England begin the next stage of their FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 qualification campaign on Friday when they travel to Greece for the first leg of their round one play-off.
The Lionesses missed out on automatic qualification after finishing second behind Spain in their League A group, despite winning five of their six matches. Now, they must navigate two play-off rounds if they are to secure their place at next summer’s tournament in Brazil.
Greece stand between England and the next stage.
And while Sarina Wiegman’s side will go into the tie as favourites, there are some intriguing numbers behind Friday’s contest.
England and Greece Have Never Met at Senior Level
The first meeting between the two nations makes this a particularly unusual fixture for the Lionesses.
England have never previously faced Greece at senior level, meaning Friday’s match will be the first chapter in what could eventually become a new international rivalry.
History suggests England are usually comfortable when facing a nation for the first time.
The Lionesses are unbeaten in their last 41 fixtures against first-time opponents, winning 34 and drawing seven.
Their record against European nations making their competitive debut against England is similarly impressive.
England have avoided defeat in each of their last 15 such matches, winning 13 and drawing two.
Across those 15 fixtures, they have scored 87 goals while conceding just three.
The last time England lost a competitive match against a European nation they were facing for the first time was against France in a FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying play-off in October 2002.
Greece Have a Perfect Record in World Cup Qualifying
If England are expecting a straightforward first leg, Greece’s qualifying record provides a warning.
Despite only playing four matches, Greece are the only team to have won every game in European qualifying for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup so far.
They defeated the Faroe Islands and Georgia both home and away, scoring 10 goals and conceding just two.
Their final victory came in June, when they beat Georgia 3-2 away from home.
That means Greece enter the play-offs with a perfect qualifying record and four consecutive wins.
For a side who have never qualified for a major tournament, the opportunity to take on the reigning European champions represents a huge occasion.
England Were Among Europe’s Strongest World Cup Qualifiers
Greece may have a perfect record, but England’s campaign was played at a different level.
The Lionesses finished second in League A3 behind Spain, winning five of their six matches.
Only Germany collected more points than England across League A, with the Lionesses finishing on 15.
England also scored 13 goals during their campaign, with only Spain and Germany finding the net more often.
Their final group-stage fixture saw them beat Ukraine 3-0 in June, setting up the play-off route that now stands between them and Brazil.
Georgia Stanway Has Led England’s Scoring in Qualifying
One player who could be crucial to England’s hopes is Georgia Stanway.
The midfielder has scored four goals during the qualifying campaign, making her the Lionesses’ leading scorer so far.
Stanway has also scored against 22 different nations during her England career.
Only Ellen White and Kelly Smith, with 24 each, and Fara Williams, with 23, have scored against more different countries for the Lionesses.
With Greece likely to defend in numbers at times, England could need players capable of finding a breakthrough from different areas of the pitch.
Stanway’s ability to contribute goals from midfield could therefore prove particularly valuable.
Lauren Hemp Has Been England’s Main Creative Threat
While Stanway has provided the goals, Lauren Hemp has been one of England’s biggest creative threats.
The Manchester City forward has created more chances than any other England player during World Cup qualifying, with 13.
She has also attempted the most dribbles, with 28, while her two assists are joint-most in the squad.
Hemp’s ability to beat defenders and create opportunities could be especially important if Greece sit deep and look to frustrate England.
The forward has also already shown her importance to Wiegman’s side during the qualifying campaign, despite scoring once across the six matches.
England Have Rarely Failed to Win After Scoring First
There is another statistic that will give England confidence.
Under Wiegman, the Lionesses have won 51 of the 58 matches in which they have scored first.
They have lost just twice in those games, against France in May 2024 and Spain in June 2025, with both defeats coming by a 2-1 scoreline.
It highlights the importance of the opening goal in a two-legged tie.
If England can break Greece down early, the numbers suggest they are very good at protecting an advantage.
But Greece will be determined to make sure the Lionesses do not get that opportunity.
England Have a Strong Record in Major-Tournament Play-Offs
This is not England’s first experience of having to navigate a play-off route to a major tournament.
The Lionesses have contested six previous play-off ties for major competitions, progressing from four of them.
They successfully qualified for the 1999 and 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cups and UEFA Women’s EURO 2001 through the play-offs.
Greece, meanwhile, are still searching for their first appearance at either a Women's World Cup or EURO.
Their only previous major-tournament play-off ended in disappointment, with Belgium winning 5-0 on aggregate ahead of UEFA Women's EURO 2025.
What Is at Stake in the Greece vs England Play-Off?
Friday’s match is only the beginning.
England will travel to the Pankritio Stadium in Heraklion for the first leg on Friday 9 October, with kick-off at 5.30pm BST.
The return fixture will then take place at Leicester City’s King Power Stadium on Tuesday 13 October at 7.30pm.
The winner of the tie will progress to Round 2, where victory over either Slovakia or Ukraine would secure a place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
England will expect to get the job done.
But Greece’s perfect qualifying record, combined with the fact these nations have never met before, means the Lionesses cannot afford to take anything for granted.
The road to Brazil starts here.
