Road to Brazil: How the Home Nations Aim for Women's World Cup Glory in 2027

The stage is set for the 10th FIFA Women’s World Cup, taking place in Brazil from June 24 to July 25, 2027. For England, the journey begins with a tough two-legged playoff. Sarina Wiegman’s side, fresh off their European championship victory, will first travel to Crete to face Greece on Friday, October 9, at 17:30 BST. The return leg is scheduled for Tuesday, October 13, at 19:30 BST in Leicester’s King Power Stadium. Fans can catch both matches on BBC Radio 5 Live, where excitement is sure to build. If England secures victory against Greece, they will meet the winner of the Slovakia versus Ukraine tie, with the away match happening first. The dates for these potential second-leg fixtures will be confirmed, but they are expected to fall between November 26 and December 5, 2026. Wiegman announced her initial squad last month, notably leaving out Ella Toone and Chloe Kelly due to their recent performances. Wiegman explained, "They have not been playing to their full potential. Of course, I still believe in these players. They are really good and have shown so much for us.” She emphasized the importance of players being at their best, saying, “I had those conversations with them, and that was very hard to take.” As England prepares, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland are also in the playoff mix, each vying for a coveted World Cup spot. On the same Friday, Wales will kick off against Albania at 17:00 BST, with coverage on BBC Two Wales starting at 16:45 BST. Scotland takes on the Czech Republic at 18:00 BST, available to stream on BBC iPlayer and BBC Alba. Meanwhile, Northern Ireland faces a daunting challenge against Portugal at 19:00 BST, also on BBC iPlayer, while the Republic of Ireland squares off against Kazakhstan at 12:00 BST. Despite England’s impressive record of five wins in their qualifying matches, they fell short to world champions Spain, who claimed the automatic spot. Wiegman acknowledged the challenge ahead, stating, "We knew what the play-offs would look like... Our focus now is on being well prepared." The Lionesses will look to dominate their upcoming matches, especially against Greece, who sit 55 places below them in the FIFA rankings. England has previously faced Ukraine in the qualifiers, winning both encounters with a resounding aggregate score of 9-1. On the other hand, Northern Ireland faces a tough test against a skilled Portuguese side that has previously bested them in Euro 2025 qualifying. If they progress, they might encounter Iceland, another challenging opponent. Scotland eyes its second Women’s World Cup appearance after competing in 2019, hoping to capitalize on their solid performances this year, including a competitive draw against Belgium. They’ll need to bring their A-game if they encounter Sweden, a formidable force in Women’s World Cup history. Wales has yet to defeat a top-20 ranked nation in a competitive match, and their quest for qualification may hinge on overcoming that hurdle. However, optimism is high following their dominant 4-0 win against Albania in the group stage. Meanwhile, the Republic of Ireland, riding high after a successful qualifying run, faces a challenging path with Belgium looming in round two. First, they must tackle the long journey to Kazakhstan to face an unfamiliar opponent. As the home nations gear up for these crucial matches, the excitement builds for what could be a historic qualification campaign.