England and Home Nations Begin Women's World Cup Play-Off Campaigns
England face Greece in the first round of the Women's World Cup play-offs, while Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland also start their qualification bids.
England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland begin their Women's World Cup play-off campaigns on Friday, aiming to secure a place at the tournament in Brazil. England, the European champions, travel to Crete to face Greece in the first leg of their round-one tie, with the return leg at Leicester's King Power Stadium on 13 October. Should they progress, they will meet the winners of Slovakia v Ukraine in round two, with the away fixture first.
England head coach Sarina Wiegman has defended her decision to omit Ella Toone and Chloe Kelly from the squad, stating they have not been playing to their full potential. "I still believe in these players," Wiegman said. "They took it well and want to work on that." England finished second in their qualifying group behind world champions Spain, despite winning five of six matches.
The other home nations also face challenging routes. Wales play Albania, Scotland meet the Czech Republic, Northern Ireland host Portugal, and the Republic of Ireland travel to Kazakhstan. Northern Ireland's task is particularly tough, having lost twice to Portugal in Euro 2025 qualifying, while the Republic of Ireland may face Belgium in round two. Wales have never beaten a top-20 ranked nation in a competitive fixture but will take confidence from a 4-0 win over Albania in qualifying.
Scotland, aiming for their second World Cup appearance after 2019, could face Sweden in round two if they advance. The Republic of Ireland's trip to Kazakhstan covers 3,100 miles, and they will need to adapt to unfamiliar opposition. England are heavy favourites against Greece, whom they outrank by 55 places, and have already beaten potential round-two opponents Ukraine 9-1 on aggregate in qualifying.
Supporters have expressed a mix of optimism and concern. Some fans believe England's squad depth will see them through, while others worry about the absence of key players like Toone and Kelly. For the other home nations, supporters are hopeful but acknowledge the difficulty of their respective draws. The play-offs continue over the coming months, with the second round scheduled between late November and early December.
Image: Getty Images / BBC Sport
