World Champions Spain and European Champions England Drawn Together for 2027 Women's World Cup Qualifiers

High-Stakes Draw in Nyon

The draw for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup European Qualifiers took place on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. The event saw reigning world champions Spain and European champions England placed in the same qualifying group, Group A3, for the upcoming tournament to be held in Brazil. This pairing sets up a highly anticipated series of matches between two of women's football's most dominant nations.

Group A3: A Clash of Titans

Spain and England will compete in Group A3 of League A, alongside national teams from Iceland and Ukraine. This group promises intense competition, particularly given the recent history between the two top-ranked teams. Spain secured their first-ever World Cup title in 2023 by defeating England 1-0 in the final. Conversely, England, known as the Lionesses, avenged that loss by beating Spain in a penalty shootout to retain their European Championship crown in the 2025 UEFA Women's EURO final.

Qualification Pathway Explained

The European Qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup will run from February to December 2026. The qualification format mirrors that of the UEFA Women's Nations League, dividing 53 UEFA teams into three leagues: League A (16 teams), League B (16 teams), and League C (21 teams). League A comprises four groups of four teams, with each team playing home and away matches against their group opponents across six matchdays between March and June 2026.

The path to the World Cup in Brazil is clear for League A teams:

• The four group winners from League A will automatically qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup.
• Europe has been allocated a total of 11 direct qualification spots for the tournament.
• The remaining seven direct qualification berths, along with one spot for the inter-confederation play-offs, will be determined through two rounds of play-offs scheduled for October and November/December 2026.

This structure means that only the top team in Group A3 will secure automatic qualification, intensifying the rivalry between Spain and England from the outset.