On March 3, the women’s national team will start the World Cup qualifiers. On the way to the finals in Brazil, Switzerland must also survive the play-offs after the group stage. Here you can find out everything you need to know about the World Cup qualifiers.
- The World Cup with 32 teams will take place from June 24 to July 25, 2027 in Brazil.
- The qualifying phase begins in March 2026 and ends with the play-offs, which will be held from October to December.
- UEFA has been allocated eleven starting places. Another team from Europe could qualify via the intercontinental play-offs.
- This would be Switzerland’s fourth major event in a row.
On paper, the Swiss are clear favorites in their group, as a glance at the world rankings shows. Switzerland are ranked 25th. Northern Ireland are currently ranked 44th in the world, Turkey are 58th and Malta are 88th. The last team in the group is eliminated and cannot qualify for the World Cup. The teams in places 1 to 3 will reach the play-offs.
- Switzerland – Northern Ireland, March 3
- Malta – Switzerland, March 7
- Switzerland – Turkey, April 14
- Turkey – Switzerland, April 18
- Switzerland – Malta, June 5
- Northern Ireland – Switzerland, June 9
Who will qualify for the World Cup?
- Only the four group winners of League A qualify directly for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
- The other eleven direct European starting places will be awarded via play-offs, which will be played in two rounds with first and second legs.
- Switzerland plays in League B and cannot qualify directly for the World Cup. The path to the World Cup leads via the play-offs.
The World Cup qualifying groups at a glance
- League A
Group 1: Sweden, Italy, Denmark, Serbia.
Group 2: France, Netherlands, Poland, Ireland.
Group 3: Spain, England, Iceland, Ukraine.
Group 4: Germany, Norway, Austria, Slovenia.
- League B
Group 1: Wales, Czech Republic, Albania, Montenegro.
Group 2: SWITZERLAND, Northern Ireland, Turkey, Malta.
Group 3: Portugal, Finland, Slovakia, Latvia.
Group 4: Belgium, Scotland, Israel, Luxembourg.
- League C
Group 1: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Estonia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein.
Group 2: Croatia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Gibraltar.
Group 3: Hungary, Azerbaijan, North Macedonia, Andorra.
Group 4: Greece, Faroe Islands, Georgia.
Group 5: Romania, Cyprus, Moldova.
Group 6: Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia.
What happens after the group stage?
- All teams from League A in places 2 to 4 reach the play-offs. The group winners have already qualified.
- All teams from League B (including Switzerland) in places 1 to 3 make it to the playoffs. The teams finishing bottom of the group are eliminated.
- The group winners from League C qualify for the playoffs, as do the two best runners-up.
- If Switzerland wins its group, it avoids a team from League A, at least in the first play-off round.
- All groups are also about promotion and relegation before the next edition of the Nations League. If the Nati win their group, they will be promoted back to League A.
How are the play-off duels determined?
At the end of the league phase, the group tables and the overall league table will determine who can meet whom. The first play-off round is split two ways.
- Path 1: The second and third-placed teams in League A compete against the six group winners and the two best second-placed teams in League C.
- Path 2: The four fourth-placed teams in League A and the four group winners in League B are drawn into eight pairings against the second and third-placed teams in League B.
- In the first round of the playoffs, the duels are determined by a draw.
- Route 1: The teams from League A are seeded and play the second leg at home.
- Route 2: The teams from League A and the group winners from League B are seeded and play the second leg at home.
- The winners of the first round of the playoffs qualify for the second round.
- In the second playoff round, the matches are determined by a draw.
- The duels from round 1 way 1 are seeded for the draw for the second round; the winners of these duels play the second leg of the second round at home.
- The seven top-placed winners of the second play-off round according to the league tables of the Women’s European Qualifiers 2026 will qualify directly for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027.
- The remaining winner of the second play-off round will qualify for the intercontinental play-offs.