Polish women's national team opens World Cup qualifiers with draw against favored Netherlands

The start of the 2027 World Cup qualifiers gave Polish fans reasons to be proud. The White and Reds, facing the Netherlands national team at the Polsat Plus Arena in Gdańsk, managed to earn a point, ending the match with a 1:1 result. Sports media across Europe unanimously emphasize that Polish women's footballers are increasingly boldly knocking on the door of the continental elite. Polish national team coach Nina Patalon expressed satisfaction with her players' performance, although team captain Ewa Pajor admitted she felt some dissatisfaction after the final whistle, which only confirms the team's high ambitions. In other qualifying groups, there was also a lot of action. The German national team confidently defeated Slovenia, and Cora Mühlhaus had a dream debut, scoring in her very first appearance. Switzerland secured a 2:0 victory over Northern Ireland, and England showed excellent form in the second half of their match against Ukraine. Meanwhile, the Spanish national team is grappling with logistical problems: the planned trip to Turkey for the match against Ukraine was delayed due to the uncertain security situation in the region, and the Spanish federation is awaiting final guidelines from UEFA. The 2027 Women's World Cup, hosted by Brazil, will be the tenth edition of this tournament. Since the first official championship in 1991, the stature of women's football has been systematically growing, translating into record attendances and media interest. In the Polish camp, attention is already focused on the next challenge. The Polish women are heading to Lubin, where they will face the Norway national team – a squad packed with world-class stars, the current world and Olympic champions. Experts point to the enormous tactical progress of Nina Patalon's charges, which allowed them to bridge the class gap in the clash with the Dutch. This success has not only a points dimension but also a mental one, building confidence ahead of other difficult matches in the group stage. „Miałam poczucie niedosytu po meczu z Holandią, choć wiemy, jak trudny był to rywal.” (I felt a sense of dissatisfaction after the match with the Netherlands, although we know how difficult an opponent they were.) — Ewa Pajor It is also worth noting the historic achievement of Mariona Caldentey, who joined the elite group of players with one hundred appearances for the Spanish national team. In Germany, it was noted that the broadcast of the national team match on public television ARD, which replaced the popular quiz show "Wer weiß denn sowas?", gathered a slightly smaller audience, sparking a discussion about the commercial potential of women's football among our western neighbors. However, the Polish national team, thanks to good results, is effectively attracting fans to the stands, as was visible during the well-attended match in Gdańsk.