Women’s World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers: Spain Crush England as Matchday 5 Sets Up a Dramatic Finale

The race to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil tightened dramatically on Friday, with Matchday 5 of the UEFA European Qualifiers serving up statement wins, shock results and plenty of nerves ahead of next week’s decisive final round. With only one matchday left before the play-off picture is set, here’s everything you need to know — the headline results, a full group-by-group breakdown, the Matchday 6 fixtures, and the key dates on the road to Brazil.

Matchday 5 Headlines: The Talking Points

The night belonged to Spain, who delivered the most eye-catching result of the round with a commanding 4-0 win over England in Group A3. It was emphatic revenge after the Lionesses had edged Spain 1-0 earlier in the campaign, and it instantly reshaped the conversation at the top of one of qualifying’s toughest groups.

Elsewhere, the established powers flexed their muscles. Germany saw off Norway 2-0, France brushed aside Poland 2-0, and Italy bounced back in style with a 3-0 win over Serbia. But the round wasn’t without drama: the Republic of Ireland pulled off a memorable 3-2 victory over the Netherlands, one of the upsets of the qualifying campaign.

There were goal feasts further down the pyramid, too, with Switzerland (6-1 v Malta), Portugal (5-0 v Latvia), Scotland (6-0 v Israel) and Belgium (6-0 v Luxembourg) all running riot.

Matchday 5 Results in Full (Friday 5 June 2026)

League A

Group A1

• Italy 3-0 Serbia
• Denmark 2-1 Sweden

Group A2

• Poland 0-2 France
• Republic of Ireland 3-2 Netherlands

Group A3

• Ukraine 0-1 Iceland
• Spain 4-0 England

Group A4

• Austria 1-0 Slovenia
• Germany 2-0 Norway

League B

Group B1

• Czechia 1-1 Albania
• Montenegro 1-1 Wales

Group B2

• Türkiye 2-1 Northern Ireland
• Switzerland 6-1 Malta

Group B3

• Slovakia 0-4 Finland
• Portugal 5-0 Latvia

Group B4

• Scotland 6-0 Israel
• Belgium 6-0 Luxembourg

League C

Group C1

• Bosnia and Herzegovina 0-0 Lithuania
• Liechtenstein 0-5 Estonia

Group C2

• Bulgaria 3-1 Gibraltar
• Kosovo 0-1 Croatia

Group C3

• Azerbaijan 1-2 Hungary
• Andorra 0-1 North Macedonia

Group C4

• Georgia 2-3 Faroe Islands

Group C5

• Moldova 0-0 Romania

Group C6

• Armenia 1-1 Kazakhstan

Matchday 6: The Final Round of Group Qualifying

Everything comes to a head on Tuesday 9 June 2026, the last matchday before the play-offs. Several groups remain finely poised, and a handful of fixtures carry serious weight for qualification and seeding. Here’s the complete Matchday 6 schedule (kick-off times in CET).

League A

• Group A1: Sweden v Italy (19:00) · Serbia v Denmark (19:00)
• Group A2: France v Republic of Ireland (21:00) · Netherlands v Poland (21:00)
• Group A3: England v Ukraine (21:00) · Iceland v Spain (21:00)
• Group A4: Norway v Austria (18:00) · Slovenia v Germany (18:00)

League B

• Group B1: Wales v Czechia (19:00) · Albania v Montenegro (19:00)
• Group B2: Northern Ireland v Switzerland (19:00) · Malta v Türkiye (19:00)
• Group B3: Finland v Portugal (19:00) · Latvia v Slovakia (19:00)
• Group B4: Luxembourg v Belgium (19:00) · Israel v Scotland (19:00)

League C

• Group C1: Estonia v Bosnia and Herzegovina (19:00) · Lithuania v Liechtenstein (19:00)
• Group C2: Croatia v Bulgaria (19:00) · Gibraltar v Kosovo (19:00)
• Group C3: Hungary v Andorra (19:00) · North Macedonia v Azerbaijan (19:00)
• Group C4: Georgia v Greece (19:00)
• Group C5: Cyprus v Moldova (19:00)
• Group C6: Belarus v Armenia (19:00)

The standout clash is England v Ukraine running alongside Iceland v Spain in Group A3 — a pairing that could yet swing the group’s final standings after Spain’s statement win. Group A2 also promises a tense finish, with France v Republic of Ireland following the Irish side’s stunning result against the Netherlands.

What Happens Next: The Play-off Picture

Group qualifying ends on 9 June, but for many nations the journey to Brazil continues through the play-offs. The teams that miss out on automatic qualification will battle through a multi-round play-off system, with the draw to set those ties scheduled for 18 June 2026.

Key Play-off Dates

• Play-off Round 1 (two legs): 7–13 October 2026
• Play-off Round 2 (two legs): 25 November–5 December 2026
• Inter-confederation play-offs: February 2027

Road to Brazil: 2027 Women’s World Cup

The reward for navigating Europe’s qualifying maze is a place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, which runs from 24 June to 25 July 2027. It will be the first time the tournament is hosted in South America, adding extra significance to every result between now and next summer.

Final Word

Matchday 5 reminded everyone how unforgiving these qualifiers can be — Spain’s demolition of England and Ireland’s upset of the Netherlands proved that no result is guaranteed. With one round left to play on 9 June, the final group standings, play-off berths and seeding all remain up for grabs. Check back after Matchday 6 for the full play-off line-up and an updated route to Brazil 2027.