Women's European Qualifiers for the 2027 Women's World Cup Matchday 2: France, England, Germany, Spain remain perfect

France, England, Germany and Spain remain perfect in League A after the second set of Women's European Qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup.

England and Spain both picked up second Group A3 wins on Saturday, while Germany moved three points clear in Group A4 with a 4-0 victory in Norway and France defeated Poland 3-1 in Group A2. Denmark and Sweden are locked on four points apiece in Group A1 after both their matches were drawn.

Among the action in the other leagues, Belgium's Tessa Wullaert struck a hat-trick to become only the seventh European player to reach 100 international goals.

The four League A group winners will qualify automatically for the finals in Brazil. Thirty-two nations will also progress to the play-offs at the end of the year (12 each from League A and League B, and eight from League C). The play-off contenders will compete for seven more spots in Brazil, and a further berth in the inter-confederation play-offs in February 2027.

Promotion and relegation is also at stake ahead of the next UEFA Women's Nations League. The qualifiers continue with Matchdays 3 and 4 in April.

League A

Group A1

Serbia 0-0 Sweden

Serbia secured the first point of their League A debut as they successfully contained Sweden. The home side even came closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half as Malmö player Vesna Milivojević curled the ball onto a post. Sweden picked up the pressure after the break through substitutes Fridolina Rolfö and Rosa Kafaji, but Serbia held out.

Olivia Holdt (centre) celebrates equalising for Denmark in ItalyGetty Images

Italy 1-1 Denmark

Denmark came from behind to get a point that keeps them level with Sweden at the top ahead of their 14 April Gothenburg encounter. Women's EURO 2025 semi-finalists Italy went ahead on 19 minutes when Martina Piemonte met a Manuela Giugliano corner with a pinpoint header.

Early in the second half, Pernille Harder was brought down for a penalty, but her spot kick struck the post before Laura Giuliani gathered. However, Denmark substitute Olivia Holdt equalised within two minutes of her introduction just past the hour after good work from Sofie Svava down the left, and neither side could force a winner.

Group A2

France 4-1 Poland 

France secured a second group win after their opening comeback success in the Republic of Ireland, maintaining their 100% record in 11 meetings with Poland. Early pressure told in the 20th minute when Marie-Antoinette Katoto headed in Sandy Baltimore's cross, but Poland – fresh from holding the Netherlands on Matchday 1 – equalised before the half-hour, Ewa Pajor finishing smartly after being set up by Tanja Pawollek.

France restored their advantage in the 40th minute when Kadidiatou Diani's effort was parried by Kinga Szemik and Sakina Karchaoui fired in. Prior to half-time, the visitors lost Nadia Krezyman to a second booking, and just before the hour Karchaoui converted a penalty after Grace Geyoro had been brought down. Diani then pounced for the fourth with 19 minutes left.

Lineth Beerensteyn hurdles Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan after putting the Netherlands 1-0 upSportsfile via Getty Images

Netherlands 2-1 Republic of Ireland 

The Netherlands moved on to four points with their April double-header against France looming, but just like Les Bleues on Tuesday, the Oranje Leeuwinnen were made to work by Ireland. Having scored first against France, Ireland began ambitiously, but Lineth Beerensteyn was soon causing a threat and, on 20 minutes, she met Lynn Wilms' ball to register her 40th Netherlands goal.

Visiting goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan did well to deny Beerensteyn before half-time, and five minutes into the second period Katie McCabe equalised from the penalty spot after Netherlands goalkeeper Lize Kop had fouled Anna Patten. However, with eight minutes left, a Netherlands corner was not cleared and Beerensteyn forced the ball in.

Group A3

England 2-0 Iceland

England kept up their perfect start and inflicted Iceland's second group defeat. The European champions – who were goalless at half-time against Ukraine on Tuesday before cruising to a 6-1 win – went close in the 18th minute as Lauren Hemp headed against the post, and they did not have to wait long for the opener as Lucy Bronze nodded in Lauren James' lofted centre shortly after.

Beaten 3-0 in Spain on Tuesday, Iceland continued to be put under pressure, though just after the hour Sandra Jessen tested Hannah Hampton. With 12 minutes left, Georgia Stanway added to her double against Ukraine, volleying in Bronze's cross to seal victory.

Lucy Bronze (right) celebrates England's opener with Lauren JamesAFP via Getty Images

Ukraine 1-3 Spain 

World Cup holders Spain joined England on six points ahead of their trip to Wembley on 14 April for the teams' latest high-stakes encounter. Ukraine did not quite hold out until half-time as Salma Paralluelo's 44th-minute cross was blasted in by Edna Imade, who notched her first international goal on Tuesday.

Before half-time, Lucía Corrales made it two, opening her own Spain account with an effort from distance, and her side increased their advantage when Vicky López converted a 55th-minute penalty following a handball. Both Martina Fernández and Ornella Vignola later came on for Spain debuts, the latter just after Olha Ovdiychuk had turned in a Viktoriya Hiryn cross to pull one back for Ukraine.

Group A4

Norway 0-4 Germany 

A clinical display from Germany earned them an impressive victory to build on their opening 5-0 defeat of Slovenia as the two-time world champions renewed their rivalry with Norway, who beat Austria on Tuesday. Germany went ahead in the 18th minute, Rebecca Knaak finding Franziska Kett to cut back, via a touch from a Norway defender, for Elisa Senss to finish.

Germany then struck twice in first-half added time, Carlotta Wamser applying a finish to a pass from Vivien Endemann before the provider made it 3-0 with a chip after being set up by Nicole Anyomi. Jule Brand struck the fourth just before the hour and Norway were denied in stoppage time when Caroline Graham Hansen's shot was blocked on the line by Sarai Linder.

Germany cruised to victory in NorwayGetty Images

Slovenia 1-0 Austria 

Slovenia posted a narrow victory in their first home game of their League A debut following consecutive promotions. Indeed, amid foggy conditions, the hosts had the better of the play against a side that had beaten them in all seven previous meetings.

Slovenia claimed their winner on 21 minutes when Zara Kramžar found the net following Maja Sternad's pass from the right. They nearly doubled their advantage too, only for Mariella El Sherif to deny Kramžar after she was sent clear late in the first half. Austria gave Nicole Ojukwu a second-half debut, but the visitors could not carve out an equaliser.

League B

Tessa Wullaert struck a hat-trick against Israel to reach 101 goals for Belgium and ensure another win for the Red Flames, who are level on six points with Scotland in Group B4. Portugal are also perfect after winning against Slovakia in Group B3, while Finland bounced back from losing to Portugal by defeating Latvia.

Elsewhere, Switzerland and Türki̇ye both made it two victories out of two in Group B2. In Group B1, Wales and Czechia claimed their first wins and are level at the summit on four points, one ahead of Albania.

Group B1

Wales 6-1 Montenegro 
Albania 1-5 Czechia 

Group B2

Malta 1-4 Switzerland 
Northern Ireland 0-1 Türki̇ye

Group B3

Finland 3-1 Latvia
Portugal 4-0 Slovakia

Group B4

Belgium 5-0 Israel
Scotland 7-0 Luxembourg 

League C

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Kosovo and Romania all secured second victories to open up leads in their groups. Unbeaten Hungary went top of Group C3, meanwhile, and Belarus got off to a winning start in one of the trio of three-team sections.

Group C1

Bosnia and Herzegovina 13-1 Liechtenstein 
Lithuania 0-0 Estonia 

Group C2

Croatia 0-1 Kosovo 
Gibraltar 0-5 Bulgaria

Group C3

Hungary 1-0 Azerbaijan
North Macedonia 3-0 Andorra 

Group C4

Greece 2-0 Faroe Islands 

Group C5

Cyprus 0-4 Romania 

Group C6

Kazakhstan 0-1 Belarus