Cymru will discover their opponents for next year’s 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign when the draw takes place in Nyon, Switzerland at 12pm GMT on Tuesday 4 November.
The Women’s European Qualifiers will run from February to December 2026 and decide the UEFA teams earning places at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, as well as promotion and relegation ahead of the next edition of the UEFA Women’s Nations League.
Rhian Wilkinson’s side have been placed in Pot 1 for the League B draw alongside Belgium, Portugal and Switzerland ensuring they will not play against any of these three teams. Cymru’s opponents will therefore be drawn from Pots 2, 3 and 4.
Who could Cymru face?
Pot 2: Scotland, Czechia, Finland, Northern Ireland
Pot 3: Albania, Türkiye, Slovakia, Israel
Pot 4: Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Latvia
Play-offs
In order for Cymru to qualify for the World Cup finals, they will need to do so via the play-offs.
The first round of the play-offs is in two paths. In one path, the teams finishing second and third in League A groups will play the six group winners and two best-ranked runners-up in League C. The teams from League A will be seeded and play the second legs at home. The eight winners progress to round 2.
In the other first-round path, the four fourth-placed League A teams and four League B group winners (Cymru’s group) will be drawn into eight ties against the teams finishing second and third in the League B groups. The teams from League A and the League B group winners will be seeded and play the second legs at home. The eight winners progress to round 2.
In the second round, the teams from both paths come together and will be drawn into eight ties, with seeding for the round 1 path 1 winners, who will be at home in the second leg.
The seven best-ranked round 2 play-off winners according to the 2026 Women’s European Qualifiers overall league rankings qualify directly for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The one remaining round 2 play-off winner qualifies for the World Cup inter-confederation play-offs. The European contenders will directly enter the inter-confederation play-offs in the second phase in February 2027.
Promotion and relegation will also be at stake ahead of the next UEFA Women’s Nations League, beginning the 2027–29 competition cycle, leading to UEFA Women’s EURO 2029.
