Greece v England
FIFA Women's World Cup 2027
European Qualifier Play-Off First Leg
5.30pm BST, Friday 9 October 2026
Pankritio Stadium, Crete

Greece in profile

 

Nickname: Galanolefki
Coach: Vasillis Spertos
Captain: Eleni Markou
Last encounter: N/A

This will be the first ever meeting between Greece and England, with the Lionesses unbeaten in each of their last 41 fixtures when facing an opponent for the very first time (W34 D7).

England are unbeaten in each of their last 15 matches when facing a European nation for the first time in a competitive fixture (W13 D2), scoring 87 goals and conceding just three times. Their last defeat in such a game came in a FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying play-off match versus France in October 2002.

England women squad news

See the squad for this fixture here, and you can see any updates here. 

 

 

Ticket Information for Greece v England women

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How to watch or stream Greece v England women

 

This game will be shown live in the UK on ITV's platforms. 

Sarina Wiegman has named her starting XI for the first leg of England’s FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 play-off against Greece.

The head coach has made two changes to the side that started the Lionesses 3-0 victory over Ukraine in June.

Leah Williamson returns to captain the side after missing the previous camp with injury, while Alex Greenwood also comes back into the starting XI.

Lucia Kendall has withdrawn from the squad as she continues to manage a minor groin injury sustained in league action last weekend.

The match kicks off at 5.30pm (BST). It is available to watch live on ITV in the UK, while you can also follow all the action with our live commentary and stats right here or through our live blog on the England app.

England: 1 Hannah Hampton, 2 Maya Le Tissier, 3 Leah Williamson ©, 4 Esme Morgan, 5 Alex Greenwood, 6 Keira Walsh, 7 Laura Blindkilde Brown, 8 Georgia Stanway, 9 Alessia Russo, 10 Lauren James, 11 Lauren Hemp.

Substitutes: 12 Niamh Charles, 13 Khiara Keating, 14 Lexi Potter, 15 Jess Carter, 16 Grace Fisk, 17 Jess Park, 19 Beth Mead, 20 Erica Meg Parkinson, 21 Anna Moorhouse, 22 Freya Godfrey, 23 Ella Toone.

England secured a 3-1 win against Greece in the first leg of their FIFA Women’s World Cup round one play-off at Pankritio Stadium.

Georgia Stanway opened the scoring, before Maya Le Tissier and Alessia Russo provided a welcome cushion ahead of the home leg, with Kallisti Brouksair pulling one back for the home side.

The Lionesses will take the advantage into their return fixture on Tuesday in Leicester as they look to secure a tie against Slovakia or Ukraine for a place at the World Cup next summer.

The opening stages were dominated by England, though they had to wait until the 16th minute for their first shot on target.

Le Tissier made a strong run down the right of the box and held her ground despite being fouled, before cutting back to Laura Blindkilde Brown, who forced a save from Fafailia Dimitra Petaloti.

Keira Walsh looked to carry on her goal-scoring form from the domestic game with a trademark long-range strike shortly after, before Russo saw a shot blocked from inside the box.

England thought they’d broken the deadlock on 20 minutes, when Lauren James deftly lobbed the Greek ‘keeper from 30 yards out, but her effort was ruled offside by VAR.

Though momentum remained with England, it looked a matter of when, not if, the Lionesses would score as Lauren Hemp burst into the left of the box before firing a fizzing low strike just wide of the far post.

Sarina Wiegman’s side were dominating, but the hosts still carried a threat, with Ioanna Papatheodorou producing a mazy run from the halfway line before unleashing a shot from range that pinged off the crossbar.

England got their reward in the 39th minute thanks to some brilliant intricate play in the box, with Stanway on the mark to finish.

Quick passing saw Blindkilde Brown dink the ball through to Russo, who played a first-time pass into the path of her club teammate to slot beyond the reach of the goalkeeper into the far corner.

After the restart, Le Tissier was once again the protagonist to get the Lionesses’ attacking intent underway, forcing Petaloti to tip her powerful shot over 10 minutes after half time.

And it was the England right-back who doubled the lead five minutes later as she fired home a similar effort from a tight angle, with Petaloti unable to get enough on the shot to keep it out.

Chances kept coming for the Lionesses, with Russo next to seize her opportunity.

Exchanging a one-two with Beth Mead in the box, the striker got the ball out of her feet and struck low into the bottom left corner on 67 minutes.

But, as momentum swung back in Greece’s favour with just over ten minutes to play, Brouksair pulled one back with a low effort from the left of the box.

The Lionesses responded well. James clipped a tantalising effort just wide of the left post just after the restart, while Jess Park hit the crossbar, before Erica Meg Parkinson and Grace Fisk were handed their senior debuts to give further cause for celebration in Greece.

England: 1 Hannah Hampton (Chelsea); 2 Maya Le Tissier (Manchester United), 3 Leah Williamson (Arsenal), 4 Esme Morgan (Washington Spirit), 5 Alex Greenwood (Manchester City); 6 Keira Walsh (Chelsea), 8 Georgia Stanway (Arsenal), 10 Lauren James (Chelsea); 7 Laura Blindkilde Brown (Manchester City), 9 Alessia Russo (Arsenal), 11 Lauren Hemp (Manchester City)

Subs: 19 Beth Mead (Manchester City) for Blindkilde Brown 46, 17 Jess Park (Manchester United) for Russo 73, 20 Erica Meg Parkinson (North Carolina Courage) for James 86, 16 Grace Fisk (Liverpool) for Morgan 91

Subs not used: 13 Khiara Keating (Liverpool), 21 Anna Moorhouse (Manchester City, loan from Orlando Pride), 12 Niamh Charles (Manchester City), 14 Lexi Potter (Chelsea), 15 Jess Carter (Gotham FC), 22 Freya Godfrey (London City Lionesses), 23 Ella Toone (Manchester United)

Head coach: Sarina Wiegman

Goals: Stanway 39, Le Tissier 63, Russo 67

Greece: 13 Fafailia Dimitra Petaloti; 15 Vasiliki Giannaka, 4 Maria Gouni, 9 Eleni Markou, 22 Maria Paterna; 8 Eleftheria Drakogiannaki, 17 Athanasia Moraitou, 18 Efthimia Brame; 10 Veatriki Sarri, 7 Ioanna Papatheodorou, 23 Kallisti Brouskair

Subs: 6 Georgia Chalatsogianni for Moraitou 68, 14 Eleni Saich for Brame 68, 21 Sophia Kongouli for Drakogiannaki 78, 19 Grigoria Pouliou for Papatheodorou 87, 11 Ilektra Tzourtzevits for Sarri 87

Subs not used: 1 Dimitra Giannakouli, 2 Stamatia Darzanou, 3 Marina Theodoraki, 5 Maria Kapnisi, 12 Styliani Katergiannaki, 16 Marianna Rapani, 20 Griselda Tsela

Head coach: Vasilios Spertos

Goals: Brouksair 77