The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is less than a year away and 25 of the 32 qualification spots have been claimed. The group stage of UEFA World Cup qualifying wraps up tomorrow, September 6, where two more teams will clinch a trip to Australia and New Zealand next summer.
For UEFA World Cup Qualification, 51 teams were divided into nine groups of five or six teams each. The group stage involves teams playing both home and away games in a round-robin format within each group. The nine group winners automatically qualify for the 2023 World Cup while the nine runners-up receive a play-off berth. The play-offs determine which two teams take the final two allocated spots for the European confederation and which one team gets a spot in the inter-continental play-offs.
A few groups have had a winner and runner-up already crowned, but several have yet to be settled. Here are the current group standings and qualification scenarios for each team still fighting for a World Cup or play-off spot:
GP = games played, W = wins, D = draws, L = losses, GD = goal difference, Pts = points
(Q) = qualified for World Cup, (P) = qualified for UEFA play-offs, (E) = Eliminated, (DQ) = Disqualified
Group A
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| Sweden (Q) | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | +25 | 19 |
| Republic of Ireland (P) | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | +21 | 14 |
| Finland (E) | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | +7 | 10 |
| Slovakia (E) | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | +1 | 8 |
| Georgia (E) | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | -54 | 0 |
Remaining fixtures:
- Finland vs Sweden
- Slovakia vs Republic of Ireland
*Sweden has qualified for the Women’s World Cup.
*The Republic of Ireland has qualified for the play-offs.
A historic first play-off qualification for @FAIreland! 🇮🇪 The road to the #FIFAWWC continues. Congratulations! 👏#BeyondGreatness pic.twitter.com/pzBoxvzWwg
— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) September 1, 2022
Group B
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| Spain (Q) | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | +48 | 21 |
| Scotland (P) | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | +3 | 13 |
| Ukraine (E) | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | -3 | 10 |
| Hungary (E) | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 9 |
| Faroe Islands (E) | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | -48 | 0 |
Remaining fixtures:
- Spain vs Ukraine
- Faroe Islands vs Scotland
*Spain has qualified for the Women’s World Cup.
*Scotland has qualified for the play-offs.
Group C
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| Iceland* | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | +23 | 18 |
| Netherlands* | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | +27 | 17 |
| Czech Republic (E) | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | +8 | 8 |
| Belarus (E) | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -12 | 7 |
| Cyprus (E) | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | -46 | 1 |
Remaining fixtures:
- Netherlands vs Iceland
- Czech Republic vs Belarus
*Iceland will automatically qualify for the Women’s World Cup with a WIN OR a DRAW.
*Netherlands will automatically qualify for the Women’s World Cup with a WIN.
Group D
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| England (Q) | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | +70 | 27 |
| Austria (P) | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | +33 | 19 |
| Northern Ireland (E) | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | +18 | 16 |
| Luxembourg (E) | 9 | 3 | 0 | 6 | -26 | 9 |
| North Macedonia (E) | 9 | 2 | 0 | 7 | -42 | 6 |
| Latvia (E) | 9 | 1 | 0 | 8 | -53 | 3 |
Remaining fixtures:
- England vs Luxembourg
- Austria vs North Macedonia
- Latvia vs Northern Ireland
*England has qualified for the Women’s World Cup.
*Austria has qualified for the playoffs.
Group E
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| Denmark (Q) | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | +38 | 24 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina* | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | -8 | 10 |
| Montenegro* | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | -6 | 9 |
| Azerbaijan (E) | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | -11 | 6 |
| Malta (E) | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | -13 | 4 |
| Russia (DQ) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Remaining fixtures:
- Azerbaijan vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Montenegro vs Malta
*Denmark has qualified for the Women’s World Cup.
*Bosnia and Herzegovina will get a play-off spot with a WIN OR a LOSS + a Montenegro LOSS/DRAW
*Montenegro will get a play-off spot with a WIN + a Bosnia and Herzegovina LOSS/DRAW
𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 😎🇩🇰🇦🇺🏆
See you next year, @FIFAWWC 🌏#ForDanmark #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/fOGoQT8jza
— Fodboldlandsholdene 🇩🇰 (@dbulandshold) September 1, 2022
Group F
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| Norway (Q) | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | +40 | 25 |
| Belgium* | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | +42 | 19 |
| Poland* | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | +12 | 17 |
| Albania (E) | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | -11 | 10 |
| Kosovo (E) | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | -20 | 7 |
| Armenia (E) | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | -63 | 0 |
Remaining fixtures:
- Norway vs Albania
- Armenia vs Belgium
- Poland vs Kosovo
*Norway has qualified for the Women’s World Cup.
*Belgium will get a play-off spot with a WIN OR a DRAW OR a LOSS + a Poland LOSS/DRAW
*Poland will get a play-off spot with a WIN + a Belgium LOSS
Group G
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| Italy* | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1 | +36 | 24 |
| Switzerland* | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | +25 | 22 |
| Romania (E) | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | +12 | 19 |
| Croatia (E) | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | -13 | 7 |
| Lithuania (E) | 9 | 1 | 2 | 6 | -27 | 5 |
| Moldova (E) | 9 | 0 | 1 | 8 | -33 | 1 |
Remaining fixtures:
- Italy vs Romania
- Switzerland vs Moldova
- Lithuania vs Croatia
*Italy will automatically qualify for the Women’s World Cup with a WIN OR a DRAW OR a LOSS + a Switzerland LOSS/DRAW
*Switzerland will automatically qualify for the Women’s World Cup with a WIN + an Italy LOSS
**Should both teams finish on level points (i.e. Italy DRAW + Switzerland WIN), Switzerland would have to win by 12+ goals to get the tiebreaker and win the group.**
Group H
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| Germany (Q) | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1 | +34 | 24 |
| Portugal* | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | +13 | 19 |
| Serbia* | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | +10 | 18 |
| Turkey (E) | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | -13 | 10 |
| Israel (E) | 9 | 3 | 0 | 6 | -16 | 9 |
| Bulgaria (E) | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | -28 | 0 |
Remaining fixtures:
- Bulgaria vs Germany
- Portugal vs Turkey
- Israel vs Serbia
*Germany has qualified for the Women’s World Cup.
*Portugal will get a play-off spot with a WIN OR a LOSS/DRAW + a Serbia LOSS/DRAW
*Serbia will get a play-off spot with a WIN + a Portugal LOSS/DRAW
They weren't going to miss this party 😏🇦🇺🇳🇿
See you soon, @DFB_Frauen! 🇩🇪 #FIFAWWC | #BeyondGreatness pic.twitter.com/sN0Y013nmZ
— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) September 3, 2022
Group I
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| France (Q) | 9 | 9 | 0 | 9 | +46 | 27 |
| Wales* | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | +17 | 19 |
| Slovenia* | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | +15 | 17 |
| Greece (E) | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | -12 | 13 |
| Estonia (E) | 9 | 1 | 0 | 8 | -38 | 3 |
| Kazakhstan (E) | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | -28 | 0 |
Remaining fixtures:
- France vs Greece
- Wales vs Slovenia
- Kazakhstan vs Estonia
*France has qualified for the Women’s World Cup.
*Wales will get a play-off spot with a WIN OR a DRAW
*Slovenia will get a play-off spot with a WIN
The play-off draw will be made on Friday, September 9, and play-off matches will be held on October 6 and 11.
Written by Deepti Ajjampore
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