Lionesses Drawn Against Greece In 2027 Women’s World Cup Play Offs
England Women now know the next challenge standing between them and a place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
After narrowly missing out on automatic qualification, the Lionesses have been drawn against Greece in the first round of the UEFA play offs. The two legged tie will take place in October and gives Sarina Wiegman’s side another opportunity to secure their place at football’s biggest tournament.
While England would have preferred to avoid the play offs altogether, qualification remains firmly within their own hands.
For supporters, attention now turns to a pair of crucial matches that could define England’s route to Brazil.
How England Reached The Play Offs
England’s qualification campaign started in impressive fashion.
The Lionesses opened with a convincing 6 to 1 victory over Ukraine before defeating Iceland 2 to 0 in Nottingham. They followed that with a memorable 1 to 0 win over Spain at Wembley Stadium, a result that demonstrated England’s ability to compete with the world’s best teams.
A further 1 to 0 victory away to Iceland strengthened England’s position at the top of the group and left automatic qualification looking increasingly likely.
With four wins from four matches, the Lionesses appeared to be in complete control of their own destiny.
The picture changed dramatically during the final international window.
Travelling to Spain knowing that a positive result would move them significantly closer to automatic qualification, England suffered a difficult evening in Mallorca. Spain produced a dominant display and secured a 4 to 0 victory.
England responded professionally with a 3 to 0 win over Ukraine, but the damage had already been done.
Spain and England both finished the group on 15 points. However, Spain secured top spot thanks to a stronger overall record, including a superior goal difference and a better head to head record following their 4 to 0 victory over the Lionesses.
As a result, Spain qualified automatically for the 2027 World Cup while England were forced into the play offs.
A Campaign Of Highs And Lows
Despite the disappointment of missing out on automatic qualification, England’s overall campaign contained plenty of positives.
The Lionesses won five of their six matches and collected 15 points from a possible 18. They defeated Spain at Wembley, completed a double over Iceland and scored six goals away to Ukraine.
In many qualification groups, that record would have been more than enough to finish first.
Instead, England found themselves competing directly with one of the strongest teams in world football.
The margins proved incredibly fine.
One difficult night against Spain ultimately changed the complexion of the group and left England needing to take the longer route to Brazil.
Greece Await In October
England’s next opponents will be Greece.
The first leg is scheduled to take place in Greece on 7 October, with the return match being played in England on 13 October.
On paper, the Lionesses will be favourites. England’s recent tournament record, squad depth and international experience give them a clear advantage heading into the tie.
However, knockout football can be unpredictable and Sarina Wiegman’s side will know that no opponent can be underestimated at this stage of qualification.
Unlike a group campaign where there is time to recover from setbacks, the play offs offer very little margin for error.
Two matches will decide who progresses and who sees their World Cup hopes become significantly more complicated.
Why England Will Remain Confident
There are plenty of reasons for optimism within the England camp.
Under Sarina Wiegman, the Lionesses have become one of the most consistent teams in international football. They have lifted major trophies, reached finals and regularly competed against the world’s strongest nations.
The squad also contains players with extensive experience of high pressure matches.
Leah Williamson, Keira Walsh, Georgia Stanway, Lauren James, Alessia Russo and many others have performed on the biggest stages in the game.
That experience could prove vital when the play offs arrive.
England will also take confidence from the fact that they defeated Spain during the qualification campaign. While the defeat in Mallorca was disappointing, the Lionesses have already shown they can overcome elite opposition when performing at their best.
What Happens If England Beat Greece?
Victory over Greece would move England another step closer to securing their place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
The qualification process does not end with this tie, but progressing would keep the Lionesses firmly on course for the tournament.
For a team that has become accustomed to competing at the highest level, reaching Brazil remains the clear objective.
The coming months will now be focused on ensuring that objective becomes reality.
Upcoming Fixtures
7 October 2026 - Greece vs England
13 October 2026 - England vs Greece
England’s route to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup may have become more complicated than expected, but qualification remains within reach.
After a strong campaign that fell just short of automatic progression, the Lionesses now turn their full attention to Greece and the next stage of their journey towards Brazil.
