England head coach Sarina Wiegman says that the Lionesses have a tough route to qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
Only the top team in the group will automatically progress to the finals in Brazil next year.
And England are in a group with Iceland, Ukraine and reigning world champions Spain.
Still, Wiegman is positive about her team’s chances.
“With the qualities we have, if we’re at our best we should qualify for the World Cup,” Wiegman told Sky Sports.
“We have different scenarios, we’re going out there to win every game but we know that’s very difficult. It’s very hard to top the group.
“The team’s in a good place, most of the players are. I can feel everyone’s ready to get started again. We have to qualify first. We’ve started a new cycle playing games against Ukraine and Iceland, who I haven’t faced with England.
“We’ve also got Spain – we can’t get rid of each other. I’m also excited to look ahead longer term but not taking for granted qualifying.”
Sarina Wiegman: 2022 was so special
Wiegman – who was named an honorary dame in the New Year Honours List – was speaking after the weekend’s Football Writers Association tribute evening in her honour, marking her back-to-back European crowns with England.
“I’m really proud to get the acknowledgement,” she said on the night. “The media is so important and seeing the women’s game, following the women’s game, making it visible and then acknowledge also the performance we had.
“That makes me really proud of the team and the staff and the FA.”
She also reflected on the 2022 Euros win, saying: “When the final whistle went at Wembley, I will never, ever forget that moment. The excitement, the excitement and joy that people had in the stands, people crying.
“And everyone would talk about ’66 [when the men won the World Cup], so we broke through a ceiling, I think, with the women’s game, but also for England football. That was so special.”
