Summary

  • World Cup play-off draw 11:00 BST

  • England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Republic of Ireland will find out their play-off opponents

  • Round 1, path 1 - Greece v England, Kazakhstan v Republic of Ireland

  • Round 1, path 2 - Albania v Wales, Czech Republic v Scotland, Northern Ireland v Portugal

  • Round 2 - full draw

  • Four League A winners already qualified for 2027 World Cup in Brazil - Denmark, France, Germany and Spain

  • How the play-offs work, external

Send us your views on the Lionesses

  1. Postpublished at 11:19 BST 18 June

    Greece v England

  2. Postpublished at 11:18 BST 18 June

    Romania v Norway

  3. Postpublished at 11:17 BST 18 June

    Lithuania v Sweden

    Lithuania play the first leg at home.

  4. Postpublished at 11:13 BST 18 June

    Remember, Denmark, France, Germany and Spain have already qualified so they are not involved in today's draw.

  5. Postpublished at 11:12 BST 18 June

    Anita Asante on the Uefa feed: "I think the stakes are higher now for players as there is more expectation and pressure.

    "It's an exciting time. Their profiles are building and every nation gets stronger and stronger with each competition."

  6. Postpublished at 11:09 BST 18 June

    Here we go! The balls are in the pots and we're getting started. Former England defender Anita Asante is on stage ready to do the draw.

    Feel free to send in your reaction to #bbcfootball on X during the draw.

  7. Postpublished at 11:05 BST 18 June

    A shorter summary of the home nations situation:

    England and Republic of Ireland (path 1 seeded)

    Scotland and Wales (path 2 seeded)

    Northern Ireland (path 2 unseeded)

  8. Postpublished at 11:02 BST 18 June

    Nadine Kessler, Uefa's head of women's football and former Germany international, is on stage doing the introductions.

    We know these draws can sometimes take a while so fingers crossed it kicks off sharply!

  9. How the play-offs workpublished at 11:00 BST 18 June

    We're about to get going. Here is a summary of how it will all unfold. This is very complicated so read carefully...

    The four League A group winners (Denmark, France, Germany and Spain) qualified directly. Hosts Brazil were automatically in.

    There are now two rounds of play-off matches between 32 teams to decide the remaining European spots.

    Each round is two-legged which means every nation will play home and away during the October, November and December windows.

    Teams are split into two paths for round one and split into seeded groups and unseeded groups.

    England and the Republic of Ireland are seeded in path 1, while Scotland and Wales are seeded in path 2.

    Northern Ireland are unseeded in path 2.

    The eight winners progress to round two of the play-offs. Those seeded from path 1 who come through the first round, will be given more favourable ties for round two.

  10. Wales wonderful at home, but away form a worrypublished at 10:58 BST 18 June

    Ian Hunt
    Presenter on BBC Radio Wales

    Wales players preparing for a gameImage source, Getty Images

    Wales will have to improve their worrying away form if they're to get through the play-offs and make it to Brazil.

    Rhian Wilkinson's side sailed through their home qualifiers, with a 6-1 mauling of Montenegro, a 4-0 romp past Albania and a 3-1 win over Czech Republic to wrap up the group.

    On the road, however, they were fortunate to salvage a draw in the Czech Republic in their opening qualifier in March, then scraped a 1-0 victory in Albania before a shock 1-1 draw in Montenegro in the penultimate match.

    There was some mitigation against the Montenegrins, given that Wales' team plane was struck by lightning en route to Pogdorica and then diverted for an unscheduled overnight stay in Italy, but that result would have continued to sting had Wales not secured the victory it left them needing against the Czechs.

  11. England's bizarre qualifying situationpublished at 10:54 BST 18 June

    Emma Sanders
    BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

    England did almost everything right in their qualifying group with five wins from their six matches and their only defeat coming away from home against the world champions.

    But such is the nature of the qualifying campaign that one of England or Spain were always going to have to go via the play-off route.

    That in itself is a pretty crazy situation but here we are and it's the Lionesses who were pipped to top spot in their group on head-to-head.

    We believe Sarina Wiegman has not travelled to Switzerland for the draw but there is certainly intrigue on who they will get.

    England are the top-ranked nation in the play-offs and heavy favourites to progress without any problems.

    But when there is something as big as World Cup qualification on the line, anything can happen...

  12. Odds against Northern Irelandpublished at 10:50 BST 18 June

    Andy Gray
    BBC Sport NI

    Rebecca McKennaImage source, Press Eye

    To be blunt, the odds are stacked against Northern Ireland if they are to reach a first World Cup.

    Given the nature of the second play-off path, Michael McArdle's side would need to beat another League B side in the first round and then likely topple a League A side after that.

    As recent games with Switzerland, Norway and Iceland show, that will be a huge ask for a young side, especially over two legs.

    Even if they can pull that off against the odds, there is a chance - as the lowest-ranked side of the eight European qualifiers - they could have to face an additional inter-continental play-off in a bid to make it to Brazil.

    I don't want to be too negative, and their run to Euro 2022 was a football fairytale, but NI will need something of a miracle if they are to make it to the finals.

  13. Who can Northern Ireland face?published at 10:47 BST 18 June

    Northern Ireland against SwitzerlandImage source, Getty Images

    Northern Ireland finished third in League B with two wins from their six matches in the qualifying group stages.

    It means they are unseeded for the play-off draw and will face tougher opposition.

    They will take on one of the four fourth-placed League A teams or one of the four League B group winners.

    Possible opponents include Slovenia, Ukraine, Poland, Serbia, Wales, Switzerland, Portugal or Scotland.

  14. Who can Scotland face?published at 10:44 BST 18 June

    ScotlandImage source, Getty Images

    Scotland won their group in League B which means they are seeded in path 2 of the draw.

    It means they play against the teams who finished second and third in the League B groups.

    They could be drawn against the Czech Republic, Albania, Turkey, Northern Ireland, Finland, Slovakia, Belgium and Israel.

    Belgium, in particular, would be a tough draw for the Scots. They beat the Lionesses in the Nations League last year.

  15. Irish in a strong place for play-offspublished at 10:42 BST 18 June

    Andy Gray
    BBC Sport NI

    The Republic of Ireland celebrate beating the NetherlandsImage source, Getty Images

    While the Republic of Ireland's qualification for the 2023 World Cup was against the odds, there is genuine expectation now that they can make it to Brazil next year.

    Under Carla Ward, the Republic of Ireland have taken big strides forward as they stunned the Netherlands in League A and only narrowly missed out on automatic qualification after losing in France in their final qualifier.

    The Republic of Ireland will be favourites to progress no matter who they get in the first round, especially over two matches.

    With the experience of Katie McCabe and Denise O'Sullivan, blended with up and coming players, the Irish will be in a strong place to make it to a second World Cup.

  16. Who can the Republic of Ireland face?published at 10:39 BST 18 June

    Carla Ward's side had an excellent qualifying campaign but just missed out on an automatic spot with defeat by France.

    It means the Republic of Ireland are seeded in path 1, alongside England, and their potential opponents are similar.

    With an away tie coming up first, the Republic of Ireland could face Lithuania, Kosovo, Hungary, Greece, Romania, Belarus, Croatia or Kazakhstan.

    They cannot face any of the other home nations in round one.

  17. Who can Wales face?published at 10:36 BST 18 June

    Ian Hunt
    Presenter, BBC Radio Wales Sport

    Rhian Wilkinson in the dugout for WalesImage source, Getty Images

    Rhian Wilkinson’s side went unbeaten through their qualifying campaign, securing top spot in Group B1 with an impressive 3-1 win over Czech Republic last week.

    As one of the seeded group winners, they should get a more favourable draw in round one of the play-offs, and could face a reunion with Czech Republic or Albania, another team they faced in qualifying.

    Other potential opponents for the women in red are Turkey, Finland, Belgium, Northern Ireland, Slovakia and Israel.

    Round two, of course, is where it gets tricky, with a probable meeting against a League A side such as Sweden, Netherlands, Norway, Italy, Republic of Ireland or England.

    Wales have never beaten a side inside the world’s top 20 in a competitive fixture. First time for everything!

  18. Who can England face?published at 10:34 BST 18 June

    Emma Sanders
    BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

    Sarina WiegmanImage source, Getty Images

    The Lionesses, runners-up in 2023, were beaten heavily by world champions Spain and that cost them the top spot in their group.

    It means they were forced into the play-off - unknown territory for the back-to-back European champions.

    The teams who finished second and third in League A will play the six group winners and two best-ranked runners-up in League C.

    That means England are seeded in path 1 and will play the second leg at home.

    Possible opponents include Lithuania, Kosovo, Hungary, Greece, Romania, Belarus, Croatia and Kazakhstan.

  19. Postpublished at 10:29 BST 18 June

    Brazil World Cup launchImage source, Getty Images

    Good morning!

    Are we ready to find out the Women's World Cup qualifying play-off opponents for the home nations?

    England, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales will find out who they are playing for a place at next year's World Cup.

    Brazil are hosting the tournament in 2027 and there are seven places up for grabs from the play-off round.

    It kicks off at 11:00 BST and we'll bring you all the updates.