Women’s World Cup qualifying: how it works
The FIFA Women’s World Cup subordinate organisation theatre kicks off on Thursday and we explain how Europe’s 8 berths alongside hosts France in summer 2019 will be motionless over a subsequent year.
• Matches will be played home and divided until 4 Sep 2018.
• The seven organisation winners will validate to join France in a finals.
• The four runners-up with a best annals opposite a sides first, third and fourth in their groups will allege to a play-offs, that will include of dual rounds of two-legged knockout ties in Oct and Nov 2018 to confirm Europe’s final qualifier.
Group 1: England, Russia, Wales, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kazakhstan
• UEFA Women’s EURO 2017 semi-finalists England are aiming to validate for their fourth true World Cup, carrying beaten Germany to bronze in 2005. Russia final competent in 2003.
Group 2: Switzerland, Scotland, Poland, Belarus, Albania
• Switzerland competent for a initial time in 2015; both they and Scotland played during UEFA Women’s EURO 2017.
Women’s EURO 2017: Watch all 68 goals now!
Group 3: Norway, Netherlands, Republic of Ireland, Slovakia, Northern Ireland
• Newly-crowned European champions a Netherlands take on a organisation they kick in a opening compare of a 2017 finals, Norway, who have never unsuccessful to validate for a World Cup. The Republic of Ireland are now coached by Colin Bell, who led FFC Frankfurt to excellence in a 2015 UEFA Women’s Champions League.
Group 4: Sweden, Denmark, Ukraine, Hungary, Croatia
• Denmark, uninformed from reaching their initial UEFA Women’s EURO final, are underneath caretaker manager Søren Randa-Boldt after Nils Nielsen stood down final month. They face a Sweden side also underneath new government in Peter Gerhardsson. Olympic china medallists Sweden have, like Norway, never unsuccessful to validate for a World Cup.
Group 5: Germany, Iceland, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Faroe Islands
• Their 22-year power as European champions now over, Olympic bullion medallists Germany start their bid to win a third World Cup, carrying like Norway and Sweden reached all 7 prior final tournaments. None of their opponents have ever competent before.
Group 6: Italy, Belgium, Romania, Portugal, Moldova
• Italy have not reached a World Cup given 1999 and underneath manager Milena Bertolini, newly allocated after a successful spell during Brescia, take on dual teams that tender on their UEFA Women’s EURO finals debuts, Belgium and Portugal – a latter having beaten Romania in a play-offs to qualify.
Group 7: Spain, Austria, Finland, Serbia, Israel
• Surprise UEFA Women’s EURO semi-finalists Austria knocked out Spain on penalties in a final 8 of this summer’s competition. Finland, who missed out on a finals in a Netherlands, are now coached by Anna Signeul, who was in assign of Scotland for 12 years.
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The final will be played during Stade de Lyon
Road to France
Qualifying organisation stage: 11 Sep 2017–4 Sep 2018
Play-off draw: tbc Sep 2018, Nyon
Play-off semi-finals: 1–9 Oct 2018
Play-off final: 5–13 Nov 2018
Finals draw: late 2018, France
Finals: summer 2019, France
Continental allocations
AFC: 5
CAF: 3
CONCACAF: 3 + 1 in play-off v CONMEBOL third place
CONMEBOL: 2 + 1 in play-off v CONCACAF fourth place
OFC: 1
UEFA: 8 + hosts France
Roll of honour: finals
2015: United States 5-2 Japan; Vancouver, Canada
2011: Japan 2-2 United States (aet, 3-1 pens); Frankfurt, Germany
2007: Germany 2-0 Brazil; Shanghai, China
2003: Germany 2-1 Sweden (aet, golden goal); Carson, United States
1999: United States 0-0 China (aet, 5-4 pens); Pasadena, United States
1995: Norway 2-0 Germany; Stockholm, Sweden
1991: United States 2-1 Norway; Guangzhou, China