FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027: Qualification groups, format, list of teams

Spain and England will renew their rivalry in women’s football in a qualifying group for the 2027 World Cup.

Defending champions Spain and European champions England were joined by Iceland and Ukraine when UEFA made the draw for the qualifying groups on Tuesday.

Spain defeated England in the 2023 Women’s World Cup final in Sydney, and England defeated Spain in the Euro 2025 final to retain their title in July.

They also met twice in the first half of this year, winning home in a UEFA Nations League group topped by Spain.

How can the teams move forward?

• Only next June’s group winner will advance directly to the 32-team Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

• Four automatic places are available for the winners of four groups in the top flight, League A.

• Next year, seven more qualifying matches will advance to the play-offs.

• One more European team will get a chance in the intercontinental play-offs scheduled for February 2027.

In other top groups, France plays against the Netherlands, Poland and Ireland.

Sweden and Italy – who both blew late leads against England in the Euro 2025 knockout matches – found themselves in a group with Denmark and Serbia.

Germany, which lost the semi-final to Spain in 2025, will play Norway, Austria and Slovenia.

The round-robin group stage matches in all three competition levels will be played in March, April and June.

The group rankings will determine which 32 teams will advance to the first of two rounds of the European play-offs from October.

The second round of the play-offs will be completed in December and will send seven more teams to Brazil. An eighth play-off winner will advance to the intercontinental play-offs.

Tuesday’s draw involved 53 of the 55 member UEFA federations.

Russia is suspended from international competitions due to the war against Ukraine, while San Marino does not participate in women’s national team events.

QUALIFYING GROUPS

Published on November 4, 2025