England must navigate two rounds of home and away ties to qualify for the Women's World Cup in Brazil. The Lionesses, under head coach Sarina Wiegman, begin their journey against Greece in Crete on Friday, 9 October at 17:30 BST. The second leg will be held at King Power Stadium in Leicester on Tuesday, 13 October at 19:30 BST. Commentary for both matches will be provided by BBC Radio 5 Live.

Should England triumph over Greece, they will face the winners of the match between Slovakia and Ukraine, with the away fixture occurring first. The dates for these potential second-leg fixtures will be confirmed but are expected to take place between 26 November and 5 December 2026.

Wiegman recently announced her initial squad, with notable absentees Ella Toone and Chloe Kelly. She explained their exclusion by stating, "They have not been playing to their full potential." Wiegman emphasized the need for improvement from these players, acknowledging their past contributions.

In addition to England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland are also competing in the play-offs. On the same day as England's match, Wales will face Albania at 17:00 BST, while Scotland takes on the Czech Republic at 18:00 BST. Northern Ireland will challenge Portugal at 19:00 BST, and the Republic of Ireland plays Kazakhstan at 12:00 BST.

Despite England's impressive record of five wins from six qualifying matches, world champions Spain topped their group, securing the automatic spot. Wiegman noted, "We knew what the play-offs would look like and, while we're pleased with the draw against Greece, the focus now is on making sure we're really well prepared." She aims for the team to dominate possession and control the games ahead.