World Cup qualifying reaches its climax

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Several Albion players are involved as the race to reach the finals in Brazil in 2027 intensifies.

2026-06-04T06:30+01:00

A thumbs up from Caitlin Hayes, who is hoping to help Ireland qualify for the World Cup finals over the next few days. 📷Paul Hazlewood.

Seventeen Albion players will finish the season on international duty as World Cup qualifying reaches its conclusion over the next few days.

England need to pick up four points from their games against Spain on Friday and Ukraine, at the Hill Dickinson Stadium next Tuesday, to qualify automatically and Sophie Baggaley, who is leaving the club at the end of the season, was added to the England squad earlier this week.

Lily Dent, Grace McEwan, Jess Pegram and Tahirah Heron are also on England duty for the Under-20s, who have three games as part of a training camp in the next week including matches with Canada and Japan.

In the European qualifying section for the World Cup it’s crunch time for several of our players.

Caitin Hayes’ Republic of Ireland could qualify automatically as they are only two points behind Group A2 leaders the Netherlands and a point adrift of France. Ireland play the Dutch in Cork on Friday before heading to Grenoble to play France on 9 June. She will come up against Albion teammate Marisa Olislagers, who is in the Dutch squad.

The journey continues at Páirc Uí Chaoimh ☘️

𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟱𝘁𝗵, 𝟳:𝟯𝟬𝗽𝗺, 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘂𝘀 👊 pic.twitter.com/sVyqFL9PWd
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) May 29, 2026

It’s a straight fight between Germany and Olaug Tvedten’s Norway to progress automatically from Group A4 and the teams meet in Cologne on Friday, with Germany a point ahead. Norway wrap up their games in Oslo against Austria on 9 June.

Scotland top Group B4 on goal difference from Belgium and Rachel McLauchlan is in the squad for their two matches against Israel, who are a point behind the top two. Both fixtures are being played in Budapest.

Serbia can’t qualify after picking up one point so far in qualifying matches. Jelena Cankovic and her teammates wrap up their section with games against Italy and Denmark.

Colombia are in a great position to be one of the two automatic qualifiers from the CONMEBOL group in South America. They finish their fixtures at home to Uruguay on Friday and away to Paraguay, neither of whom can qualify.

Madison Haley has joined up with the United States for a training camp which includes two friendlies against Corinthians, while Moeka Minami and Kiko Seike are with Japan for two friendlies against South Africa.

Similarly, Charlie Rule’s Australia are playing two friendlies against Mexico and Chiamaka Nnadozie’s Nigeria are meeting Senegal on 6 and 9 June.