Women’s Nations League draw: Spain learns path to LA 2028 Olympics; England faces France

File Image: World champion Spain was drawn alongside Norway, Ireland, and Switzerland in the UEFA Women’s Nations League. | Photo Credit: AP

World champion Spain was drawn alongside Norway, Ireland and Switzerland in the UEFA Women’s Nations League on Tuesday, with the group winner securing a place at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

European champion England will face France, Portugal and Austria in its group. Should England finish at the top, it will qualify for the Olympics as part of the Great Britain team, which can also include players from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has been allocated four qualification spots for the expanded 16-team women’s football tournament at the Los Angeles Games. These places will go to the winners of the four top-tier Nations League groups.

In the other League A groups, Germany will compete against the Netherlands, Scotland and Sweden, while Denmark, Italy, Iceland and Wales make up the remaining group.

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The group-stage matches will be played between February and June 2027, with the fixtures expected to be confirmed next week.

Besides securing Olympic qualification, the four group winners will advance to the Nations League semifinals in October, followed by a two-legged final scheduled across November and December 2027.

UEFA also conducted the draws for the lower divisions, with Serbia, Albania, Belgium and Romania placed together in League B.

A further 22 teams were drawn into six groups in League C. Russia remained excluded due to its suspension from UEFA competitions following the invasion of Ukraine.