Germany confirmed first place at Stožice: Slovenia head to the play-offs after defeat
The Germany women's national football team concluded the league phase of UEFA's European qualifiers for the 2027 World Cup with a 2:0 victory against Slovenia at Stožice Stadium in Ljubljana. The match of the sixth round of Group A4 was played on 9 June 2026 from 18:00, and according to the match report of the German Football Association it ended with a 0:2 scoreline, with 0:1 at half-time. Germany took the lead toward the end of the first half after an own goal by Lara Prašnikar, while Shekiera Martinez set the final score early in the second half. The encounter thus confirmed the balance of power in the group, in which the German national team had already secured direct qualification for the final tournament in Brazil. Slovenia, despite the defeat and last place in the group, remained according to UEFA's ranking among the national teams that continue their qualifying path through the autumn play-offs.
For Germany, the match had above all competitive and preparatory significance, because Christian Wück's team entered the final round as the certain winner of the group. According to UEFA data, Germany finished Group A4 with 16 points, five wins and one draw, with a goal difference of 18:1. Norway finished second with 12 points, Austria third with four, and Slovenia fourth with three points. Such an outcome means that Germany go directly to the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup, while Norway, Austria and Slovenia enter the additional qualifiers. UEFA also states that Slovenia, as the fourth-placed team in League A, were relegated to a lower tier for the next competition cycle.
An own goal before the break opened a match controlled by Germany
In front of their home crowd in Ljubljana, Slovenia tried to keep a compact defence and keep the match open in terms of the score for as long as possible. According to the official UEFA report and the DFB match record, the first goal was credited to Lara Prašnikar as an own goal after a situation in the closing stages of the first half. The DFB lists the 39th minute in its data centre, while UEFA recorded the goal in the match summary in the 40th minute, which does not change the essential fact that Germany went into the break with a minimal lead. Such an outcome was important for the visiting team because it broke the Slovenian defensive block and steered the rest of the match toward the expected scenario. Slovenia did not concede an early goal, but they did not manage to keep a clean sheet until half-time against opponents who had by far the most stable defence in the group throughout the entire qualifying cycle.
Germany quickly confirmed the victory in the second half. According to the DFB match record, Shekiera Martinez scored in the 50th minute for 0:2, which moved the match into a calmer phase. After the second goal, Germany could control the tempo and distribute playing time, and Wück introduced Larissa Mühlhaus, Sophia Kleinherne and Selina Cerci already at the start of the second half. Later, Sjoeke Nüsken and Jule Brand also entered the game, showing that the German coaching staff used the match to test the depth of the squad as well. Slovenia head coach Saša Kolman made substitutions during the second half to try to refresh the team, among others bringing on Nina Kajzba, Zala Kuštrin, Sara Ketiš and Mirjam Kastelec.
Stožice as a test of Slovenian resilience
Although the 0:2 result brings no points, the Slovenian national team did not suffer the kind of scoreline collapse that often happens against one of the strongest European selections. In March, in the first head-to-head meeting of this qualifying group, Germany defeated Slovenia 5:0 in Dresden, confirming that the Ljubljana encounter was tighter and more cautious. According to the official match record, Slovenia began the match with Zala Meršnik in goal, while Izabela Križaj, Dominika Čonč, Lana Golob, Sara Agrež, Tinkara Testen, Zara Kramžar, Kaja Korošec, Mateja Zver, Maja Sternad and Lara Prašnikar were also in the starting line-up. The home team tried to combine the experience of players such as Mateja Zver and Lara Prašnikar with younger key figures, among whom Zara Kramžar stands out. Against Germany, that was enough for a longer period of uncertainty in the scoreline, but not for a point against the group favourites.
Germany, according to the DFB, started with Ena Mahmutovic in goal, while Carlotta Wamser, Janina Minge, Camilla Küver, Sarai Linder, Elisa Senß, Shekiera Martinez, Lisanne Gräwe, Vivien Endemann, Melissa Kössler and Klara Bühl were also in the starting line-up. Such a line-up suggests a broader rotation compared with the match against Norway, in which Germany had confirmed direct qualification a few days earlier. The dpa report, carried by German media, states that Wück made a larger number of changes to the starting eleven, which was expected given that the ticket to Brazil had already been secured. Despite the changes, the German national team maintained control and finished the qualifiers without conceding a goal in Ljubljana. Such an outcome continues the pattern of the entire cycle, in which Germany conceded only one goal in six matches.
Germany confirmed their status as one of Europe's leading teams
After the end of the league phase, UEFA announced that the four group winners from League A had gone directly to the 2027 World Cup: Denmark, France, Germany and Spain. Germany reached that outcome first with a convincing opening against Slovenia, then with an away win against Norway, a win over Austria, a draw with Austria, a crucial triumph against Norway and a final victory in Ljubljana. According to UEFA's list of results, Germany's cycle in Group A4 consisted of 5:0 wins against Slovenia, 4:0 against Norway, 5:1 against Austria, a 0:0 draw against Austria, a 2:0 win against Norway and a 2:0 win against Slovenia. Such a run shows both attacking depth and defensive stability, especially because the only goal conceded came in the win over Austria. For a national team at the top of Europe, the qualifiers therefore ended without uncertainty in the final round.
Direct qualification is additionally important because the European qualifying system leaves little room for mistakes even for teams from League A. UEFA states that Europe has 11 direct places for the 2027 World Cup and one further possible place through the intercontinental play-offs. Four places belong to the winners of the League A groups, while the remaining seven direct European tickets are distributed through two rounds of play-offs. One team from the final round of the European play-offs goes into the intercontinental qualifiers, which means that even coming through the European play-off does not in itself always guarantee a direct trip to the final tournament. By winning the group, Germany avoided that more complicated path and gained more time to prepare for the final tournament.
Slovenia remain in the play-offs, but are relegated from League A
For Slovenia, the defeat to Germany has a double meaning. On the one hand, the national team finished last in Group A4 with three points, according to UEFA's standings, and will therefore be relegated from League A in the next cycle. On the other hand, the qualifying system allows all League A teams that did not win their group to continue the fight through the play-offs, so Slovenia still have a mathematical path to the World Cup. UEFA states that 32 national teams from all three leagues are in the play-offs, including all remaining League A members, the best League B teams and some teams from League C. The play-off draw is scheduled for 18 June 2026, and the first-round matches will be played from 7 to 13 October. The second round is scheduled from 25 November to 5 December 2026.
Slovenia's position in the play-offs will not be simple because the fourth-placed teams from League A enter a separate path together with the League B group winners and the other League B representatives. According to UEFA's explanation of the format, the fourth-placed League A teams and the League B group winners will be seeded in the first round of their path and will play the second leg at home. This may bring Slovenia a certain advantage in the draw, but it does not change the fact that qualification will require coming through two two-legged ties and then depending on the overall ranking of the second-round winners. UEFA states that the seven best-ranked winners of the second round of the play-offs will go directly to the World Cup, while one remaining winner will go into the intercontinental play-offs. For that reason, every goal, every result and the overall ranking will carry extra weight.
Brazil 2027 as the broader goal of the European qualifiers
FIFA states that the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup will be held in Brazil from 24 June to 25 July 2027. It will be the first edition of the competition in South America and the tenth FIFA Women's World Cup overall. Precisely because of the growing global importance of the tournament, the European qualifiers carry additional weight, especially for national teams trying to reach their first major final tournament. Germany, as multiple world and European champions, defended in the qualifiers the status of a team that regularly belongs among the candidates for a high finish. Slovenia, by contrast, played in League A against extremely demanding opponents and gathered experience in an environment in which mistakes are punished quickly.
The match in Ljubljana therefore cannot be viewed only through the final 0:2. For Germany, it was a professionally completed end to the group, without conceding a goal and without scoreline stress. For Slovenia, it was a match that confirmed the difference in individual quality and squad depth, but also a match after which the qualifying story does not close. According to the available official information, the Slovenian national team awaits the play-off draw and an opponent for the October cycle. Germany, meanwhile, after confirming first place, move from qualifying mode into a period of planning and preparation for Brazil, where the European group winners will join the other national teams that will secure their appearance through continental qualifiers.
Sources:
- UEFA – official data on the Slovenia – Germany match, the stadium, officials and result (link)
- UEFA – overview of the league-phase results of the European qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup (link)
- UEFA – overview of qualified teams, play-offs, group standings and the qualification system (link)
- German Football Association, DFB Datencenter – official match record, scorers, line-ups, substitutions and cards (link)
- FIFA – official information on the FIFA Women's World Cup Brazil 2027, competition dates and tournament context (link)
- WELT / dpa – report on Germany's final victory in Ljubljana and rotations in the line-up (link)