Denmark defeated Sweden in the Scandinavian derby and took control of Group A1
The Denmark women's national football team achieved one of its most important victories so far in the European qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. In the match of the fifth round of the league phase of the UEFA Women's European Qualifiers, played on Friday, 5 June 2026 in Odense, Denmark defeated Sweden 2:1 and retained first place in Group A1. According to UEFA's official report, the key moment of the match was the goal by Pernille Harder, who came off the bench and, after a cut-back from Cecilie Fløe, scored for the home lead that ultimately proved decisive. Before that, Sweden had managed to equalize through Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, but failed to obtain a result that would have left them with a realistic chance of winning the group and qualifying directly for the final tournament. Denmark's victory further intensified the battle with Italy, but at the same time, according to UEFA data after the fifth round, confirmed Sweden as a participant in the autumn play-offs.
The match in Odense was decided after Sweden's equalizer
According to data from the Swedish Football Association, the match was played at Odense Stadium in front of 5,902 spectators. Denmark entered the match as the leading national team in the group and with a clear opportunity to take a major step toward direct qualification for the World Cup with a win, while Sweden were seeking a result that would restore their control over the closing stages of the qualifiers. UEFA states in its round summary that both national teams had chances already in the opening part, confirming that this was not a closed match in which the sides waited for the opponent's mistake. Denmark scored the opening goal after a move in which Amalie Vangsgaard set up the finish, and Cecilie Fløe scored from close range. That goal gave the home national team the advantage in a match of high competitive importance and forced Sweden to take more risks.
Sweden found their response in the second half, when Johanna Rytting Kaneryd made use of a rebound after Felicia Schröder's header struck the crossbar. According to UEFA's description of the move, the Swedish equalizer was the result of pressure and a quick reaction in the penalty area, but it did not change the psychological course of the match. Denmark soon took the lead again. Cecilie Fløe, who had already scored the first goal, took on the role of provider in that move and sent a cut-back toward Pernille Harder, and one of Denmark's most experienced players calmly finished the attack. In doing so, Harder once again confirmed her importance in a national team that, in this qualifying cycle, has shown the ability to win points even in uncertain matches.
Freja Thisgaard's late save preserved the victory
According to UEFA's report, the final stage also brought a Swedish attempt at another equalizer. Fridolina Rolfö had a chance to restore balance to the match, but Danish goalkeeper Freja Thisgaard saved the shot and preserved the home national team's lead. That detail is especially important because the difference between a draw and a win in a group like this directly affected the balance of power ahead of the final round. Denmark moved to 11 points with the three points, while Sweden remained on seven and thereby lost the possibility of finishing the league phase in first place. In qualifying matches played through short international windows, such moments often carry greater weight than the statistical picture of the match itself.
Denmark's victory was not only the result of Pernille Harder's individual quality. It also showed the importance of squad depth, because the decisive goal came from the bench, as well as the influence of players who participated in both key attacking moves. Cecilie Fløe thus recorded a goal and an assist in the same match, while Amalie Vangsgaard opened the space for the first Danish goal. Sweden, on the other hand, had moments in which they could have changed the course of the match, but according to reports after the duel, they failed to maintain enough stability in the defensive phase. Swedish media particularly highlighted Stina Blackstenius's missed chances and a disallowed goal for a possible 2:2 equalizer, but the official result remained 2:1 for Denmark. In competitive terms, this means that the Scandinavian derby ended as one of the key results of the entire Group A1.
Situation in Group A1: Denmark ahead of Italy, Sweden in the play-offs
After the fifth round, UEFA announced that Denmark had 11 points in Group A1, Italy eight, Sweden seven, and Serbia one point. In the same round, Italy defeated Serbia 3:0 and thus remained in the race for first place, but Denmark, with the victory over Sweden, kept the best position before the final day of the league phase. The last round will be played on Tuesday, 9 June 2026, with the schedule bringing the matches Serbia - Denmark and Sweden - Italy. According to UEFA's overview of the state of the qualifiers, Sweden, after the defeat to Denmark, were confirmed in the play-offs, while Serbia were also confirmed in the play-offs, but are also relegated from League A in the next cycle. To win the group, Denmark now need a result that will allow them to maintain their advantage over Italy, while the Italian national team must beat Sweden and wait for a Danish slip-up against Serbia.
For Sweden, the defeat is particularly painful because this is a national team with great experience at the biggest international competitions and a team that entered the qualifiers with a clear ambition to fight for direct qualification. According to data from the Swedish Football Association, Sweden, after five matches played, have a record of two wins, one draw and two defeats, with a goal difference of 4:4. Denmark, by contrast, remained unbeaten in five matches, with three wins and two draws and a goal difference of 8:4. These numbers show that Denmark's advantage did not arise only because of one evening in Odense, but because of continuity throughout the entire league phase. Earlier in the qualifiers, Denmark had already defeated Sweden 2:1 in Gothenburg, which further emphasizes the weight of Denmark's double success in their head-to-head matches.
Why first place in League A is decisive
The format of the European qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA World Cup gives especially great value to first place in the League A groups. UEFA announced that the four winners of the League A groups qualify directly for the World Cup in Brazil, while the remaining national teams continue their path through the play-offs. This means that Denmark enter the closing stage with a very clear goal: to confirm first place and avoid additional autumn matches that carry greater risk. The play-offs are structured across several rounds, and according to UEFA rules, national teams from different leagues of the qualifying system take part in the first round, depending on their placement in the league phase. For teams from League A that do not win their group, the path to Brazil remains open, but becomes considerably more complicated.
UEFA received 11 direct places for European national teams at the 2027 World Cup, while one more European national team can reach the final tournament through FIFA's intercontinental play-offs. According to FIFA's official information, the final tournament will be played in Brazil from 24 June to 25 July 2027 and will be the first Women's World Cup held in South America. In such a context, first place in Group A1 has both sporting and organizational value, because direct qualification brings earlier certainty, easier planning of preparations and avoidance of additional qualifying obstacles. For Denmark, going to Brazil would be confirmation of the rise of a national team that in recent cycles has shown increasing competitiveness against the strongest European teams. For Sweden, who must now go through the play-offs, a different path follows, but not the end of qualifying ambitions.
Broader context of the fifth round: Germany first to secure Brazil
The fifth round also brought changes in the other League A groups. UEFA reported that Germany, with a 2:0 victory over Norway, became the first European national team to confirm qualification for the 2027 World Cup. In the same round, Spain defeated England 4:0, France celebrated against Poland 2:0, and the Republic of Ireland defeated the Netherlands 3:2 and further complicated the outcome of its group. These results show that the closing stage of the European qualifiers is extremely balanced, especially in groups where two or three national teams are fighting for direct qualification until the final round. Denmark, with the victory over Sweden, entered the same category of the biggest winners of the fifth round, because they took points against a direct rival and simultaneously eliminated Sweden's possibility of winning the group.
The Scandinavian derby in Odense therefore cannot be viewed only as an isolated match. It is part of a broader fight for four direct European tickets from League A, in a system in which every result carries over to the play-offs, ranking and future status in UEFA competitions. National teams are not playing only for qualification for the World Cup, but also for their position in the next cycle, because the league structure includes promotions and relegations. Within that framework, Denmark achieved a double benefit with the victory: they moved closer to Brazil and confirmed themselves as the most stable team in Group A1. Sweden, by contrast, will await the final round against Italy without the possibility of first place, but with a need to improve the impression and enter the play-offs with more confidence.
What follows for Denmark and Sweden
Denmark will visit Serbia in Stara Pazova in the final round, and according to UEFA's schedule, the match is set for 9 June 2026 at 19:00 Central European Time. Sweden will play against Italy in Gothenburg on the same day, in a match that has direct importance for Italy's chances in the battle for first place. If Denmark confirm their advantage, they will win Group A1 and qualify directly for the final tournament in Brazil. If they fail, Italy will try to use their opportunity, which makes the final round even more important despite the fact that Sweden have already been left without the possibility of winning the group. In such a schedule, every national team still has competitive motivation, whether because of qualification, prestige, the play-offs or future ranking.
For Denmark, the 2:1 victory over Sweden is a result that can define the entire qualifying cycle. The duel showed that the team has enough quality in attack, enough experience on the bench and enough calmness in the closing stages to preserve an advantage in the most important moments. For Sweden, the match opened more difficult questions about the way the national team enters decisive encounters, but also confirmed that individual quality still exists through players who can create chances against the strongest opponents. The autumn play-offs now become Sweden's reality, while Denmark have the opportunity to finish the job already in the next round. Group A1 will therefore finally be resolved on 9 June, but the victory in Odense has already placed Denmark in a position from which they decide their own fate.
Sources:
- UEFA – summary of the fifth round of the European qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA World Cup, including the description of the Denmark - Sweden match and the key events of the encounter (link)
- UEFA – state of the qualifiers after the fifth round, Group A1 standings, confirmed play-off participants and explanation of the qualifying format (link)
- UEFA – list of results and schedule of matches in the European qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA World Cup (link)
- Swedish Football Association – official overview of Group A1, standings, venue, attendance and schedule of the final round (link)
- Danish Football Association – preview of the match in Odense and context of the importance of the qualifying duel between Denmark and Sweden (link)
- FIFA – official information about the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil, tournament dates and allocation of places by confederation (link)