England are in a pickle. The reigning European champions can no longer qualify automatically for next summer’s World Cup in Brazil. They must negotiate a tricky play-off campaign to get there.
So, what’s gone wrong? Well, England were unlucky to draw world champions Spain in their group, but a common theme of Sarina Wiegman’s tenure has been a failure to put a run of performances together outside of major tournaments.
Wiegman’s side continually rise to the big occasion but have trouble getting to the required level in between competitions. Their dismal 4-0 thrashing in Spain last week was exposing, not least because the starting selection featured nine members of England’s most-used XI at Euro 2025.
They were torn apart by Spain’s superior skill and strength.
Alexia Putellas scored twice as England were thrashed 4-0 by Spain
“What I’m trying to do now is think, what caused this?” Wiegman pondered after the heaviest defeat of her tenure, England’s biggest margin of loss for 17 years. Fans were left asking similar.
For context, England are not the only side to suffer at the hands of Spain’s supremacy. Ukraine and Iceland, who made up the remainder of Group A3, also felt the full force of Alexia Putellas and co during this qualifying campaign. But neither of those nations are considered elite in the way England are.
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Anton Toloui explains how England can still qualify for the World Cup despite missing out on automatic qualification for next years tournament.
Questions have begun surfacing of Wiegman’s team selections, reluctant or just unwilling to move on from the cohort of players that have guided England to three successive tournament finals. It’s an irrefutable record. But the reality is now cracks are showing.
Has improvement under the Dutchwoman stagnated? The upward curve of progress was sharp at first and always due to taper off, but observers are right to challenge what is widely viewed as a lack of evolution and absence of style. Parts of this current England arrangement feel stale, or at least ripe for a refresh.
Some of Wiegman’s most reliable, long-time performers – Lucy Bronze, Keira Walsh, Georgia Stanway and Beth Mead – have fluctuated in form of late. That was especially evident against Spain’s technicians last Friday. Lauren Hemp admitted to losing sleep over the ignominy of such a bruising defeat.
What will frustrate Wiegman is how much better her side were four days later in a solid 3-0 win over Ukraine, Stanway and Mead both on target.
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Lauren Hemp said the Spain result gave her and team-mates a sleepless night
Finishing with 15 points from a possible 18 in group A3 is a more than respectable total, but the European cup holders, fourth in the world rankings, have to be judged against the very best. That is the reality of being this country’s highest achievers. This is the first time in nearly 25 years England have failed to top their World Cup qualifying group.
“We know the performance [against Spain] was below our standards,” Alessia Russo reflected after beating Ukraine, the disappointment of that humbling display still lingering. Stanway’s conclusion was that the 3-0 scoreline was not convincing enough.
Is this a pattern? Well, England have been underwhelming before. One might recall the opening night of Euro 2025 against France. And further back, those who followed England’s ascent to the World Cup final in 2023 will have noted a series of pretty scruffy performances.
Still, international football is a result-when-it-matters game and Wiegman has continually and relentlessly delivered on that front. She is a solutions-based coach who always seems to find the right formula in the big pressure moments.
Lucy Bronze addressed team-mates on the pitch after England conceded a third to Spain on Friday
This particular juncture probably reflects her first major hiccup of any real consequence, and so caution must caveat any heavy criticism. England beat rivals Spain only two months ago, Hemp with the winner in a steely 1-0 victory – a result that put them in pole position for automatic qualification if backed up. That possibility has now vanished.
Lucia Kendall started that game, one of the Lionesses’ brightest young talents – a symbol of the promise of the next generation. Laura Blindkilde Brown, impressive against Ukraine, is another. Wiegman has options to modernise if she so chooses.
Jess Park, Aggie Beever-Jones and Freya Godfrey equally qualify as exciting alternatives with a point of difference. And England clearly need something a bit different. Their future, in terms of next summer’s tournament in Brazil, depends on it.
The play-off route
England’s path to next summer’s tournament in Brazil has just become much longer and far more convoluted.
Round 1 (October): As a League A runner-up, England will be seeded and drawn against a League C group winner (or one of the best League C runners-up).
Round 2 (late November/early December): If successful in round 1, England will advance to a second two-legged play-off round to determine the final tournament qualifiers.
When do England find out who they face?
The draw for the play-off matches will take place on June 18.
England will face one of Lithuania, Kosovo, Hungary, Greece, Romania, Belarus, Croatia or Kazakhstan, over two legs.
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