England can book their place at the 2027 Women's World Cup on Friday night in Mallorca, but only if they avoid defeat against Spain. A draw or win would send the England women's national football team to Brazil more than a year early, and would leave Spain facing the play-offs.
That is why this match has become the immediate search point for England fans: it is not just another meeting with the world No 1 ranked team, but a result that could settle Group A3 before the final round. England sit top after four matches, have won all four of them and have conceded only one goal.
Lucy Bronze said the game carries the edge of a rivalry that has sharpened both sides, and there is no disguising the stakes. England lost the 2023 Women's World Cup final to Spain, but they have won three of the four meetings since that night and arrive in Mallorca with momentum behind them.
Bronze, who spoke while England trained in Mallorca on a hot day, said: “It’s a rivalry that's made us both stronger.” She and Lauren James are fit to start after injury worries, while Leah Williamson is unavailable for the match. England beat Spain at Wembley in April without Williamson, a useful reminder that the challenge is not one they have to approach as a one-player team.
The problem is obvious as well as familiar. England know they will have little of the ball against Spain, and they have already felt how quickly this fixture can turn when they are not on top of it. This time last year they were second best in Barcelona, and Claudia Pina came off the bench to score twice against them.
Even so, the equation is simple enough. If England avoid defeat in Mallorca, they will have an unassailable lead in Group A3 and can head into their final game against Ukraine at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium on June 9 already qualified for the 2027 tournament in Brazil. If they cannot, the group stays alive and Spain’s path changes with it. For England, Friday is a chance to finish the job early and move on without waiting for anyone else.
