The play-off stage of the Women’s European Qualifiers will see 28 teams compete in two rounds of two-legged knockout matches for the last seven finals of UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 in Switzerland from July 2 to 27 next year.
Round 1 started on Friday with the first legs. Austria, the Czech Republic, Norway, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland and Sweden have taken significant leads with away wins, while Poland came from behind to triumph 2-1 in Romania with an Ewa Pajor penalty in the 89th minute, her 60th international goal. Finland and Scotland recorded 1-0 victories on the road.
Greece showed steel by keeping Belgium at 0-0 as Serbia equalized late in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Northern Ireland scored an extra-time equalizer in Croatia (who led for 87 minutes) and there was also a draw between Türkiye and Ukraine . Slovakia withstood a late Wales comeback to claim a 2–1 victory in their only home leg win. Returns are on Tuesday.
Round 2, for which the draw has already taken place, will be played between November 27 and December 3, with dates to be confirmed once the ties are known. The seven winners of Round 2 will participate in the December 16 final draw in Lausanne, along with hosts Switzerland and direct qualifiers Denmark, England, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain.
Playoff ties
All KO times CET
Round 1
First stages: Friday October 25
Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-2 Serbia
Azerbaijan 1-4 Portugal
Albania 0-5 Norway
Montenegro 0-1 Finland
Turkey 1-1 Ukraine
Slovakia 2-1 Wales
Romania 1-2 Poland
Greece 0-0 Belgium
Georgia 0-6 Republic of Ireland
Slovenia 0-3 Austria
Hungary 0-1 Scotland
Croatia 1-1 Northern Ireland
Luxembourg 0-4 Sweden
Belarus 1-8 Czech Republic
Second stages: Tuesday, October 29
Czech Republic vs Belarus (3:00 PM, first leg: 1-8)
Ukraine vs Turkey (5:00 PM, first leg: 1-1)
Finland vs Montenegro (5:30 PM, first leg: 1-0)
Poland vs Romania (18:00, first leg: 2-1)
Austria vs Slovenia (6:00 PM, first leg: 3-0)
Sweden vs Luxembourg (7:00 PM, first leg: 4-0)
Norway vs Albania (7:00 PM, first leg: 5-0)
Serbia vs Bosnia and Herzegovina (7:00 PM, first leg: 2-2)
Northern Ireland vs Croatia (20:00, first leg: 1-1)
Belgium vs Greece (20:15, first leg: 0-0)
Wales vs Slovakia (20:15, first leg: 1-2)
Republic of Ireland vs Georgia (20:30, first leg: 6-0)
Scotland vs Hungary (20:35 first leg: 1-0)
Portugal vs Azerbaijan (20:45, first leg: 4-1)
Round 2
Azerbaijan/Portugal vs Belarus/Czech Republic
Hungary/Scotland vs Montenegro/Finland
Turkiye/Ukraine vs Greece/Belgium
Slovakia/Wales vs Georgia/Republic of Ireland
Romania/Poland vs Slovenia/Austria
Croatia/Northern Ireland vs Albania/Norway
Bosnia and Herzegovina/Serbia versus Luxembourg/Sweden
Two-legged ties played between November 27 and December 3
Team guide
- Norway (1987 and 1993) and Sweden (1984) are former winners. Neither team has failed to qualify since the introduction of the group stage in 1997.
- In 2022, Sweden was a semi-finalist and both Austria and Belgium reached the last eight. Finland, Northern Ireland, Norway and Portugal also played in England.
- Scotland (2017) and Ukraine (2009) have also passed qualifying tournaments.
- The Republic of Ireland went to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup but never qualified for the Women’s European Championship (meaning one of Slovakia, Wales, Georgia or Ireland will surely make their debut in Switzerland).
- The Czech Republic and Ukraine both missed the 2022 play-offs. Other former Women’s European Championship play-off participants who participated this time but have not yet made a final debut are Romania (2017), Ireland (2009) and Slovenia (2009) . Hungary reached the two-legged quarter-finals in 1991 (when the final tournament consisted of four teams).
Which first round tie will take place on which path?
The first round of the play-offs is split into two stages.
Path 1
In Path 1, the teams finishing third and fourth in League A will play the five group winners and the three best-ranked runners-up in League C.
This path yielded the seven seeds for the Round 2 draw, which was the tie between the seven highest ranked teams based on the Overall ranking of the European qualifiers.
Romania vs Poland
Greece vs Belgium
Montenegro vs Finland
Georgia vs Republic of Ireland
Slovenia vs Austria
Luxembourg vs Sweden
Belarus vs Czech Republic
Albania vs Norway
Path 2
Path 2 involves the top three teams from each of the League B groups. As Switzerland finished as League B winners, League B’s top-seeded fourth-placed team (Azerbaijan) completed the Round 1 and Path 2 play-off lineup, and the draw for the six ties was adjusted accordingly.
The three group winners (with the exception of Switzerland) and three best ranked The number two in League B drew six times against the remaining play-off candidates from League B.
Turkey vs Ukraine
Croatia vs Northern Ireland
Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Serbia
Azerbaijan vs Portugal
Hungary vs Scotland
Slovakia vs Wales