England Set to Compete in UEFA Women’s Nations League Alongside France, Austria, and Portugal
Sarina Wiegman‘s England will face France, Austria, and Portugal in the UEFA Women’s Nations League, a competition that serves as a qualifier for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
The draw has also included the Republic of Ireland, Wales, and Scotland in League A.
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To qualify for the Games, only the team that finishes at the top of each group will secure a place, while the group winners will also move on to the Nations League semi-finals.
On paper, the Republic of Ireland has the toughest challenge, facing world champions Spain, alongside Norway and Switzerland.
Wales will compete against Denmark, Italy, and Iceland, while Scotland’s opponents include Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden.
Northern Ireland, in Group B, will meet Poland, Finland, and Belarus.
England head coach Sarina Wiegman applauds fans after England’s Women’s World Cup qualifier against Greece (Nick Potts/PA).
Matchdays one and two are scheduled for February and March, with additional rounds planned for April. The final fixtures of the league stage will occur in June, just ahead of the Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
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The semi-finals will take place in October, while the final and third place play-off are set for late November and early December.
Teams finishing fourth in League A will descend to League B, while League B winners will be promoted.
England missed their chance to qualify for the Paris Olympics in 2024 after failing to win their Nations League group last year.
In that group, England found themselves alongside the Netherlands, Scotland, and Belgium. Although they won their last match 6-0 against Scotland, they fell short to the Netherlands on goal difference.
Wiegman’s squad aims to avoid making the same mistake again, but they will encounter stiff competition from France in their group.
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Furthermore, England must still secure their place in next year’s World Cup, facing Ukraine in a two-legged play-off scheduled for later this month and early December.
Under Wiegman’s leadership, England has seen considerable success, clinching the Euros in 2022 and 2025, while also reaching the World Cup final in 2023.
With these achievements, England now sets its sights on qualifying for next year’s World Cup and the pursuit of Olympic success in the following year.
