The Germany and Switzerland women's teams successfully started their fight for qualification to next year's World Cup in Brazil. Germany gave no chance to Slovenia, winning big in front of their home crowd, while Switzerland, under new coach, defeated Northern Ireland. Less fortunate were the Italian women, who lost to Sweden, complicating their group situation right at the start of the race for tickets to South America.

Spectacular start for Germany women

The Germany team defeated Slovenia by a large margin, presenting offensive football and introducing goal-scoring debutante Larissa Mühlhaus to the team.

Switzerland scores despite difficulties

Coach Navarro's debut brought a 2:0 win over Northern Ireland, but media point out technical deficiencies and lack of fluidity in play.

Defeat for Italy women in highlight match

Italy lost to Sweden, which significantly complicates their path to winning the qualification group and direct qualification to the World Cup.

The first round of qualifiers for the 2027 women's World Cup confirmed the dominance of the favorites, although the style of some victories leaves room for discussion. The Germany team showed impressive form, crushing Slovenia in a match that from the first minute was dictated by the hosts. Media across the Oder emphasize not only the high efficiency but also the successful debut of Larissa Mühlhaus, who scored her first goal for the national team just minutes after coming onto the pitch. DFB hopes that such a convincing victory will silence critics and build enthusiasm around the rejuvenated team led by Christian Wück. In Switzerland, the debut of coach Ludovic Navarro in a competitive match ended with a 2:0 victory over Northern Ireland. Although the goal was achieved, Swiss newspapers 'Neue Zürcher Zeitung' and 'Le Temps' point to a lack of stability in defensive play and problems creating chances in positional attack. The victory was secured by goals scored thanks to the individual skills of the leaders, but experts warn that against stronger opponents, such disposition may not be enough. Northern Ireland, despite an ambitious attitude, was unable to seriously threaten the Swiss goal, which allows the new staff to calmly analyze the mistakes made before future challenges. The 2027 Women's World Cup will be held in Brazil, making this tournament the first women's World Cup in history organized on the South American continent. FIFA's decision to grant the rights to Brazil was made during the congress in Bangkok in May 2024. Completely different moods prevail on the Apennine Peninsula, where the Italian women lost a key match to Sweden. Coach Andrea Soncin did not hide his disappointment, pointing to the optical advantage of his team, which however did not translate into goals. The Swedes, being one of the highest-ranked teams in the FIFA ranking, showed calculation and solidity in defense, which puts Italy in a difficult position in the fight for direct qualification. Meanwhile, at Tallaght Stadium, the Ireland team faced favored France. The French women, aiming for ultimate triumph in Brazil, controlled the course of the match, confirming that preparations for the tournament are going according to plan. „Es ist ein unglaubliches Gefühl, beim Debüt für Deutschland ein Tor zu erzielen. Es ist der Traum jeder Sportlerin.” (It is an incredible feeling to score a goal on my debut for Germany. It is the dream of every athlete.) — Larissa Mühlhaus „C'è molto rammarico, abbiamo giocato noi e il risultato è ingiusto.” (There is much regret, we played and the result is unfair.) — Andrea Soncin

Mentioned People

  • Larissa Mühlhaus — German footballer who scored a goal in her national team debut against Slovenia.
  • Andrea Soncin — Coach of the Italy women's national football team.
  • Christian Wück — Coach of the Germany women's national team who led the team in the match against Slovenia.