UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying play-offs

The play-offs of the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying competition will determine the final seven participants of the Women's Euro 2025 final tournament, who will join the eight directly qualified teams and hosts Switzerland.[1]

UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying play-offs
Tournament details
Dates25 October 2024 (2024-10-25) – 3 December 2024 (2024-12-03)
Teams28 (from 1 confederation)
Tournament statistics
Matches played28
Goals scored104 (3.71 per match)
Attendance92,301 (3,296 per match)
Top scorer(s)Norway Frida Maanum
(5 goals)
2022
2029
All statistics correct as of 29 October 2024.

Format

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The play-offs determine the final seven teams that qualify for the final tournament and are played over two rounds.[2][3]

In the first round, the eight teams finishing third and fourth in League A were seeded, and drawn into ties against the five group winners and three best-ranked runners-up in League C. The eight winners progress to the second round.

In addition the group winners, runners-up and third-placed teams in League B (except Switzerland) will participate in the first round (i.e. the 12 best-ranked League B teams). The six higher-ranked of those teams were seeded and drawn into ties against the six lower-ranked teams. The six winners progress to the next round.[3][4]

Switzerland, who competed in League B, are guaranteed a spot in the final tournament as hosts, and therefore will not participate in the play-offs. Since they finished in the top three places in their group, the best-ranked fourth-placed team (i.e. the team ranked 13th in League B) also qualified for the first round.[4]

In the second round, the teams from both paths came together and were drawn into seven ties. The team pairings from the first round ties involving the seven highest-ranked teams, according to the 2024–25 European Qualifiers overall ranking, were seeded in the second round draw[note 1] and drawn against the seven remaining pairings from the first round.[2]

The seven winners of these ties will progress to the final tournament in Switzerland.

Both rounds of the play-offs are played over two legs, with the seeded teams hosting the second leg. The team that scores more goals on aggregate is the winner. If the aggregate score is level, extra time is played (the away goals rule is not applied). If the score remains level after extra time, a penalty shoot-out is used to decide the winner.[2]

Draw

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The play-off draw for both rounds took place on 19 July 2024 at 13:00 CEST in Nyon, Switzerland.[5]

For the first round draw, the League A teams were seeded and drawn into eight ties against the League C teams to form Path 1, and the six best-ranked League B teams were seeded and drawn against the six lower-ranked League B teams to form Path 2.[2][3][5]

For the second round draw, teams from both paths came together. The draw took place before the winners of the first round were known, and the first round pairings involving the seven highest-ranked teams, according to the 2024–25 European Qualifiers overall ranking, were seeded[note 1] and drawn against the seven remaining pairings from the first round.[2][5]

For all three draws, a team from the unseeded pot was drawn first, and placed into the home position in the first tie, followed by a team drawn from the seeded pot placed into the away position, with the process then repeating until each pot was empty. This ensured that all seeded teams will play their second leg ties at home.[5]

Belarus and Ukraine could not be drawn together, due to Belarusian involvement in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the second round draw procedure was adjusted as required to ensure this prohibited clash could not occur.[5]

Seeding

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The following teams qualified for the first round of the play-offs, and were seeded as shown.[5]

Round 1: Path 1

Seeded Unseeded
Team Rnk Team Rnk
  Sweden 9   Slovenia 33
  Norway 10   Romania 34
  Austria 11   Belarus 35
  Belgium 12   Greece 36
  Finland 13   Albania 37
  Czech Republic 14   Luxembourg 38
  Republic of Ireland 15   Montenegro 39
  Poland 16   Georgia 40

Round 1: Path 2

Seeded Unseeded
Team Rnk Team Rnk
  Portugal 17   Turkey 24
  Scotland 18   Croatia 25
  Wales 20   Hungary 26
  Serbia 21   Bosnia and Herzegovina 27
  Ukraine 22   Slovakia 28
  Northern Ireland 23   Azerbaijan 29

Round 2

The ties for the second round were drawn before the winners of round 1 were known, and were seeded as follows.[5]

Seeded Unseeded
Winner of path 1 tie involving   Sweden Winner of path 1 tie involving   Poland
Winner of path 1 tie involving   Norway Winner of path 2 tie involving   Portugal
Winner of path 1 tie involving   Austria Winner of path 2 tie involving   Scotland
Winner of path 1 tie involving   Belgium Winner of path 2 tie involving   Wales
Winner of path 1 tie involving   Finland Winner of path 2 tie involving   Serbia
Winner of path 1 tie involving   Czech Republic Winner of path 2 tie involving   Ukraine
Winner of path 1 tie involving   Republic of Ireland Winner of path 2 tie involving   Northern Ireland

Summary

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First round

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The first round matches took place on 25 and 29 October 2024. Each tie was played over two legs, with the seeded teams playing the second leg at home.[6]

Round 1: Path 1

Team 1Agg. Tooltip Aggregate scoreTeam 21st leg2nd leg
Romania  2–6  Poland1–21–4
Greece  0–5  Belgium0–00–5
Montenegro  0–6  Finland0–10–5
Georgia  0–9  Republic of Ireland0–60–3
Slovenia  1–5  Austria0–31–2
Luxembourg  0–12  Sweden0–40–8
Belarus  1–8  Czech Republic1–80–0
Albania  0–14  Norway0–50–9

Round 1: Path 2

Team 1Agg. Tooltip Aggregate scoreTeam 21st leg2nd leg
Turkey  1–3  Ukraine1–10–2
Croatia  1–2  Northern Ireland1–10–1 (a.e.t.)
Bosnia and Herzegovina  3–6  Serbia2–21–4
Azerbaijan  1–8  Portugal1–40–4
Hungary  0–5  Scotland0–10–4
Slovakia  2–3  Wales2–10–2 (a.e.t.)

Second round

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The second round matches will take place on 28/29 November and 3 December 2024. Each tie will be played over two legs, with the seeded teams playing the second leg at home.[6]

Team 1Agg. Tooltip Aggregate scoreTeam 21st leg2nd leg
Portugal  15  Czech Republic29 Nov3 Dec
Scotland  16  Finland29 Nov3 Dec
Ukraine  17  Belgium29 Nov3 Dec
Wales  18  Republic of Ireland29 Nov3 Dec
Poland  19  Austria29 Nov3 Dec
Northern Ireland  20  Norway29 Nov3 Dec
Serbia  21  Sweden28 Nov3 Dec

Matches

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Times are CEST/CET,[note 2] as listed by UEFA (local times, if different, are in parentheses).

First round: Path 1

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Romania  1–2  Poland
Report
Poland  4–1  Romania
Report

Poland won 6–2 on aggregate and qualified for the second round.


Greece  0–0  Belgium
Report
Belgium  5–0  Greece
Report
Attendance: 5,812[10]

Belgium won 5–0 on aggregate and qualified for the second round.


Montenegro  0–1  Finland
Report
Finland  5–0  Montenegro
Report

Finland won 6–0 on aggregate and qualified for the second round.


Georgia  0–6  Republic of Ireland
Report
Republic of Ireland  3–0  Georgia
Report

Republic of Ireland won 9–0 on aggregate and qualified for the second round.


Slovenia  0–3  Austria
Report
Austria  2–1  Slovenia
Report

Austria won 5–1 on aggregate and qualified for the second round.


Luxembourg  0–4  Sweden
Report
Sweden  8–0  Luxembourg
Report
Attendance: 10,523[18]

Sweden won 12–0 on aggregate and qualified for the second round.


Belarus  1–8  Czech Republic
Report
Czech Republic  0–0  Belarus
Report

Czech Republic won 8–1 on aggregate and qualified for the second round.


Albania  0–5  Norway
Report
Norway  9–0  Albania
Report
Attendance: 7,682[23]

Norway won 14–0 on aggregate and qualified for the second round.

First round: Path 2

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Turkey  1–1  Ukraine
Report
Ukraine  2–0  Turkey
Report

Ukraine won 3–1 on aggregate and qualified for the second round.


Croatia  1–1  Northern Ireland
Report
Northern Ireland  1–0 (a.e.t.)  Croatia
Report
Attendance: 3,935[28]

Northern Ireland won 2–1 on aggregate and qualified for the second round.


Bosnia and Herzegovina  2–2  Serbia
Report
Serbia  4–1  Bosnia and Herzegovina
Report

Serbia won 6–3 on aggregate and qualified for the second round.


Azerbaijan  1–4  Portugal
Report
Attendance: 253[31]
Portugal  4–0  Azerbaijan
Report

Portugal won 8–1 on aggregate and qualified for the second round.


Hungary  0–1  Scotland
Report
Attendance: 1,213[33]
Referee: Maria Caputi (Italy)
Scotland  4–0  Hungary
Report

Scotland won 5–0 on aggregate and qualified for the second round.


Slovakia  2–1  Wales
Report
Attendance: 2,013[35]
Wales  2–0 (a.e.t.)  Slovakia
Report

Wales won 3–2 on aggregate and qualified for the second round.


Second round

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Portugal  v  Czech Republic
Report
Referee: Silvia Gasperotti (Italy)
Czech Republic  v  Portugal
Report

Scotland  v  Finland
Report
Referee: Alina Peşu (Romania)
Finland  v  Scotland
Report

Ukraine  v  Belgium
Report
Referee: Hristiyana Guteva (Bulgaria)
Belgium  v  Ukraine
Report

Republic of Ireland  v  Wales
Report

Poland  v  Austria
Report
Referee: Olatz Rivera Olmedo (Spain)
Austria  v  Poland
Report

Northern Ireland  v  Norway
Report
Referee: Ivana Martinčić (Croatia)
Norway  v  Northern Ireland
Report

Serbia  v  Sweden
Report
Referee: Catarina Campos (Portugal)
Sweden  v  Serbia
Report

Top goalscorers

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There have been 104 goals scored in 28 matches, for an average of 3.71 goals per match (as of 29 October 2024).

5 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

Source: UEFA

Notes

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  1. ^ a b The seven highest-ranked teams in the playoffs were all by definition from League A. If one of those teams lost to a League C team in the first round, that League C team would be seeded in the second round, as the winner of the first round tie involving one of the top seven teams. (Regulations Article 27.05b)[2]
  2. ^ CEST (UTC+2) for the first leg matches of the first round, CET (UTC+1) for all matches thereafter.
  3. ^ a b Due to Belarusian involvement in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Belarus are required to play their home matches at neutral venues, and behind closed doors, until further notice.[19]
  4. ^ Due to the country's involvement in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Belarus were not allowed to enter the Czech Republic by local authorities. As a result, the match was played at a neutral venue.
  5. ^ a b Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukraine are required to play their home matches at neutral venues until further notice.[25]

References

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  1. ^ "New women's national team competition system". UEFA. 3 November 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Regulations of the UEFA European Women's Championship including UEFA Nations League and European Qualifiers". UEFA. 7 February 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "Women's European Qualifiers for Euro 2025: Who is in what league?". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Association.
  4. ^ a b "Women's European Qualifiers league stage draw". uefa.com. UEFA. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g UEFA.com (17 July 2024). "Women's European Qualifiers play-off draw". UEFA.com. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  6. ^ a b UEFA.com (19 July 2024). "Women's European Qualifiers play-off ties". UEFA.com. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Romania v Poland" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  8. ^ "Poland v Romania" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  9. ^ "Greece v Belgium" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  10. ^ "Belgium v Greece" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  11. ^ "Montenegro v Finland" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Finland v Montenegro" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  13. ^ "Georgia v Republic of Ireland" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  14. ^ "Republic of Ireland v Georgia" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  15. ^ "Slovenia v Austria" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  16. ^ "Austria v Slovenia" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  17. ^ "Luxembourg v Sweden" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  18. ^ "Sweden v Luxembourg" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  19. ^ "Belarus teams to play on neutral ground in UEFA competitions". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 3 March 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  20. ^ "Belarus v Czech Republic" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  21. ^ "Czech Republic v Belarus" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  22. ^ "Albania v Norway" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  23. ^ "Norway v Albania" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  24. ^ "Turkey v Ukraine" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  25. ^ "Decisions from today's extraordinary UEFA Executive Committee meeting". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  26. ^ "Ukraine v Turkey" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  27. ^ "Croatia v Northern Ireland" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  28. ^ "Northern Ireland v Croatia" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  29. ^ "Bosnia and Herzegovina v Serbia" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  30. ^ "Serbia v Bosnia and Herzegovina" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  31. ^ "Azerbaijan v Portugal" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  32. ^ "Portugal v Azerbaijan" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  33. ^ "Hungary v Scotland" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  34. ^ "Scotland v Hungary" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  35. ^ "Slovakia v Wales" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  36. ^ "Wales v Slovakia" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2024.