Poland's women beat Belgium on penalties to reach World Cup playoff final

A comeback in Gdańsk

Poland's women needed to overturn a 1-0 first-leg defeat in Leuven, where Elena Dhont scored in added time of the first half on Friday, 9 October. About 300,000 people watched that match on television. The return leg was played on Tuesday, 13 October, at the Polsat Plus Arena in Gdańsk, with an 18:00 kickoff. Poland had to win by at least two goals to reach the final playoff, and Ewa Pajor equalised in the 42nd minute. Amy Littel put Belgium back in front after the break, but a goal from Paulina Tomasiak forced extra time. Pajor rescued the team again there, and with the tie still level the match went to a penalty shootout, which Poland won 4-3 after the second leg finished 3-2 in their favour.

1. Oct 9, 2026First leg in Leuven, Belgium win 1-0 with Elena Dhont's goal in added time of the first half
2. Oct 13, 06:00 PMSecond leg kicks off at the Polsat Plus Arena in Gdańsk
3. 42nd minuteEwa Pajor equalises
4. Second halfAmy Littel puts Belgium back in front
5. Tomasiak goalPaulina Tomasiak equalises, forcing extra time
6. Extra timeEwa Pajor rescues Poland again
7. Penalty shootoutPoland win 4-3 on penalties

The first lady in the stands

Marta Nawrocka, wife of President Karol Nawrocki, watched the match from the stands. Last year she also followed Poland's 0-0 draw with the Netherlands from the stands and met the squad at a football breakfast. On Tuesday she was accompanied by Mateusz Kotecki, an undersecretary of state at the Chancellery of the President, and by her personal photographer, Alicja Stefaniuk. Stefaniuk took a picture that spread quickly online, and she said it was taken at the moment a goal for Poland was scored. Sebastian Meitz of the Sobieski Institute praised the photograph, which also shows children, and doubted it would bring sudden good sense to the usual online critics. The Chancellery of the President then posted on X that the first lady had cheered the women's national team from the stands and thanked the players for their effort.

Nawrocka summed up her evening in a social media post:

Girls, you showed incredible character, fighting spirit and real strength! I am incredibly proud of you!

Online reaction

The visit split opinion on X. Some users mocked the first lady and questioned why her presence at a stadium deserved notice, while others saw it as worth noting and admirable. Critics joked that nobody had told her what kit the players wear, and one suggested a scarf would have made for better public relations. Supporters countered that she had brought the team luck and called the visit lovely. The argument focused less on the result than on the visit itself, and the Chancellery's post became the centre of much of the debate.

What comes next

After the match, Ewa Pajor praised the squad's effort in an interview with TVP Sport:

We gave our whole hearts. This team gave everything until the last minute, until the last penalty.

Poland will face Ireland in a two-legged final playoff in November, and the winner will earn a place at next year's World Cup in Brazil. Ireland began its playoff campaign with an 8-0 win over Kazakhstan.