By OkayGoal
The road to Brazil is getting crowded, and European women’s soccer teams are making one thing clear: Nobody plans on watching the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup from home.
With Germany, Denmark, France and Spain already securing their tickets, seven guaranteed European spots remain up for grabs. Following an action-packed opening round of UEFA playoffs, 16 nations are still fighting to join them.
From double-digit blowouts to penalty shootout drama, the latest round delivered plenty of goals, standout performances and a few nervous moments.
Now, the stakes are getting even higher.
England and Sweden Bring the Firepower
The Lionesses are looking increasingly dangerous as they chase another World Cup appearance.
England cruised past Greece with a 5-0 second-leg victory, completing an 8-1 aggregate win. Alessia Russo and Lauren James each recorded braces, while Georgia Stanway added another goal.
After falling just short against Spain in the 2023 World Cup final, England has unfinished business on the international stage.
Sweden apparently decided five goals weren’t enough.
Following a 5-0 first-leg victory over Lithuania, the Swedish squad doubled its output with a staggering 10-0 performance. Stina Blackstenius, Felicia Schröder and Amanda Ilestedt each scored twice.
The Netherlands also made a statement, advancing with an 11-0 aggregate victory over Hungary.
Meanwhile, Norway’s Elisabeth Terland stole the spotlight with a hat trick against Romania. Norway secured an 8-0 aggregate victory and will face Wales next.
Poland Survives a Playoff Thriller
Not every team enjoyed a comfortable afternoon.
Poland and Belgium delivered arguably the most dramatic matchup of the round, with their series coming down to penalties.
Polish star Ewa Pajor scored twice in the second leg, including a crucial 116th-minute equalizer. Her heroics forced a shootout after the teams finished level at 3-3 on aggregate.
Despite Pajor missing her penalty attempt, Poland held on for a 4-3 shootout victory.
Talk about keeping fans on the edge of their seats.
Poland now advances to face the Republic of Ireland, which dismantled Kazakhstan 12-0 across two legs.
Elsewhere, Finland, Slovenia, Ukraine, Austria, Iceland, Italy, Portugal, Scotland, Switzerland and Wales kept their World Cup dreams alive.
Eight Matchups, Seven Guaranteed Tickets
Here is where things get interesting.
The second round features eight matchups, but winning doesn’t automatically guarantee every team a trip to Brazil.
Only the seven winners with the highest overall league rankings from qualifying will secure direct entry. The remaining winner must compete in FIFA’s intercontinental playoff tournament in February 2027.
The upcoming matchups are:
- Ukraine vs. England
- Finland vs. Italy
- Portugal vs. Iceland
- Wales vs. Norway
- Switzerland vs. Austria
- Scotland vs. Sweden
- Poland vs. Republic of Ireland
- Slovenia vs. Netherlands
First-leg matches are scheduled for Nov. 26, with second legs following Dec. 5.
The Countdown to Brazil Continues
For women’s soccer fans, the next round offers some intriguing storylines.
Can England return to the World Cup and take care of unfinished business? Will Sweden carry its offensive momentum into another dominant performance? Could Poland’s dramatic escape become the beginning of something bigger?
And which nation will be forced to take the long road through the intercontinental playoffs?
With established powerhouses and hungry challengers battling for limited places, European qualifying is far from finished.
Sixteen teams are still standing, but only seven have a guaranteed ticket waiting.
Brazil is calling. Who’s answering?
Featured image via @swewnt