northern Ireland (21:45)

Group B4 
Kosovo vs Croatia (17:00)
Wales vs Ukraine (20:15)

Group C1 
Cyprus vs Georgia (18:00)
Lithuania vs Belarus - match cancelled

Group C2 
North Macedonia vs Moldova (17:00)
Slovenia vs Latvia (18:00)

Group C3 
Greece vs Montenegro (17:00)
Faroe Islands vs Andorra (17:45)

Group C4 
Armenia vs Kazakhstan (15:00)
Romania vs Bulgaria (18:00)

Group C5 
Estonia vs Albania (17:00)

Tuesday 4 June

Group B1 
Azerbaijan vs Türkiye (17:00)
Hungary vs Switzerland (17:30)

Group B2 
Israel vs Scotland (16:00)
Slovakia vs Serbia (18:00)

Group B3 
Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Malta (16:00)
Northern Ireland vs Portugal (20:00)

Group B4 
Croatia vs Kosovo (20:00)
Ukraine vs Wales (20:00)

Group C1 
Georgia vs Cyprus (18:00)
Belarus vs Lithuania - match cancelled

Group C2 
Latvia vs Slovenia (17:00)
Moldova vs North Macedonia (18:00)

Group C3 
Faroe Islands vs Greece (17:45)
Andorra vs Montenegro (19:00)

Group C4 
Kazakhstan vs Armenia (16:00)
Bulgaria vs Romania (18:00)

Group C5 
Albania vs Luxembourg (18:00)

All kick-off times CET

How qualifying works

League phase

In qualifying, as per the league stage of the Nations League, teams compete in groups of four or three teams (League C) and over six matchdays between April and July, with each team playing one home match and one away match against all the other teams in their group.

For qualifying itself, the top two teams in each League A group will earn places at the July 2025 finals alongside hosts Switzerland (who compete in League B, although their automatic qualification is assured). The remaining seven spots will be decided by two rounds of play-offs in October and November/December.

Play-offs

The first round of the play-offs is split into two paths. In one path, the teams finishing third and fourth in League A will play the five group winners and three best-ranked runners-up in League C (for ranking the three best runners-up, results against fourth-placed teams are not counted). The eight winners progress to the second round.

In the other first round path, the four group winners and two best-ranked runners-up in League B will be drawn into six ties against the remaining two runners-up and four third-placed teams in League B. The six winners progress to the second round.

In the second round, the teams from both paths come together and will be drawn into seven ties, with seeding for the seven highest-ranked teams based on the European Qualifiers overall league rankings. The seven winners progress to the final tournament.

The play-off paths will be adjusted as necessary to take into account the performance of Women's EURO hosts Switzerland, who compete in League B but are guaranteed a slot in the final tournament.

If Switzerland finish as a League B winner, runner-up or in third place, the best-ranked fourth-placed team of League B will complete the round 1 path 2 play-off line-up, and the draw seeding for the six ties will be adjusted accordingly.

Promotion and relegation

Promotion and relegation is also at stake ahead of the next UEFA Women's Nations League, beginning the 2025–27 competition cycle:

• The winners, runners-up and third-placed teams of League A stay in League A;

• The runners-up and three best-ranked third-placed teams in League B stay in League B;

• The runners-up, third-placed and fourth-placed teams in League C stay in League C;

• The winners of Leagues B and C will be promoted to the league above;

• All fourth-placed teams in Leagues A and B, as well as the lowest-ranked third-placed team of League B, will be relegated to the league below.