Hangzhou Linping Wuyue Descripción general

It's always hard for representatives of a team that did not succeed to make a point about issues with a qualifying format, but few could begrudge the frustration evident among the England squad on Tuesday after the Lionesses fell short of the one automatic qualification spot available to them for the 2027 Women's World Cup.

A quick scroll through the Spain squad to face England in a crucial Women's World Cup qualifier on Friday and there is one team represented more than any other: Barcelona. Eleven of the 25 names selected by Sonia Bermudez are based in Catalunya, with La Roja able to tap into that familiarity in a very impactful way over the years. But a lot is going to change at Barca this summer.

England have received a significant injury boost ahead of their crucial World Cup qualifier against Spain, with Sarina Wiegman confirming that Lauren James is fit and ready to feature. The Lionesses travel to Mallorca knowing that avoiding defeat will officially punch their ticket to the 2027 tournament in Brazil with over a year to spare.

England and Spain have got used to playing some pretty big games against each other in recent times. Friday's World Cup qualifying clash might not be as big as last summer's European Championship final or the 2023 World Cup final, but it is still huge, with it to potentially decide which of these two powerhouses qualifies automatically for next summer's tournament in Brazil, with the other to have to navigate the play-offs.