Overview
- Spain clinched top spot in Group A3 after beating Iceland 6-1 on Tuesday, and finished level on points with England but prevailed on the head-to-head tiebreaker.
- England beat Ukraine 3-0 on Tuesday with goals from Jess Carter, Georgia Stanway and Beth Mead but still finished second because of Spain's earlier 4-0 win in Mallorca.
- As Group A3 runners-up England will be seeded into two knockout play-off rounds played over October and November–December, with the official draw set for 18 June.
- Sarina Wiegman and players said they were disappointed but confident about the play-offs, while the Mallorca defeat has prompted fresh questions about selection and tactics.
- Critics say the Nations League–based qualifying format concentrates top teams in the same groups and increases matches for runners-up, reducing friendly windows and compressing preparation time before the World Cup.