Euros final, World Cup final... qualifying: England and Spain resume rivalry and begin new cycle

England and Spain meet again nine months on from the Lionesses’ victory in the Euro 2025 final (The FA via Getty Images)

It’s European champions against world champions. A rivalry that has been staged in two major finals will be renewed. It’s England v Spain at Wembley, in front of 70,000, but in World Cup qualifying.

It may appear a little odd that the two teams who competed in the World Cup final in August 2023 were drawn in the same qualifying group for the 2027 tournament in Brazil - even more so when their last clash came in the Euros final nine months ago. “We seem to play them all the time,” Sarina Wiegman had said. There is only one direct qualification spot from a four-team group that also includes Ukraine and Iceland, which means one of England or Spain will have to qualify through the play-offs.

But this qualifying format makes a lot more sense than the previous iteration, when the Lionesses thrashed Latvia 20-0 and scored 80 goals in just eight matches on their road to the 2023 World Cup. Uefa decided to bring in the Nations League system, a move that has suited teams at all levels, even if it has led to some complications for Wiegman’s side while they have thrived under pressure and became two-time European champions.

For all of their success under Wiegman at major tournaments, the Lionesses are yet to top a Nations League-style group in four attempts, which largely explains how they have ended up playing Spain again in qualifying. The inaugural Nations League saw England finish runner-up to Netherlands, resulting in the Lionesses, as second seeds, being drawn along with France and Sweden in a Euro 2025 qualifying ‘group of death’.

England played Spain twice in the next season of the Nations League, winning 1-0 at Wembley last February thanks to Jess Park’s only goal, followed by a 2-1 defeat in Barcelona. Even though the Lionesses would defeat Spain in the Euro 2025 final, they were runners-up to Spain in the Nations League, so went into 2027 World Cup qualifying in Pot 2 - as they were for the Euro 2025 draw despite being defending champions.

Dropped points against the likes of Belgium and Portugal have been costly in previous campaigns but England put six past Ukraine and beat Iceland to make a perfect start to qualifying. But ultimately the results between England and Spain will determine who progresses to Brazil automatically and who is consigned to two rounds of two-legged play-offs. “It just feels like a big game,” Wiegman said. “We have played so many games against each other, but we both see the bigger picture.”

The Lionesses have won two of the three games between the teams since the 2023 World Cup final and Spain’s crowning moment in Sydney. Spain may display some technical superiority but last February’s win at Wembley was hard-fought before the Lionesses proved their winning mentality and exploited their opponent’s fragility in the Euro 2025 final. The world champions will be missing the injured Aitana Bonmati, and have changed coaches since the Euros with Sonia Bermudez replacing Montse Tome following their Euros final defeat to England, but Spain’s “DNA stays the same,” Wiegman said. “They really want to have the ball, play dynamically and go forward, in possession or out of possession.”

Spain will carry threat and technical quality at Wembley (REUTERS)

Lauren James, so influential at Wembley last year but forced off, unfit, in the Euros final, will be pivotal to England’s hopes of keeping the ball in their chances with possession. As will Keira Walsh in midfield as she prepares to win her 100th cap. But skipper Leah Williamson, England’s leader from defence in Basel, is a doubt. Williamson has not played in a month in what has been an injury disrupted campaign.

Spain, meanwhile, will be hungry for revenge and for a famous Wembley win. Their rivalry with England has developed with Arsenal beating Barcelona in the Women’s Champions League final last season before the Euros final followed a similar pattern. There will be many in the Spain side beaten on both days, such as Alexia Putellas, Patri Guijarro, Claudia Pina, and Irene Parades, who may feel English opponents are owed one.

It may only be qualifying, but this also represents the start of a new cycle. “We try to improve every time and we try to become better every time we play,” Wiegman said. “I hope we can show tomorrow that we stepped up again from what we showed in the Euro final.”