England's Lionesses travel to Crete for the first leg of their Women's World Cup 2027 qualifying play-off against Greece on Friday, 9 October, kick-off 17:30 BST. The return leg takes place at Leicester's King Power Stadium on Tuesday, 13 October at 19:30 BST. Both matches will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 5 Live.
The greece vs england tie is the first of two play-off rounds England must navigate to reach next year's finals in Brazil. Should Sarina Wiegman's side progress, they will face the winners of Slovakia versus Ukraine in November or December, with the away leg first. The second-round fixtures are scheduled between 26 November and 5 December 2026.
Qualifying format leaves England in play-offs
Fifty-three European nations entered qualifying, split into three leagues based on the 2025 UEFA Women's Nations League standings. The four League A group winners — Denmark, France, Spain and Germany — secured direct qualification to the 2027 World Cup. England finished second in their group behind world champions Spain, despite winning five of six matches, dropping them into the play-off path.
The play-offs operate across two paths. In Path 1, where England are placed, the second- and third-placed League A teams face sides that advanced from League C. Path 2 pairs the bottom League A teams and top League B winners against the second- and third-placed League B teams. Winners from each path meet in the second round, with the victors qualifying for the World Cup. One additional European nation will enter the inter-confederation play-offs for a final chance.
Squad changes and starting line-up
England will be without two players from the original squad. Aston Villa midfielder Lucia Kendall withdrew with a minor groin injury and has been replaced by Manchester City's Grace Clinton, who will be available for the second leg in Leicester. Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze also left the squad to manage a minor injury sustained in last weekend's league match against West Ham; Ella Toone was recalled to replace her and is on the bench for the first leg.
Wiegman named a strong starting XI at Pankritio Stadio: Hampton; Le Tissier, Morgan, Williamson, Greenwood; Walsh, Stanway, Blindkilde Brown; Russo, James, Hemp. Manchester United captain Maya Le Tissier starts at right-back in Bronze's absence, while Laura Blindkilde Brown earns a midfield nod. The front three of Lauren James, Alessia Russo and Lauren Hemp all start.
Greece, ranked 55 places below England in the FIFA world rankings, fielded: Petaloti; Giannaka, Paterna, Markou, Gkouni-Papaioannou; Drakogiannaki, Brame, Moraitou; Papatheodorou, Brookshire, Sarri.
Wiegman focused on preparation despite favourable draw
"We knew what the play-offs would look like and, while we're pleased with the draw against Greece, the focus now is on making sure we're really well prepared," Wiegman said, according to BBC. "We want to dominate games and have a lot of the ball and that's something we will prepare for carefully."
England also hold a psychological edge over potential second-round opponents Ukraine, having beaten them 9-1 on aggregate in the group stage.
Why the play-offs matter for England
Missing automatic qualification was a setback for the European champions, but former England striker Ellen White framed it as an opportunity. "We've got players that are bang in form at the minute, WSL and NWSL. That's what I am excited to see — that translated to the Lionesses and that connection again," White said on Women's Football Weekly. "It's always a joy, playing for England, surrounded by the best players in England. Yes, it was disappointing not to get automatic qualification but it's another chance and opportunity to get the England shirt on."
For a squad blending experienced leaders with emerging talent from the Women's Super League and the US National Women's Soccer League, the play-offs offer a platform to build momentum before a major tournament. A successful campaign would extend England's run at the top tier of women's football and set the stage for a World Cup title challenge in Brazil.