Women's World Cup draw
Tuesday, 17 March, 2009
England will not take Qualfication for 2011 World Cup lightly.
FIFA Women's World Cup Germany 2011
European Qualification Draw
Tuesday 17 March 2009
Nyon, Switzerland
England will meet Spain, Austria, Turkey and Malta in the Qualifying Stage of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup after the draw was made in Nyon this afternoon.
The Three Lions will renew acquaintances with Spain after facing them twice on the way to qualifying for the 2009 European Championship, whilst Austria featured in England’s 2007 World Cup Qualifying Group.
With changes to the English Women’s League imminent and a Euro 2009 campaign to look forward to, England Head Coach Hope Powell is upbeat about her side’s chances of qualifying for Germany.
"We cannot afford to be complacent," Powell warns. "There’s such a wide spectrum of teams of varying abilities and we have a varying level of knowledge about them, but we feel that the new FA Women’s Super League will be much more conducive to international success, linking positively to the international calendar."
"It’s interesting to have drawn Spain again," she continued. "They will undoubtedly be our biggest challenge in the group having had two very keenly contested matches in qualifying for Euro 2009.
"We played Austria in qualifying for the World Cup in China so we know something about them, and added to the mix are Turkey and Malta about whom we have much to learn."
The first phase of qualifying in Europe begins on 19/20 September 2009, and ends on 25 August 2010.
The eight group winners will contest play-offs on 11-12 and 15-16 September 2010 and the winners of each tie will earn a place at the World Cup.
Full draw:
Group 1 |
Group 2 |
Group 3 |
Group 4 |
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France |
Norway |
Denmark |
Ukraine |
Iceland |
Netherlands |
Scotland |
Poland |
Serbia |
Belarus |
Greece |
Hungary |
Northern Ireland |
Slovakia |
Bulgaria |
Romania |
Croatia |
FYR Macedonia |
Georgia |
Bosnia Herzegovina |
Estonia |
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Group 5 |
Group 6 |
Group 7 |
Group 8 |
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England |
Russia |
Italy |
Sweden |
Spain |
Republic of Ireland |
Finland |
Czech Republic |
Austria |
Switzerland |
Portugal |
Belgium |
Turkey |
Israel |
Slovenia |
Wales |
Malta |
Kazakhstan |
Armenia |
Azerbaijan |