England have been drawn to face France, Austria and Portugal in the upcoming Women’s Nations League. Sarina Wiegman’s team discovered their opponents during the draw held in Nyon, Switzerland, setting up matches against familiar adversaries.
Group Stage Opponents and Schedule
The Lionesses enter Group A2 and will contest their fixtures across three international windows in February-March, April, and June 2027. Each nation in the group will play home and away matches against one another. England previously met Portugal in the prior Nations League cycle, whereas France and Austria both served as recent opponents during major tournament qualification stages.
Discussing the draw, England manager Sarina Wiegman told BBC Sport that France represent a top-tier opponent boasting immense technical ability, power, and athletes competing in the Women’s Super League alongside other elite clubs. She added that facing such a challenge will push the squad to improve. Regarding Portugal, Wiegman noted their tactical flexibility to shift between possession-based play and a more direct approach, alongside strong individual qualities and physicality in duels.
Tournament Stakes and Other Nations
This upcoming tournament marks the third edition of the competition, which additionally serves as a qualification route for both Euro 2029 and the 2028 Olympic Games. The four group winners from League A will advance to the semi-finals scheduled for October 2027, culminating in a final to determine the champion.
Elsewhere in the draw, Scotland were placed into a group alongside Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden. The Republic of Ireland will compete against Spain, Norway, and Switzerland in League A Group 1. Wales are set to face Denmark, Italy, and Iceland, while Northern Ireland enter Group B3 alongside Poland, Finland, and Belarus.
Exact fixture dates and host venues will be announced by tournament organizers at a later date.
