Cymru will take on Denmark, Italy and Iceland in League A3 of the 2027 UEFA Women’s Nations League following the draw that took place on Tuesday at UEFA HQ in Nyon.
“I’m looking forward to being back in League A and testing ourselves against top nations,” said head coach Rhian Wilkinson after the draw. “It will be a tough test but also exciting challenges. As a group we know that there are areas that we can improve on and we will take a lot of learnings from previous campaigns.”
Placed in Pot 4, Cymru were always going to face a difficult test in what will be their third campaign in League A. However, all three teams will provide familiar opposition having been drawn against Cymru in the previous two editions of the Nations League.
Denmark and Iceland joined Cymru in Group A3 for the inaugural edition of the Nations League in 2023/24, while Italy and Denmark were drawn alongside Cymru in Group A4 for the second edition of the tournament in 2025. Cymru will now meet Denmark for the third Nations League tournament in succession.
“Playing against some of the best nations in the world will only make us better,” added Wilkinson. “It’s about showing up and showcasing what this Wales team can do. We want to be in League A and play the most exciting games, so it’s great to be back in the top league.”
Cymru gained promotion to League A through their performances in the first phase of 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying as Wilkinson’s side enjoyed an undefeated campaign and finished top of Group B1 ahead of Czechia, Albania and Montenegro.
Denmark are the highest-ranked side in the group having recently moved into the top ten places in the FIFA World Rankings. Italy are currently 14th with Iceland just two places behind them. Cymru currently occupy 31st place following an impressive run of results over the last year, a run that set a new record of ten games undefeated.
Although Cymru have not registered victories over their three opponents in their previous Nations League meetings, a friendly between Cymru and Denmark in Cardiff in 2021 ended in a 1-1 draw, while Cymru and Iceland played out a 0-0 draw at the 2023 Pinatar Cup.
However, the most significant previous meeting between Cymru and Iceland took place in 1993 and ended in 1-0 victory for Iceland. Played at the Afan Lido in Port Talbot, the friendly fixture was the first women’s international match played under the control of the Football Association of Wales.
This will be Cymru’s third campaign in League A of the Nations League
Despite the excitement around the draw, the immediate attention for Wilkinson and her squad is on the upcoming 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup Round 2 Play-Off against Norway next month. Tickets for the 2nd leg at the Cardiff City Stadium on 4 December are available to purchase here.
Like Cymru, Italy and Iceland are also preparing for crucial World Cup Play-Off fixtures. Italy were semi-finalists at EURO 2025 and face Finland for a place in Brazil next summer, while Iceland take on Portugal as they look to make their first appearance at the tournament. Denmark have already secured their place.
The fixtures for the 2027 UEFA Women’s Nations League will be confirmed shortly with the opening two matchdays scheduled to take place in February and March. The remaining fixtures will then take place during April and June.
The four League A winners will then qualify for Nations League Finals in at the end of next year as well as the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. In addition, the final Nations League group placings will shape the qualifying campaign for EURO 2029.
