Women's European Qualifiers for 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup: Play-offs start 9 October

The play-off phase of the Women's European Qualifiers starts with round 1 on 9 and 13 October, when 32 teams will be aiming to secure their place at the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup.

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, Europe's seven other berths, plus a slot in February's inter-confederation play-offs, will be settled by two rounds of home-and-away ties.

The teams involved in the play-offs include 1995 World Cup winners Norway and their fellow past European champions (and World Cup finalists) England, the Netherlands and Sweden. Among the other sides taking part are 16 nations who have never qualified for a major women's senior final tournament.

In round 1, the ties are split into two paths. Path 1 matches the top eight teams from League C with the sides that finished second and third in the League A groups. Path 2 involves the teams that ended fourth in the League A groups and the top three finishers in each League B group.

The draw has already been made for round 2, in late November and early December. That round will decide the seven teams that qualify directly for the final tournament and the European side heading for the inter-confederation play-offs.

Round 1 ties

All times CET

First legs: Friday 9 October

Kazakhstan vs Republic of Ireland (13:00)
Finland vs Serbia (17:30)
Kosovo vs Austria (18:00)
Albania vs Wales (18:00)
Türkiye vs Slovenia (18:00)
Slovakia vs Ukraine (18:00)
Lithuania vs Sweden (18:05)
Belarus vs Italy (18:15)
Greece vs England (18:30)
Israel vs Switzerland (18:30)
Croatia vs Iceland (18:45)
Romania vs Norway (19:00)
Czechia vs Scotland (19:00)
Hungary vs Netherlands (20:00)
Northern Ireland vs Portugal (20:00)
Belgium vs Poland (20:15)

Second legs: Tuesday 13 October

Slovenia vs Türkiye (17:00)
Ukraine vs Slovakia (17:00)
Serbia vs Finland (17:00)
Norway vs Romania (18:00)
Austria vs Kosovo (18:00)
Poland vs Belgium (18:00)
Italy vs Belarus (18:15)
Sweden vs Lithuania (19:00)
Iceland vs Croatia (19:30)
Switzerland vs Israel (19:30)
Wales vs Albania (20:15)
Scotland vs Czechia (20:15)
Portugal vs Northern Ireland (20:15)
England vs Greece (20:30)
Republic of Ireland vs Kazakhstan (20:30)
Netherlands vs Hungary (20:45)

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 reached 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 qualifying for all ten World Cup final tournaments.
• Israel, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Lithuania are in the play-offs of a major tournament for the first time.
• Wales beat Albania home and away in the qualifying group stage.

How the play-offs work

Round 1 of the play-offs is in two paths.

Path 1

The teams finishing second and third in the 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 enter the inter-confederation play-offs directly in the second phase in February 2027.