Preliminary Phase Draw for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™ Play-Off Tournament
The preliminary phase for the Play-Off Tournament will take place in November and December 2026 at a centralised venue featuring six teams ranked based on the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking prior to the play-off draw. There will be two teams from the AFC, two from CAF, one from CONMEBOL and one from the OFC. Using a format which will be confirmed at a later date, two teams will qualify for the final play-off phase. The final play-off phase will be played in a centralised location in February 2027, where the two qualifiers from the preliminary phase will be joined by two teams from Concacaf, one from CONMEBOL and one from UEFA. The six teams will be drawn into three paths, with a direct knockout match to determine the final three teams qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027. Teams from the same confederation will not be permitted to be drawn in the same pathway. FIFA Women’s World Cup: 👉 https://www.instagram.com/fifawomensworldcup 👉 https://twitter.com/FIFAWWC 👉 https://www.facebook.com/fifawomensworldcup 👉 https://www.tiktok.com/@fifawomensworldcup 👉 https://www.threads.com/@fifawomensworldcup 👉 https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBedar4yltLthnZzT16
Transcript
FIFA Women's World Cup 2027. Today we have the draw for the preliminary phase of the playoff tournament, setting out a path that will eventually take three teams all the way to Brazil next year. But first, and this is such exciting news, we reveal the match schedule for the final tournament, establishing the route to the final on the 25th of July when one of 32 teams will lift this trophy right here as world champions. The 2027 tournament will take the FIFA Women's World Cup to new heights and to a new destination. It is a reflection of FIFA's goal to make football truly global. On that, let's hear from the FIFA President, Gianni Infantino. >> Dear friends, as you all know, the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027 breaks new ground as we take the flagship tournament to South America for the very first time. Of course, the 2023 edition was transformational for the women's game with 32 teams competing for the first time, eight of them debutants. We can't wait to witness the unfolding of women's football history when the world's best players, together with coaches, fans, local communities, take center stage in Brazil next year. That is something that pleases me very much and something that is needed to take the women's game even further down this road we have traveled together. The 2027 tournament will certainly help us to do that in so many ways. I already have goosebumps at the thought of the incredible passion and color the Brazilian fans will bring throughout the tournament as they welcome the world to eight vibrant host cities. Now that uh you are imagining it, I'm sure you have goosebumps, too. And I'm really looking forward to finding out which matches we will be following later this year during the preliminary phase of the playoff tournament. Of course, I can't wait for the football and the fans at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027. And I hope to see you there, too. Vai ser épico. >> Muito bem. Obrigada, Presidente Infantino. And yes, it really will be an amazing spectacle on and off the pitch in Brazil next year. We reveal the match schedule for the tournament in a moment. Before we do it, it feels right to have someone alongside me who knows what it means to get their hands on this trophy. She's done it herself not once, but twice as coach of the US national team. It's FIFA's Chief Football Officer, Joe Ellis. >> United States of America are crowned champions of the world. >> [music] >> Victory and joy for the United States. >> Bem-vinda. Welcome to you. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you for joining us for this big day on the road to the tournament. And we have another legend of the game with us, too. She played at three FIFA Women's World Cups in a long and distinguished career with France and is now FIFA's head of strategic football development, Laura Georges. >> [music] [cheering] >> Welcome, Laura, and thank you for joining us on a big day for you, too. A big happy birthday from all of us. >> Thank you so much. >> So, now we've got that huge news to share with you all. You, Laura, are we ready for this? >> Yes. >> Very good. 64 matches across eight host cities. It is the match schedule for the FIFA Women's World Cup Brazil 2027. >> [applause] [music] >> Incredible. Wow. Just seeing those pictures, there is so much to look forward to. And as a Brazilian, they also make me a little homesick. Da uma saudade. Ah, so let's take a look at the match schedule in more detail. We start with Brazil. Our tournament hosts will kick off this historic FIFA Women's World Cup in the iconic Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro on the 24th [music] of June. It will be one of nine matches at the stadium. Brazil will then play their two remaining group stage games in [music] São Paulo and Brasília. Salvador will stage a match on the second day of the tournament. Porto Alegre and Belo Horizonte will see their first action on the 26th of June. After the group stage [music] ends on the 8th of July, there is a well-deserved rest day for everyone to catch their breath before matches in Recife and Fortaleza kick off the knockout stage with [music] round of 16 games on the 10th of July. Belo Horizonte, Fortaleza join Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo as quarterfinal hosts. Those games will be played on the 16th and 17th of July. São Paulo will host a semi-final on [music] the 20th of July and the bronze final 4 days later. Rio provides the stage [music] for the other semi on the 21st of July and then the big one, the final of the FIFA Women's World [music] Cup 2027 on the 25th of July. And of course, there is much more on the match schedule for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027 on the FIFA website, fifa.com. Jill, you led the incredible effort to distribute 64 games across eight host cities. Where did you and your team start? >> Well, we started by trying to create a really big footprint. So, the entirety of Brazil could welcome the world and obviously experience the amazing energy of the Women's World Cup and then selecting these eight incredible host cities that have a massive role to play in in the success of this tournament. We looked at everything from travel and infrastructure for the fans and for the players, but ultimately we tried to create a road map that now the players and the coaches and the teams can start to prepare and almost envision what comes next next summer in Brazil. >> As the only coach to have won this tournament twice, you know how an electric atmosphere can influence your team. We're going to nail that in Brazil, aren't we? >> Absolutely. I mean, I've I've been there. I've experienced fans in Brazil, South America, the loudest, most passionate fans in the world. So, I think it's going to be incredible. 2019, I was in France. It was the host country. Amazing atmosphere from the home crowd. I think Brazil and the Brazilians are absolutely going to raise the standard of what it is to have fans in our World Cup for for all these teams next summer. >> Thank you, Jill. >> Thank you. >> Laura, we talked a bit about France now. You played in a FIFA Women's World Cup semi-final in 2011, but after your playing career, you were involved in organizing a FIFA Women's World Cup in your home country in 2019. Based on that experience, how do you think the FIFA Women's World Cup will impact women's football in Brazil? >> You know, the experience that I had in France organizing this competition has been tremendous, giving us so much recognition for the game. So, for Brazil, I really hope it gives like a great visibility to the game, giving opportunities, inspiring women, girls to achieve better, to be coaches, to be coaches, players, referees. I really want like people to understand how important it is to support those women. And so to leave tremendous legacy. Like to make sure that women and girls get more opportunities. >> Thank you, Laura. And what you experienced in France in 2019 is now the life of another legendary former player. She captained the Seleção Feminina and is now putting her experience to great use to deliver the 2027 tournament. Obrigada Aline, uma craque dentro e fora de campo. What a player and what a person to have alongside us to deliver this tournament. As things stand, we know 18 of the 32 teams who'll be in Brazil next year. No fewer than eight teams made their debut on the global stage four years ago, the first FIFA Women's World Cup with 32 teams. The 2027 edition will be a voyage of discovery for more first-timers. For now, two debutants have already clinched their place. Congratulations to Algeria and Malawi. There are two more already confirmed to be going into today's preliminary phase draw for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027 playoff tournament. They'll be aiming to claim one of three qualifying places for the final tournament and they have good reason to be optimistic. It was three debutants who came through to do just that in 2023. >> A match that becomes a sudden death to qualify for the World Cup finals. >> We're about to go insane. >> [cheering] >> What a run, what a goal! >> [music] >> Chamorro scores! >> Don't stop, it can never be enough. We're here if you want to feel this. >> Panama headed to the FIFA Women's World Cup. What a goal! Melchie Dumornay! Haiti have qualified for the FIFA Women's World [cheering] Cup finals. >> We're about to win this game. >> What an impact from the substitute! >> We're about to go insane. >> Portugal lead and Chisu has equalized for the Africans! Portugal are going to the FIFA Women's World Cup. >> Fantastic scenes and I'm sure the 2027 playoff tournament, which is in a slightly different format this time round, will be just as exciting. So let's get down to the draw. We've been joined by our draw conductor, FIFA's Head of Competition Management, Jeanette Good. Hello, Jeanette. >> Hello, Thaisa. >> And of course we have Jew and Laura here already. They are our two draw assistants. Over to you, Jeanette. >> Thank you, Thaisa. Let's get to work then and see what we are supposed to do here today at this draw. As you know, today's preliminary phase draw will give us the initial picture of how the final three places at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027 will be decided. We start with six teams going into the preliminary phase of the playoff tournament based on their results in their confederations qualifying competition. There are two teams each from Africa and Asia, one from South America, and one from Oceania. They have all been placed in three pots based on the latest FIFA Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking. And this is how it looks like. The top two teams, Chinese Taipei and Uzbekistan, are allocated to pot one. The next two teams, South Africa and Papua New Guinea, go to pot two. And the remaining two teams, Ghana and Ecuador, are in pot three. The draw will divide the six teams into three tiers of two teams each for the preliminary phase. Ladies, how are we doing so far? Good? Okay, let's continue. We will start with pot one, with the first team drawn into slot A1. Jill, again, that's will will be you later. Good. Each pot represents a tier, and each pot will be emptied before we move to the next one. Now, we are going into the details. Normally, we proceed in sequence from A to B to C. But, there is a FIFA general principle that teams from the same confederation cannot be drawn to play each other. So, that's right, Laura, right? Okay, good. If this scenario occurs, the relevant team will be placed in the next available position. In the preliminary phase of the playoff tournament, each team will play against one team from each tier, so A, B, and C. with a total of three games per team. The two teams finishing first in second and second in the preliminary phase will qualify for the final phase where they join in the four teams have with the four teams that have qualified directly for that stage of the playoff tournament. The final phase will be played early next year to decide the remaining three qualifying places for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027. How exciting. Are you with me? All right. I know it's a bit complicated, but to make things a bit clearer, we will be showing you with how the actual fixtures take shape as we go on. All right, then. Pot one, of course, is where we start. Let's see which teams are they in there. >> [music] >> All right. We begin by drawing the first team from pot one, which will go into position A1 in tier one. Till, now, please step forward to pot one, give it a stir, and draw the first ball. >> Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan's men's team reached their first FIFA World Cup earlier this year. Can the women's team now do the same in 2027? >> Well, we will see, and Uzbekistan will be A1. So, according to the FIFA general principle explained earlier, the two teams from pot one cannot play each other as they are both from Asia. And since according to the competition format, team A1 also plays team B, the second team from pot one will be drawn directly into position B2. So, Jill, please pick the second ball. >> Chinese Taipei >> Chinese Taipei's only appearance to date came in the very first FIFA Women's World Cup in 1991. They're now aiming for a long-awaited return. >> So, as just explained, Chinese Taipei will be B2. Thank you, Jill. So, pot one is concluded and where else to go? To pot two and our next two teams. >> [music] [music] >> And we continue. We already know that the team drawn first will actually go into position A2 in tier one because we had to skip that spot as there were two teams from Asia in pot one. So, Jill, same again, please step forward to pot two, give it a stir and select the first. >> South Africa >> South Africa reached the last 16 of the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2023 after making their debut on the global stage at France 2019. >> And as Jill explained, South Africa will take position A2. And we continue, please, Jill. Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea will hope their second playoff tournament appearance leads to a debut FIFA Women's World Cup. And Papua Papua New Guinea will take position B1. That means Uzbekistan will meet Papua New Guinea for the first game. Thank you, Jill. Great job. So, just one pot to go. Before we draw pot three, let's see who is in it. All right, Laura. Over to you. Your turn to draw the first ball from pot three. Please step forward and stir the balls and draw one. Ghana. Ghana are looking to return to the World Stage for the first time in 20 years, having previously featured in three straight editions from 1999 to 2007. And Ghana is in C1. One to go. Please, Laura. Ecuador. Ecuador made their FIFA Women's World Cup debut at Canada 2015. And Ecuador is C2. Thank you, Laura. Well done. Thank you, Jill and Laura. And what a draw team. That concludes concludes the draw for the preliminary phase of the playoff tournament for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027. These matches will take place during the international window between the 27 24th of November and the 5th of December this year. So, let's have a recap. Match day one, we have Uzbekistan playing Papua New Guinea, Chinese Taipei playing South Africa, Ghana meeting Ecuador. For match day two, we have Uzbekistan meeting Ghana, South Africa playing Ecuador, and Papua New Guinea playing Chinese Taipei. And match day three, South Africa playing Uzbekistan, Papua New Guinea meeting Ghana, and Chinese Taipei meeting Ecuador. Now, we know the fixtures. The host and final match schedule will be announced in due course. Taisa, it's all yours. >> Excelente. Thank you. Thank you, Jeanette. Very nicely done. So, we have our six teams and our three tiers. Jill, your coaching colleagues will now start preparing for those matches. Any tips you have for them? >> Well, now it becomes real cuz now you have an opponent. But yeah, I think my my advice is always make sure 70% of your time and effort is focused on your own team, uh 30% on your opponent. But I'm sure the coaches will start to look at film, review video, establish their tactics, and and obviously get their teams not just physically ready, but obviously mentally prepared to go into these matches on their best on their front foot and ready to to to qualify. >> Absolutely. They've got some good homework to do. And Laura, which games catch your eye? >> It's really hard. You know, what I like to see it's like different teams coming from different continent and games that I've never seen. So, South Africa against Uzbekistan. I cannot tell you who's going to win, but I know South Africa I've been play against them. It's really hard. So, good luck to all of the teams for the second phase. >> Thank you, Laura. Thank you, Dio. Thank you, Jeanette. Once again, and thank you. for watching and being part of today's draw and the match schedule announcement. Of course, you can also be part of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027 in Brazil next year. Register your interest for tickets at fifa.com/tickets. It will be a tournament full of color, passion, and of course, sensational football right from when the hosts kick things off in Rio on the 24th of June. And now we know it will come full circle back to the Maracanã for the final a month and a day later when the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027 winners will be crowned. One thing is certain, it will be epic. Vai ser épico. >> Mhm.