NYON, Switzerland (AP) — European champion England’s path to the 2027 Women’s World Cup will go through Greece and then either Slovakia or Ukraine in the two-leg qualifying playoffs drawn on Thursday.
England was the beaten finalist at the 2023 World Cup and again ran into defending champion Spain in the qualifying groups that ended this month.
Spain joined Denmark, France and Germany in qualifying direct for the 2027 finals tournament in Brazil, leaving 32 teams in Thursday’s playoffs draw which will decide seven more places.
Europe has 11 places in the 32-team finals tournament next year, and the eight playoffs brackets completed in December will reward the seven highest-ranked teams with World Cup entries. The eighth bracket winner will go to intercontinental playoffs in February.
Sweden eliminated the United States, the two-time defending champion, at the 2023 World Cup before losing to Spain in the semifinals, and starts these playoffs against Lithuania. The winner faces the Czech Republic or Scotland.
Italy, which had a hard-luck loss to England in the Euro 2025 semifinals, faces Belarus with the winner advancing to play Finland or Serbia.
First round games are in October, and the second round in November and December.
Italy and Belarus had to be moved down in the draw after they were initially paired with the winner of Slovakia vs. Ukraine. UEFA has blocked potential games between teams from Ukraine and Russia’s military ally Belarus since the war started in February 2022.
UEFA also requires Belarus to play home games in empty stadiums in neutral countries, and the team’s qualifying group games were hosted by Georgia.
Israel teams also have played in neutral countries since October 2023 when the conflict with Hamas in Gaza started. Israel played qualifying group games in Hungary, and next hosts Switzerland for the first leg in their bracket. The winner advances to face Kosovo or Austria.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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