Spain, France, and Denmark are headed to Brazil after Tuesday’s qualifiers. The League A group-leaders joined Germany to claim Europe’s four direct 2027 World Cup bids this week.

Defending champion Spain crushed Iceland 6-1 to finish first in qualifying Group A3 behind a Vicky Lopez brace. Meanwhile, Melvine Malard’s near-halftime heroics lifted France over the Republic of Ireland 1-0 to win Group A2 over the Netherlands. 

Denmark silenced Serbia 4-1 to climb Group A1’s ranks, netting two goals in the first 15 minutes before Amalie Vangsgaard curled in the game-winner. And the already-qualified Germans cemented their A4 dominance by shutting out Slovenia 2-0.

UEFA has 11 tournament slots, with League A’s top finishers earning automatic berths. However, the second- and third-place teams move to a playoff round with lower-league winners.

Playoff-bound 2023 World Cup runner-up and reigning Euros champion England became the week’s biggest surprise, ceding Group A3 to Spain despite beating Ukraine 3-0 behind new Manchester City signing Beth Mead’s 40th international goal.

“I’m happy with the performance but not with the result that we have to go into the playoffs,” Lionesses manager Sarina Wiegman said postmatch. “We know what we have to do. I’m very positive that we will qualify anyway.”

The playoff draw is set for June 18th, with the continental showdown kicking off this October.

England captain Leah Williamson will miss the Lionesses' upcoming 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Ukraine.

The Arsenal defender suffered a hamstring injury during a recent rehabilitation session, indicating a blow for both club and country.

Leah Williamson Faces Fitness Concerns After WSL Season

Williamson has struggled with fitness in recent months. Following a 2023 knee surgery, Williamson picked up a new knock during back-to-back champion England's 2025 Euros run. She subsequently only started in two matches for Arsenal during the 2025/26 season.

While she managed to compete in Arsenal's Champions League semifinal clash with Lyon, she ended her WSL season nursing a hamstring issue on the bench.

Despite the late scratch, Sarina Wiegman's side remains in position to seal a 2027 World Cup spot.

England's Road to the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup

England currently leads its qualifying group by three points over reigning world champions Spain. Now, the Lionesses only need to pick up a single point on Friday to punch a ticket to Brazil for next year's tournament.

Still, with the reliable WSL defender sidelined, England had to reshuffle its roster. Wiegman tapped Liverpool captain Grace Fisk to replace Williamson, while the team faces additional fitness tests ahead of the weekend's continental clash.

Manchester City goalkeeper Khiara Keating is currently out on concussion protocol. Brighton keeper Sophie Baggaley will join the team as cover, though WSL Golden Glove winner Hannah Hampton will likely stay in goal against Spain.

England takes on Spain on June 5th at 3 PM ET, before squaring off with Ukraine on June 9th to cap its qualifying run.

When is the Women's World Cup 2027?

Meanwhile, the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup will kick off on June 24th, 2027 in Brazil.

Running through July 25th, it marks the first time the tournament will be hosted in South America, with Netflix holding the exclusive US streaming rights.

Arsenal is officially losing a club legend this summer, as the club announced on Monday that forward Beth Mead will be leaving the Gunners after nine years with the team.

Mead scored 86 goals in 263 games for Arsenal in her career, winning the 2025 UEFA Women’s Champions League title as well as multiple domestic cups.

"For me, it's always been about more than just trophies, it's about the people you share it with," Mead said in Arsenal's Instagram announcement. "The friendships I've made here go far beyond football and I know that they'll last a lifetime."

"Beth has made a huge contribution to our football club over nine years, and will go down in history as one of our best forwards and a legend of the club," Arsenal’s director of women’s football Clare Wheatley said.

"Beth is such a special person and will always be welcome at Arsenal. I know our supporters will join me in wishing Beth happiness and success in her future endeavours."

Mead is reportedly close to a move to 2026 WSL champions Manchester City, as a busy offseason could reshape the hierarchy of numerous top English clubs.

Elsewhere in the WSL, Chelsea legend Millie Bright has already announced her retirement, while Manchester City striker Khadija "Bunny" Shaw and Chelsea legend Sam Kerr both have not yet signed extensions with their current clubs.

UEFA is gearing up for the 2027 World Cup, as England and Spain sparred for one of four automatic berths at this week’s Women’s European Qualifiers.

England landed the first blow against reigning champion Spain on Tuesday. The Lionesses defeated their continental rival 1-0 behind a Lauren Hemp strike to sit atop the league stage’s Group A4.

"Against Spain, you need to defend as a team really well, because their individual qualities are so high," said Lionesses manager Sarina Wiegman. "We tried to annoy them a little bit and let them make mistakes."

"Everybody knows you can't go toe-to-toe with Spain for possession," added England midfielder Keira Walsh. "Our plan was to sit in a low block and when we had a chance, go forward. They had chances at the end but they're an unbelievable team."

How UEFA Women's European Qualifiers Set the World Cup Field

The Women's European Qualifiers run through December 2026, determining which European teams compete in the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. However, the tournament also impacts promotion and relegation ahead of the UEFA Women's Nations League, kicking off in 2027.

Four-group League A features Europe’s Top 16 teams — with each group’s winner earning a direct path to the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.

League A’s remaining 12 teams advance to end-of-year playoffs fielding UEFA’s seven additional berths, with second- and third-place finishers facing lower-ranked nations via top seeding.

Tuesday’s other UEFA Qualifying winners include Denmark, the Netherlands, and Germany, with three league-stage matchdays to go.

How to Watch European Teams at UEFA World Cup Qualifiers

UEFA Women's European Qualifiers return on Saturday, as England takes on Iceland at 12:30 PM GMT on ITVX in the UK.

Group A's Saturday lineup also features Denmark vs Italy, France vs Netherlands, and Austria vs Germany. See full schedule at UEFA.com.

England named 17-year-old Erica Meg Parkinson to its latest squad, handing the midfielder a surprise call-up for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Iceland.

Parkinson plays for Portuguese top-flight side Valadares Gaia and has previously been involved in England’s youth teams. She joins the senior group as manager Sarina Wiegman looks to reshape the midfield, with Grace Clinton, Ella Toone, and Aggie Beever-Jones all sidelined with injuries. 

Beth Mead, meanwhile, is set to return after missing England’s last two World Cup qualifying wins over Ukraine and Iceland.

According to Wiegman, Parkinson earned the opportunity.

“She’s a very dynamic attacking midfielder and wants to go forward,” said the fifth-year Lionesses coach. “She’s very aggressive and pretty technical.”

Wiegman added that the teenager is not expected to move straight into the starting lineup.

“It’s a learning thing for her, but I do hope she can adapt quickly to the level that’s needed in our senior environment,” she said.

This month’s roster also included captain Leah Williamson despite a recent hamstring issue. Wiegman specified the Arsenal defender “had some small setbacks,” but is progressing well.

When Is the 2027 Women's World Cup?

The 32-team Women’s World Cup kicks off on June 24th, 2027 in Brazil.

The Lionesses currently sit atop Group A3 after tallying wins over Ukraine (6-1) and Iceland (2-0).

England's Football Association wants to overhaul the Women's FA Cup — and the proposals are drawing sharp criticism from across the women's football pyramid.

Three main changes headline the FA's 2024-28 growth strategy. First, the top four clubs from the previous WSL season would receive seeding. Secondly, the traditional draw would give way to a World Cup-style bracket starting from the final 32 — the round where WSL clubs enter the FA Cup. Lastly, tier seven clubs would lose the right to compete entirely.

The FA argues the bracket format creates clearer narratives, helps broadcast planning, and builds fan anticipation en route to Wembley. They also claim the seeding system produces higher-quality late-round FA Cup matches.

Supporters groups have subsequently pushed back, saying the reforms erode sporting merit in favor of elite clubs.

"The FA has repeatedly committed to expanding the women's football pyramid and ensuring ‘football is for all,’" a source told The Athletic. "Removing tier seven clubs from the FA Cup feels like a step backwards from this mission."

Lower clubs also list grievances. The FA Cup entry fee tripled from £25 to £75, a significant financial burden for grassroots clubs. Four lowest-tier sides reached the FA Cup's first-round this season: Leyton Orient, South London Women FC, Maidstone United, and Millbrook. One source went so far as to describe the proposed ban as pulling up a drawbridge on the women's game.

According to the Greater London Women's Football League chairman, just one of the region's 50 tier-seven clubs was consulted before the proposal circulated. The FA declined to comment on this claim.

The Women's FA Cup final is set for May 31st at London's Wembley Stadium.

Stars of the 2025 Euro stole the EA FC 26 spotlight this week, as the video game giant's fan-voted 2026 Team of the Year recognized some of international soccer's top achievers on Thursday.

Champions England fielded four honorees as forward Alessia Russo joined a trio of Lioness defenders — Leah Williamson, Millie Bright, and Team of the Year captain Lucy Bronze — on the 11-player list.

"Being named the first-ever Women's EA Sports FC TOTY Captain is an honour," Bronze said in a statement. "2025 was an amazing year — winning the Euros again and picking up my first BWSL with Chelsea — so much of that success is thanks to our fans, and it's great to see them recognize my efforts with this award."

The rest of the EA FC 26 Team of the Year also favored European titans, as Euro runners-up and Nations League winners Spain also saw a quartet of players make the roster. La Roja fully owned the Team of Year midfield as stars Aitana Bonmatí, Mariona Caldentey, and Alexia Putellas joined forward Clàudia Pina on Thursday's lineup.

Rounding out the squad were three other European club standouts as EA FC 26 also tapped Chliean goalkeeper Christiane Endler (OL Lyonnes), French defender Selma Bacha (OL Lyonnes), and Polish forward Ewa Pajor (FC Barcelona).

The stars of last summer's Euro ruled the 2025 FIFA Best Awards on Tuesday, as international players for world No. 1 Spain and No. 4 England shut out the competition at the annual ceremony in Qatar.

Spain and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmatí won her third straight Best Women's Player of the Year award, after finishing as a runner up at both the 2024/25 UEFA Women's Champions League and this year's Euros.

"I'm grateful to have the award, it's for all the players all the coaches and the fans, thanks very much," Bonmatí told the crowd, as the reigning three-time Ballon d'Or winner continues to recover from a broken leg.

The 2025 Euro tournament also influenced the 2025 FIFA Women's Best XI, with the lineup exclusively featuring Spain and England standouts.

Joining Bonmatí on the FIFA roster were Spain teammates Irene Paredes, Ona Batlle, Patri Guijarro, Clàudia Pina, Mariona Caldentey, and Alexia Putellas, with Euro champion Lionesses Lucy Bronze, Leah Williamson, Alessia Russo, and Hannah Hampton rounding out the field.

Hampton also picked up Goalkeeper of the Year honors, with England boss Sarina Wiegman snagging the 2025 Coach of the Year award.

Months after a controversial 2025 Ballon d'Or ballot, FIFA took a similarly narrow Euro-centric view of success at the individual level for this year's Best Awards.

Star England defender Esme Morgan made an impression on her new Washington Spirit teammates even before she set foot on US soil — just by the sound of her voice.

"Looking at Es on social media before she came, I just thought her voice was so angelic," Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury told Just Women's Sports at NWSL Championship Media Day in San Jose. "Even the first weeks, I couldn't even focus on what she was saying — I'm like, 'I am in the presence of the Queen.'"

If the former Manchester City defender wasn't already the NWSL team's quintessential English international, she cemented her prowess after winning a European Championship with the Lionesses earlier this summer. Since joining the Spirit in 2024, the center back has become a player to watch on both sides of the Atlantic, after making a bet on herself by transferring to the notoriously fast-paced NWSL in search of greater responsibility on the pitch.

A die-hard NFL fan with a bubbly personality and loyal TikTok following, Morgan immediately took to life in the US. Her proper British accent belies a fierce competitor on the field. She's a force in the locker room, fusing social connections that greatly contributed to the Spirit reaching a second straight NWSL final. And she's also good for more than a little bit of banter.

"Es is just super entertaining, she's really good at getting under my skin," added Kingsbury with a laugh. "She brings… a lot of sunshine to the locker room, and obviously is just a fun person to play with." 

But it's not all puppies and rainbows. Ceding last year's championship to the Orlando Pride still stings for Morgan. And she's turned that pain into intensity — one that's fueled her and her teammates all the way back to the precipice of NWSL glory.

How Esme Morgan energized Washington Spirit’s team culture

Washington's camaraderie is palpable, something midfielder Hal Hershfelt credits in part to Morgan's readiness to spend time with her teammates off the pitch, no matter the occasion.

"Honestly, she came to the team and we did a lot more team events and stuff like that," she said. "She's so extroverted, willing to get people together, get people grooving."

Morgan recalls a time early in the 2025 preseason, after Spirit captain Andi Sullivan announced she was pregnant with her first child ("the whole team had gone crazy," she remembered). A group of players had ridden their bikes to get ice cream, including recent signing Narumi Miura, who had only been in market for a few days.

"We were all just chatting about [Sullivan], and Rumi goes, 'I love this team!'" Morgan said. "She'd been here four days. We were like, 'Oh my gosh, Rumi, we love you too!' I think that speaks to the environment that we have."

The team's comfort with one another is also evident on the pitch, whether it's Morgan and midfielder Croix Bethune hitting Cam Ward's football celly in front of Audi Field's sold-out home crowd, or the trust permeating the defense as they confront ongoing injuries. 

"We definitely hold each other to high standards," said Kingsbury. "We all really want to win, and we all really want to do well for each other."

Esme Morgan bets on the NWSL to elevate her England career

Morgan arrived in the US on a mission.

She was named to England's World Cup squad in 2023, but spent the tournament on the bench, watching on as an unused substitute as the Lionesses finished second to Spain.

So when she got the opportunity to transfer to the NWSL the following year, proving her national team worth was front of mind. 

"She wanted to take a step forward, knowing that this league would challenge her," said Washington manager Adrián González. "I think she's done an amazing job, especially adapting herself to the type of games we have here."

The defender favors the NWSL's summer schedule, as it allows her to stay in shape for major international tournaments. And as she told JWS earlier this year, the US league's speedy, possession-oriented style has made her a better overall player. Morgan had always been good with the ball at her feet, but her time in Washington has significantly improved her off-ball positioning and ability to go toe-to-toe with the world's best attackers.

Her desire to improve only grew stronger after the Spirit fell short of last year's NWSL title. "That was something that at the time provided a huge fire inside me," she said. "I worked super hard in the off-season, doing things on the pitch that I knew would complement the areas of the game that I wanted to improve."

From Euros glory to NWSL grind: Esme Morgan returns to form

The work is paying off. She played a key role as a reserve center back in the Lionesses's successful UEFA Women's Euro defense this summer, replacing Gotham defender — and 2025 NWSL Championship opponent — Jess Carter in England's hard-fought semifinal victory over Italy. She went on to lift the trophy with her national team teammates, after avenging their World Cup loss against Spain in the European Championship final. 

Winning a major international title accomplished a childhood dream, but Morgan had to quickly re-orient herself after rejoining the Spirit in DC.

"Immediately after the Euros was when I felt the most tired. It was just like a come-down after that high," she reflected. "But I've since rallied and [felt] fresh and ready coming into the last couple of games."

How team love fuels the Washington Spirit's NWSL Championship quest

Heading into tonight's NWSL Championship, Morgan's focus on winning hasn't changed. But the source of her desire has shifted some, a full year after last year's disappointing exit. Washington faced adversity due to injury this season, in many ways mirroring their 2024 arc. But they've also continued to prioritize joy — on and off the pitch.

"We've overcome lots of challenges as a group, but stuck together throughout," Morgan said. "Now my passion and desire to win this weekend comes not from me losing out last year. It comes from the love I have for this group and the desire to win with these girls."

Another thing driving her? A victory tonight would put Morgan in rare company, completing her 2025 trophy case with both an international and league.

"I had the best time in the summer, achieved a lifelong goal. And ever since I've come to the Spirit, I've wanted to win the championship," she said. "It would be the perfect year, really." 

Europe's top soccer teams have started down their 2027 World Cup paths, with UEFA revealing the field of 2026 European Qualifiers in a Tuesday morning league-stage draw.

Reigning world champion and world No. 1 Spain headlines the results, with La Roja set to face 2023 World Cup runners-up — and newly minted back-to-back Euro champs — No. 4 England in Group A3, while Group A1 pits perennial titans No. 3 Sweden against rising stars No. 12 Italy.

Group A2 will see No. 6 France taking on the No. 11 Netherlands, with No. 5 Germany and No. 13 Norway headlining Group A4.

A total of 11 UEFA teams will clinch spots in the 2027 World Cup via the European Qualifiers, which kick off in March 2026, though one additional UEFA nation will earn the opportunity to try and punch a ticket to the Brazil-hosted tournament via an inter-continental playoff in February 2027.

Based on the 2025 Nations League results, UEFA teams fell into three leagues entering the 2026 qualifiers, with League A and B housing 16 squads each while League C holds 21.

The winners of League A's four groups will directly qualify for the World Cup, while the remaining League A teams along with top finishers from League B and C will move on to a series of playoffs to ultimately determine the seven other direct UEFA qualifiers, plus the inter-confederation play-off contender.

The 2026 UEFA World Cup Qualifiers League A Groups

• Group A1: No. 3 Sweden, No. 12 Italy, No. 14 Denmark, No. 35 Serbia

• Group A2: No. 6 France, No. 11 Netherlands, No. 26 Poland, No. 27 Republic of Ireland

• Group A3: No. 1 Spain, No. 4 England, No. 17 Iceland, No. 34 Ukraine

• Group A4: No. 5 Germany, No. 13 Norway, No. 19 Austria, No. 38 Slovenia