The Baltic women’s national teams have learned their opponents for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign. Latvia will face a tough challenge in League B, while Lithuania and Estonia have been drawn together in one of the League C groups.
After winning their UEFA Nations League League C group and earning promotion to League B, Latvia was guaranteed stronger opposition. In Group B3, Latvia was drawn against Portugal (FIFA ranking: 23) from Pot 1 – a team that debuted at the 2023 World Cup and has featured in the last three European Championships.
From Pot 2, Latvia drew Finland (FIFA ranking: 22), semi-finalists at the 2005 UEFA Women’s EURO, while from Pot 3 came Slovakia (FIFA ranking: 48), who convincingly defeated Latvia 9-0 on aggregate in their Nations League promotion/relegation playoff two years ago.
Latvia will enter the group as clear underdogs. The group winner will advance directly to the World Cup play-offs and also earn promotion to League A, while the second and third-placed teams will have a chance to continue fighting for qualification. The fourth-placed side will be relegated to League C for the next Nations League cycle.
Meanwhile, in League C, both Lithuania and Estonia were drawn into the same group. They will face Bosnia and Herzegovina (FIFA ranking: 62), recently relegated from League B, and Liechtenstein from the lowest pot. The group winner will progress to the World Cup play-off stage and earn promotion to League B, while the best runners-up across all League C groups will also have a chance to continue in qualification.
The qualification matches will be played across March, April, and May 2026. Europe will have 11 spots at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil – four group winners from League A will qualify directly, while seven additional berths will be decided through the play-offs, including one via the intercontinental play-off.
