The UEFA path to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup is heading toward a tense finish, with Matchday 5 delivering a mix of dominant wins, one major upset, and a few groups that are still wide open. Spain’s 4-0 statement against England was the defining result, but several other contenders also strengthened their position before the final round.
Spain’s Win Changed the Mood
Spain produced the sharpest performance of the night by beating England 4-0 in Group A3. After losing the earlier meeting, Spain answered with a much more complete display and took control of the conversation in one of the toughest sections of the competition.
That result stood out in a round that also favored several of Europe’s biggest names. Germany beat Norway 2-0, France handled Poland 2-0, and Italy responded with a 3-0 victory over Serbia. The biggest surprise came from the Republic of Ireland, which beat the Netherlands 3-2 in one of the clearest shocks of the campaign.
One Night, Many One-Sided Scores
There were also several lopsided results across the lower leagues. Switzerland overwhelmed Malta 6-1, Portugal rolled past Latvia 5-0, Scotland beat Israel 6-0, and Belgium matched that scoreline against Luxembourg. Those games did not just add goals; they also sharpened the race for ranking and momentum heading into the last matchday.
Matchday 5 Results
League A
In Group A1, Italy defeated Serbia 3-0, while Denmark earned a 2-1 win over Sweden. Group A2 saw France beat Poland 2-0 and the Republic of Ireland edge the Netherlands 3-2. In Group A3, Iceland defeated Ukraine 1-0 before Spain overwhelmed England 4-0. Group A4 ended with Austria beating Slovenia 1-0 and Germany defeating Norway 2-0.
League B
Group B1 finished with Czechia and Albania drawing 1-1, while Montenegro and Wales also shared the points in a 1-1 tie. In Group B2, Türkiye beat Northern Ireland 2-1 and Switzerland powered past Malta 6-1. Group B3 featured Finland’s 4-0 win over Slovakia and Portugal’s 5-0 victory over Latvia. Group B4 brought two heavy wins, as Scotland beat Israel 6-0 and Belgium beat Luxembourg 6-0.
League C
Group C1 ended with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Lithuania drawing 0-0, while Estonia beat Liechtenstein 5-0. Bulgaria defeated Gibraltar 3-1 in Group C2, and Croatia edged Kosovo 1-0. In Group C3, Hungary beat Azerbaijan 2-1 and North Macedonia beat Andorra 1-0. Group C4 produced a 3-2 win for the Faroe Islands over Georgia, while Moldova and Romania played to a 0-0 draw in Group C5 and Armenia and Kazakhstan finished 1-1 in Group C6.
The Last Group Round Arrives on Tuesday
Matchday 6 takes place on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, and it will close the group stage before the play-off path begins. The most important fixtures are in League A, where England host Ukraine and Iceland meet Spain in Group A3. That pair of matches could still alter the final shape of the group after Spain’s big win.
Group A2 is also set up for a tense finish, with France facing the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands meeting Poland. In Group A4, Norway play Austria and Slovenia face Germany, while Group A1 brings Sweden against Italy and Serbia against Denmark. Across the board, there is still enough uncertainty to keep qualification and seeding alive until the final whistle.
Play-Offs and the Road to Brazil
Once the group stage ends, the teams that do not reach the tournament directly will move into the play-offs. The draw for those ties is scheduled for June 18, 2026, and the route continues through two two-legged play-off rounds before the inter-confederation stage.
Round 1 of the play-offs will be played from October 7 to October 13, 2026. Round 2 follows from November 25 to December 5, 2026. The final inter-confederation play-offs are set for February 2027, which means several teams still have a long and difficult route ahead.
What Comes Next
The 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be played in Brazil from June 24 to July 25, 2027. With South America hosting the tournament for the first time, every result in Europe’s qualifying campaign now carries extra weight.
Spain’s win over England and Ireland’s upset of the Netherlands showed how quickly the picture can shift. The final matchday will decide which teams finish with automatic places, which ones keep their hopes alive through the play-offs, and how the seeding order ultimately shakes out.