England's women's national team missed out on automatic qualification for the 2027 Women's World Cup after finishing second in their qualifying group. The Lionesses ended the group stage with 15 points from six games, winning five and losing oneβa 4-0 defeat to Spain, the reigning world champions, who also finished with 15 points but advanced on head-to-head record.
The loss to Spain, which occurred on June 6, 2026, in a match that saw La Roja dominate, leaves England needing to navigate the play-offs scheduled for later in 2026. The play-offs will determine the final European spots for the tournament, which will be hosted by Brazil in 2027.
Manager Sarina Wiegman expressed disappointment but remained focused on the path ahead. 'We wanted automatic qualification, but now we have to regroup and prepare for the play-offs,' she said. The team will need to win two play-off matches to secure their place in the World Cup.
