World Cup 2027 qualifying draw live: England face nightmare group with opponents to be revealed

The European qualifiers for the Women’s World Cup follows the same format as the Uefa Nations League, and is also used in qualifying for the European Champions.

There are three leagues – League A, League B and League C – with 16 teams drawn into groups of four in both League A and League B, and 21 teams drawn into six groups in League C.

This time, because there are fewer qualification spots for the World Cup than the Euros, only the top four teams in each League A group advance automatically.

The remainder of League A teams join the group winners and runners-up from League B and League C in entering the play-offs.

There are then seven more qualification spots available via the play-offs, with one further team going through to the Fifa’s intercontinental play-offs.

The league phase of the qualifiers will take place across three international windows from February to June 2026. The play-offs will then take place across October and December 2026.

Pot 1: France, Germany, Spain, Sweden

Pot 2: Netherlands, England, Italy, Norway

Pot 3: Denmark, Austria, Iceland, Poland

Pot 4: Slovenia, Serbia, Ukraine, Republic of Ireland

Pot 1: Belgium, Portugal, Wales, Switzerland

Pot 2: Scotland, Czechia, Finland, Northern Ireland

Pot 3: Albania, Türkiye, Slovakia, Israel

Pot 4: Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Latvia

Pot 1: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Romania, Belarus, Croatia, Greece

Pot 2: Cyprus, Kosovo, Azerbaijan, Faroe Islands, Kazakhstan, Estonia

Pot 3: Lithuania, Armenia, Bulgaria, Moldova, North Macedonia, Georgia

Pot 4: Andorra, Liechtenstein, Gibraltar

The Women’s World Cup European qualifying draw takes place at 12pm GMT (1pm local time) on Tuesday 4 November, 2025 at Uefa headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.

England will discover their path to the 2027 Women’s World Cup as the qualifying draw is made on Tuesday.

Having successfully defended their European crown by beating Spain to win Euro 2025 in the summer, the Lionesses will be looking to go one step further at the World Cup after losing to Spain in the 2023 final in Sydney.

However, the European champions find themselves in pot 2 ahead of the qualifying draw – with the revamped qualifying format, also used ahead of the Euros, following the same style of the Uefa Nations League.