Women's European Qualifiers for 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup: Play-off ties start on Friday

The Women's European Qualifiers play-off ties involve 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 played on 9 and 13 October and between 26 November and 5 December.

Round 1 ties

Kick-off times CET

First legs: Friday 9 October 2026

Kazakhstan vs Republic of Ireland (13:00)
Israel vs Switzerland (15:30)
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)
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 2026

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, Netherlands were quarter-finalists, Norway and Switzerland made the last 16 and Italy, Portugal and 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.

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 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 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.