The road to the 2027 Women’s World Cup looks more complicated than usual for the England Women’s National Football Team. The Lionesses did not qualify directly and now have to go through the European play-off system, starting with the two-legged tie against Greece. The final destination is Brazil, which will host the 10th Women’s World Cup from June 24 to July 25, 2027 with 32 teams playing in eight cities.
All eight Brazilian stadiums used for the tournament had matches during the male World Cup in 2014. The 2027 edition will take place over the course of 64 matches, with Maracanã stadium hosting both the kick-off game and the final. Spain is the current champion after winning the previous World Cup in 2023, beating England in the final with a score of 1-0.
The qualifiers also attract a wider digital audience. OneFootball’s Sports Betting follows the Women’s World Cup qualifiers too, providing betting-related information for adult users. Commercial platforms around sport may additionally feature tournaments, holiday events, daily rewards and limited-time promotions. These services remain separate from the sporting competition itself, and none determines how England’s play-off tie will unfold.
Brazil 2027 at a glance
Brazil will make history as the first nation in South America to host the Women’s World Cup. The six Brazilian cities where matches will be held include Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Fortaleza, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and São Paulo. Each of these cities will hold at least seven matches, while Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo will be part of the competition until the semi-final round.
Coverage of England’s qualification campaign will inevitably compete for attention with Premier League News, but the Lionesses now face one of their most important international windows under Wiegman. Unlike recent major tournaments, there is no guaranteed place waiting for them. Two successful play-off rounds are required before Brazil can become part of their schedule.
How England ended up in the play-offs
Second behind Spain on goal difference
England took part in Group League A3, achieving a total of five wins from six attempts. The lone blemish came against Spain, which turned out to be costly when it came to qualifying automatically.
Only four winners from League A qualified automatically, being Denmark, France, Germany, and Spain. This leaves the rest of the Europe teams with the play-offs.
As far as the qualification process is concerned, the direct qualifications for the World Cup from UEFA are 11 spots, and another European team will eventually get to play the intercontinental play-off.
Therefore, England had to depend on luck to qualify after a great tournament.
Greece, then Slovakia or Ukraine
England’s first playoff opponent will be Greece, who they have never played before at the senior level. The first match will be held in Greece on 9 October 2026, before England plays the second game at home on 13 October 2026. As of now, no matches have been played.
Winning both matches would still leave England one step away from qualification. The winner would then face Slovakia or Ukraine in round 2 of the playoffs.
The last ties will take place between 26 March and 5 April 2026. The team that qualifies through Slovakia or Ukraine will play against either Greece or England in the first match.
There is no room for complacency in this qualification structure. The Lionesses may have more experience in the major tournaments than Greece but results have to be achieved in four matches and would not be sufficient alone.
The contenders one year out
England’s route also needs to be viewed within a competitive global picture. Spain remain the benchmark after winning the 2023 World Cup and securing direct European qualification for 2027.
ESPN’s one-year-out assessment placed Spain first among the leading contenders, followed by Germany and Japan. Hosts Brazil occupied fourth place, while Korea DPR completed the top five. The ranking underlines how the balance of women’s international football extends well beyond the traditional European powers.
Brazil also carries the additional significance of home advantage. The tournament will be the first Women’s World Cup held in South America, creating an opportunity to expand the visibility of the women’s game across the continent. FIFA selected the eight host cities partly with the objective of supporting its long-term growth in Brazil.
For the time being, the priority for England is ensuring that qualification for the World Cup is achieved over preparing for potential counterparts. After finishing second in 2023, the Lionesses won back-to-back U19 championships, which enhances their overall experience regarding knockout matches. UEFA points out that England was the finalist of the World Cup that year and has also won the last two Women’s EURO tournaments.
If Wiegman’s team can reach Brazil, the opportunity arises for them to earn their first major title. Their journey starts with Greece. They might encounter Slovakia or Ukraine following that.
