Women's European Qualifiers for 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup: Play-off ties
Thursday, June 18, 2026
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Two rounds of ties will decide seven World Cup berths and one inter-confederation play-off place.
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The play-off draw for the Women's European Qualifiers has set the ties for 32 teams playing in two rounds of home-and-away ties, with places at the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup at stake.
While the four League A group winners (Denmark, France, Germany and Spain) have qualified directly for the finals in Brazil from 24 June to 25 July 2027, Europe's seven other berths, plus a slot in February's inter-confederation play-offs, will be settled by ties in October and November/December, all set in this draw.
Round 1 ties
Path 1
Lithuania vs Sweden
Romania vs Norway
Greece vs England
Croatia vs Iceland
Kazakhstan vs Republic of Ireland
Kosovo vs Austria
Hungary vs Netherlands
Belarus vs Italy
Path 2
Albania vs Wales
Türkiye vs Slovenia
Slovakia vs Ukraine
Israel vs Switzerland
Belgium vs Poland
Czechia vs Scotland
Northern Ireland vs Portugal
Finland vs Serbia
Two-legged ties between 7 and 13 October 2026; match dates TBC. First named team at home in the first leg.
Play-off team guide
- England were World Cup runners-up to Spain in 2023 and are winners of the last two Women's EURO final tournaments. Also in 2023, Sweden finished third, the Netherlands were quarter-finalists, Norway and Switzerland made the last 16 and Italy, Portugal and the Republic of Ireland also qualified.
- Scotland have previously qualified as well, in 2019. Austria, Belgium, Iceland, Finland, Northern Ireland, Poland, Ukraine and Wales have previously qualified for a Women's EURO but never the World Cup.
- Norway and Sweden are hoping to emulate Germany in having qualified for all ten World Cup final tournaments.
- Israel, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Lithuania are in the play-offs for a major tournament for the first time.
- Wales beat Albania home and away in the qualifying group stage.
Round 2 ties
Slovakia / Ukraine vs Greece / England
Finland / Serbia vs Belarus / Italy
Northern Ireland / Portugal vs Croatia / Iceland
Albania / Wales vs Romania / Norway
Israel / Switzerland vs Kosovo / Austria
Czechia / Scotland vs Lithuania / Sweden
Belgium / Poland vs Kazakhstan / Republic of Ireland
Türkiye / Slovenia vs Hungary / Netherlands
Two-legged ties between 26 November and 5 December 2026; match dates TBC. First named team at home in the first leg.
How the play-offs work
Round 1 of the play-offs is in two paths.
Path 1
The teams finishing second and third in League A groups will play the six group winners and two best-ranked runners-up in League C.
The teams from League A are seeded and play the second legs at home. The eight winners progress to round 2.
Path 2
The four fourth-placed League A teams and four League B group winners will play the teams finishing second and third in the League B groups.
The teams from League A and the League B group winners are seeded and play the second legs at home. The eight winners progress to round 2.
Round 2
In round 2, the teams from both paths come together and have been drawn into eight ties, with seeding for the round 1 path 1 winners, who will be at home in the second leg.
The seven best-ranked round 2 play-off winners according to the 2026 Women’s European Qualifiers overall league rankings qualify directly for the 2027 Women's World Cup. The one remaining round 2 play-off winner qualifies for the World Cup inter-confederation play-offs. The European contenders will directly enter the inter-confederation play-offs in the second phase in February 2027.
Women's European Qualifiers for 2027 Women's World Cup
Number of UEFA places in the finals: 11
Number of UEFA places in the inter-confederation play-offs: 1
Women's European Qualifiers league stage direct qualifiers: 4 (League A group winners)
Women's European Qualifiers play-off winners: 8 (7 qualify directly, 1 team enters the inter-confederation play-offs)
Qualifying slots by confederation
AFC: 6
CAF: 4
CONCACAF: 4
CONMEBOL: 3 (including hosts Brazil)
OFC: 1
UEFA: 11
Inter-confederation play-offs: 3
Inter-confederation play-off slots by confederation
AFC: 2
CAF: 2
CONCACAF: 2
CONMEBOL: 2
OFC: 1
UEFA: 1
Both CONCACAF entrants, the best-ranked CONMEBOL entrant and the UEFA entrant will enter in the second of the two phases.