What to know about the UEFA playoffs for the 2027 Women's World Cup

The 2027 Women's World Cup, set to be held in Brazil next summer, is drawing closer, and a number of qualification places remain undecided heading into the European playoff stage. UEFA's playoff format is designed to give nations who fell short in the initial qualifying rounds one more opportunity to secure a place at the tournament.

What the playoffs mean

For the teams involved, the playoffs represent a final chance to book a ticket to Brazil after missing automatic qualification through their group campaigns. The stakes are high: a win can mean a first appearance on the sport's biggest stage, while a loss ends a team's hopes for this cycle.

The format brings together a mix of nations with different levels of World Cup experience, from established contenders looking to avoid an unfamiliar absence from the tournament to emerging programs chasing a breakthrough appearance.

As preparations continue across the continent, national federations are finalizing squads and friendly fixtures ahead of the playoff window, with coaches balancing player fitness and tactical readiness against the compressed qualification schedule.

The outcome of the UEFA playoffs will help shape the final field for the 2027 Women's World Cup, adding to the group of nations that have already secured qualification through earlier stages of the competition.