England and Home Nations Begin Play-offs for 2027 Women's World Cup

England's women's team, coached by Sarina Wiegman, starts its World Cup 2027 qualification play-offs against Greece, with the opening leg in Crete on 9 October followed by a home leg at Leicester's King Power Stadium on 13 October. Should they prevail, they will face the victor of the Slovakia-Ukraine tie in a second round scheduled between 26 November and 5 December. Wiegman's initial squad left out Ella Toone and Chloe Kelly, explaining the decision was based on recent performance levels.

The other Home Nations also begin their campaigns on Friday: Wales versus Albania, Scotland versus the Czech Republic, Northern Ireland versus Portugal, and the Republic of Ireland versus Kazakhstan. England entered the play-offs after finishing second to Spain in their group, while the other nations confront varied challenges, including Portugal's recent success over Northern Ireland and Wales' historic struggle against top-ranked sides. Broadcast coverage will be provided by one outlet radio and television platforms, and a new episode of the Women's Football Weekly podcast will discuss the matches.