The second window of UEFA World Cup qualifiers saw England dominate their group, Denmark earn a surprising victory against a familiar foe, and France falter against a tough opponent. A lot of fun games — so many shots off the post! — and a complicated tournament structure mean there’s a lot to discuss. Let’s dive in.
How do the qualifiers work?
The most recent matches, on April 14 and 18, were each team’s third and fourth of the qualifiers’ league phase. The phase will wrap up with games five and six in June. By the end of the league phase, each opponent will have played the other three teams in their group twice.
The groups are organized into ‘leagues,’ which were determined by the 2025 UEFA Women’s Nations League. At the end of the league phase, the top team in each group in League A will qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. Those remaining will have to play in a playoff structure to vie for the remaining seven direct qualification spots and UEFA’s lone berth in inter-confederation playoffs.
Confusing? Absolutely. For simplicity’s sake, let’s focus on League A, since the four teams who win their respective groups automatically qualify for the World Cup. But as an ode to the chaos, we’ll go out of order in our rundown of each group.
Group A3: England continues win streak against Spain on home soil, ekes out defeat of Iceland
A clutch goal from Lauren Hemp saw England defeat world champions Spain in a rivalry that continues to grace the world stage after numerous consequential meetings over the last few years. England forward Alessia Russo successfully made the assist to Hemp from a scramble on the ground, and the Manchester City forward managed to just touch it over the goal line. Going the other way, Olga Carmona had a beautiful strike later in the game that hit the crossbar and just narrowly stayed outside the goal, keeping England in the lead. The well-matched game of chess was the first meeting between the two sides since England took the 2025 Euros trophy in July.
In the Lionesses’ second match of the window, against Iceland, Russo and Hemp combined to score yet again, this time Hemp assisting Russo after a beautiful carrying run. But it was goalkeeper Hannah Hampton who stood out, as her numerous second-half saves kept England in the game.
Indeed, Sarina Wiegman’s side looked quite unlike themselves the entire second half, relying on three incredible Hampton saves and the post to keep their lead. Angel City forward Sveindís Jónsdóttir stood out for Iceland; her playmaking abilities and pressure inside the box offered a genuine test for England.
Also in the Iceland match, England captain Leah Williamson saw her first minutes for club or country since March 15, starting alongside Washington Spirit defender Esme Morgan in the backline. However, Williamson only played 45 minutes, subbing out for Lotte Wubben-Moy at the start of the second half. Another exciting roster addition was Erica Parkison, who turned 18 on the day of the Iceland match, While the youngster didn’t get any playing time, she has impressed in the England youth pipeline and she may be the future of England in the years to come.
England are now the only perfect team left in League A, moving one step closer to automatic qualification if they can maintain their lead over group A3 in the June window. But that window includes another game against Spain, this time in Mallorca. Plus, Aitana Bonmatí might be back in Spain’s lineup if her return-to-play for Barcelona goes as planned. England’s 3-point lead in the standings is certainly not a comfortable one.
Next match to watch: Spain vs England, June 5
Group A2: The Netherlands take 1-point lead in group after France double-header, Ireland bests Poland twice
France faced the Netherlands twice in the window, but managed only one point out of the series. The Netherlands now sit at the top of the group. In the first match, in Breda, Dutch striker Esmee Brugt’s second-half goal secured the 2-1 win for the Oranje, the first time the Netherlands has bested France in over ten years. Despite the French team holding over 70% of overall possession, the Dutch women kept it together defensively while combining nicely for set pieces and a dynamic offense when they had the ball.
Later in the week, the two sides drew in Paris. Marie-Antoinette Katoto took the lead for France at the end of the first half, but the team gave up the Dutch equalizer in the 76th minute. While Les Bleues dominated the game in possession, touches inside the opposition’s box, passes, and shots, they weren’t able make the difference in the final third. When it counted, the Dutch held things even, securing a point on the road.
Ireland finds itself staring down a difficult June window. Carla Ward’s side, which had its World Cup debut in 2023, beat Poland twice in April with goals by Marissa Sheva. But Ireland lost to both France and the Netherlands in March, and will play those top teams again in June. They’ll have to step up their performance to make a run at a spot higher than third place in the group.
Next match to watch: Republic of Ireland vs Netherlands, June 5
Group A1: Denmark comes back against Sweden, Cantore and Girelli score in Italy rout of Serbia
Denmark faced off against Sweden in the first leg of qualifiers, coming away with the win in front of 12,000 opposing fans in Gothenburg even though the Swedes outshot their fellow Scandinavians 24-10 and earned more than 67% of possession. Sweden scored in the 8th minute, but before the half was up, none other than Danish captain Pernille Harder got the Danes on the scoreboard with a beautiful one-touch shot. Just after halftime, Frederikke Thøgersen came up big for the Kvindefodboldlandshold, saving a Swedish shot off the goal line. But the moment of the match came in the 92nd minute, when Danish substitute Janni Thomsen scored off a beautiful through ball from winger Cecilie Fløe to break the tie.
The win ended up being crucial for the Danish side, as they tied up-and-coming powerhouse Italy later in the week. That game was incredibly evenly matched, with the two teams sharing possession, shots of goal, and passes in the opposing team’s box. Ultimately, it was a scoreless draw, so the two sides will look to be more clinical inside the box in their next set of qualifiers. The tie leaves Italy in third place in the group, a disappointing spot to be in for the Euros semifinalists.
Italy’s first game, however, was a display of brilliance against Serbia. NWSL players Sofia Cantore (Washington Spirit) and Christina Girelli (Bay FC) contributed to Le Azzurre’s 6-0 win.
As it stands, Denmark lead group A1, having gone two wins and two ties in their last four matchdays — impressive, considering their group features standout Sweden and formidable Italy.
Next match to watch: Denmark vs Sweden, June 5
Group A4: Germany come away with 4 points against Austria, Norway sit in second place
Germany crushed Austria 5-1 earlier in the week at home in front of 24,000 fans, but the two teams drew on Saturday in Austria, putting a halt to Germany’s perfect qualification run thus far. Germany manager Christian Wück made four changes between the Tuesday and Saturday lineups, with Saturday’s squad unable to find the back of the net despite many close chances. Austrian goalkeeper Mariella El Sharif played a great game, saving numerous shots and keeping her team in the match. In the end, the German side lacked the tempo and hunger for a win that the Nuremberg crowd witnessed on Tuesday.
Norway won the first of their double-header against Slovenia 5-0, with captain Ada Hegerberg scoring twice in her 99th cap for the Gresshoppene. On Saturday in Slovenia, the home team improved on their performance, tying the game in the 70th minute to put things at 2-2. Yet the Norwegians ultimately prevailed again, with midfielder Signe Gaupset scoring off a beautiful strike in added time.
In June, the Norwegians face a tough challenge in group leaders Germany, whom they lost to in a 4-0 rout in March.
Next match to watch: Germany vs Norway, June 5
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