England are still fighting for their place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Despite winning five of their six qualifying matches, the Lionesses missed out on automatic qualification after finishing second behind Spain in League A3.
Now, Sarina Wiegman’s side face a two-round play-off route for a place at next summer’s tournament in Brazil.
Their first challenge is Greece.
Why England Must Go Through the World Cup Play-Offs
England looked set to challenge for top spot in their qualifying group after an impressive campaign, but a 4-0 defeat to Spain in their penultimate fixture proved decisive.
Spain moved above the Lionesses after winning the head-to-head comparison, before England responded with a 3-0 victory over Ukraine in their final match.
Spain then confirmed their position at the top of the group with a 6-1 win against Iceland.
That left England in second place, meaning they missed out on one of UEFA's direct qualification spots and instead entered the European play-offs as a seeded team.
It means there is still work to do if the Lionesses are to return to the World Cup.
England vs Greece: The Lionesses’ First Play-Off Test
The Lionesses will begin their play-off campaign against Greece in Round 1.
The tie will be played over two legs, with the first taking place in Greece on Friday 9 October.
The Lionesses will travel to the Pankritio Stadium in Heraklion, Crete, with kick-off scheduled for 5.30pm BST.
The second leg will then take place in England at the King Power Stadium.
It will be a familiar venue for Wiegman's side, who played there during their preparations for Euro 2025, beating Jamaica 7-0 before going on to lift the trophy.
England will therefore have home advantage in the second leg as they look to secure their place in Round 2.
What Happens If England Beat Greece?
Victory over Greece would see England progress to the second round of the play-offs.
They would enter that stage as a seeded team, with their potential opponent determined by the draw.
The winners of England's Path 1 tie will face one of the winners from Path 2.
The second round will also be played over two legs, giving England another home fixture if they make it that far.
But reaching Round 2 won't automatically guarantee qualification.
That's because UEFA's play-off system determines the final World Cup places based on the ranking of the teams that progress.
How Many UEFA Teams Will Qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup?
UEFA has been allocated 11 places at the 2027 Women's World Cup.
Four teams have already secured their places by winning their League A qualifying groups.
The remaining European places will be decided through the play-offs.
In Round 2, the seven highest-ranked winners according to the overall 2026 European Qualifiers league rankings will qualify directly for the World Cup.
The remaining Round 2 winner will enter FIFA's intercontinental play-offs, meaning they would still have another opportunity to reach Brazil.
England's seeding and strong overall ranking could therefore prove important if they progress beyond their opening tie.
When Are the 2027 Women’s World Cup Play-Offs?
The Lionesses' route to Brazil will unfold across two windows.
Round 1: 7-13 October 2026
Round 2: 26 November-5 December 2026
Both rounds will be played over two legs, with England guaranteed home advantage in the second leg if they progress.
For now, though, the focus is firmly on Greece.
What England Need to Do to Reach the 2027 World Cup
England's journey to the 2027 Women's World Cup has become more complicated than many supporters might have expected after five wins from six group matches.
But the Lionesses remain firmly in the race.
They will need to navigate two play-off rounds to secure automatic qualification, starting with Greece in October.
After reaching the World Cup final in 2023 and winning EURO 2025, Wiegman's side will be determined to ensure they are back on the biggest stage next summer.
The road to Brazil is not straightforward.
But England's World Cup dream is still very much alive.
