Sweden and Italy drew 2-2 in Gothenburg, while the direct path to Brazil nevertheless remained Denmark's
Sweden and Italy concluded the league phase of UEFA qualifying for the 2027 Women's World Cup with a 2-2 draw at Gamla Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg, in a match from the 6th round of Group A1 played on 9 June 2026. According to UEFA's official report, the duel was one of the most striking matches of the final qualifying day because Italy held a two-goal lead, while Sweden managed to respond in the second half with two goals in the space of three minutes. The result did not change the top of the group, since Denmark simultaneously defeated Serbia 4-1 and secured first place and direct qualification for the final tournament in Brazil. Italy finished the group second with nine points, Sweden third with eight, and both national teams will continue their path toward the World Cup through additional qualifiers. Although it did not bring a direct ticket to Brazil, the match confirmed the attacking quality of both teams and showed why encounters between Sweden and Italy in women's football are increasingly being singled out as tactically demanding and unpredictable in terms of results.
Italy used the space in the first half and took control
Italy arrived in Gothenburg with a clear task: they needed to beat Sweden and at the same time hope for a Danish stumble in Serbia in order to overtake their rivals in the battle for first place. According to the preview and reports from the Italian Football Federation, the national team of head coach Andrea Soncin still had a mathematical chance of direct qualification before the final round, but also depended on the outcome of the group's other match. That competitive context was not visible in the Italian performance in the first half, as the visitors played in an organized, patient and sufficiently aggressive manner in transition toward attack. Sweden tried to impose an early rhythm in front of the home crowd, but Italy's right side, especially through the cooperation of Lucia Di Guglielmo and Sofia Cantore, created serious problems for the home defence. It was precisely from such a move that Italy scored the goal that opened the match and changed the balance of power on the pitch.
According to the FIGC report, in the 36th minute Sofia Cantore broke through the space on the right side and set up the ball for Elisabetta Oliviero, who gave Italy the lead with a precise shot. UEFA notes that this was Oliviero's second goal in this qualifying cycle, and after that moment the Italian national team gained additional confidence in possession and in playing out from pressure. Sweden tried to respond through set pieces and crosses, but until the break they were not managing often enough to bring the ball into the final zone under control. In the 45th minute Italy doubled their advantage when Oliviero moved from the role of goalscorer to that of provider and found Martina Piemonte, who headed in for 0-2. That half-time score reflected Italian efficiency, but also Swedish difficulties in defensive stability, especially in situations in which Italy quickly switched the side of attack.
Sweden came back through set pieces and energy from the bench
The second half brought a different rhythm. According to reports from Gothenburg, Sweden head coach Tony Gustavsson reacted with substitutions and tried to raise the intensity on the flanks and in the final phase of attack. With the introductions of Hanna Lundkvist and Fridolina Rolfö, the home national team gained more directness, a better presence in the penalty area and greater danger after set pieces. Italy still controlled a larger part of the game in the opening minutes of the second half, but at the same time confirmation was arriving from Serbia that Denmark were building a convincing advantage. This made Italy's path to direct qualification increasingly less realistic, while the match in Gothenburg increasingly took on the character of a fight for prestige, position in the group and a psychological reserve ahead of the play-offs. After a weaker first half, Sweden began to create pressure through a series of crosses and corner kicks.
According to the FIGC, Sweden's first goal came in the 70th minute after a corner, when Hanna Lundkvist took advantage of a scramble in front of the Italian goal and reduced the score to 1-2. UEFA states in its round summary that Lundkvist and Rolfö scored within three minutes of each other, which meant Sweden completely changed the emotional tone of the match in a short period. In the 73rd minute, another set piece and another loose ball opened space for Fridolina Rolfö, who scored from close range for 2-2 and brought the home national team back into the match. Italy had several moments in the closing stages in which they could have taken the lead again, and the FIGC particularly highlights a late chance for Lisa Boattin, but the shot did not finish on target. Sweden, on the other hand, had more energy and the support of the stands after the equaliser, but did not manage to complete a full turnaround.
A draw that did not change the standings, but did highlight problems and strengths
In terms of the result, 2-2 did not shift the fundamental relationships in Group A1. According to UEFA's official announcement, Denmark confirmed first place with a 4-1 victory against Serbia and became one of the national teams that secured direct qualification for the 2027 World Cup through League A. Alongside Denmark, after the end of the league phase UEFA also listed France, Germany and Spain among the directly qualified teams, while the other national teams from League A continue the competition in the play-offs. In its announcement, the FIGC states the final table of Group A1: Denmark 14 points, Italy 9, Sweden 8, Serbia 1. That outcome shows how costly the draws against Denmark and Sweden were for Italy, but also how heavily Sweden were burdened by the defeat to Denmark in the 5th round, after which they were left without the possibility of direct qualification even before the final match.
For Italy, the match in Gothenburg had a double meaning. On the one hand, Andrea Soncin's team showed that it can tactically control a very demanding opponent, build an advantage through organized attack and use the width of the pitch. On the other hand, the lost 2-0 lead opened the question of concentration at set pieces and the ability to close out matches against national teams from the European elite. Soncin himself, according to the FIGC announcement, emphasized after the match that the performance had been at a very high level, but also that Italy paid dearly for the little it allowed the opponent. For Sweden, the draw brought a different kind of message: the team showed character and squad depth, but once again had to rescue a match after problems in the first half. The home national team thus enters the play-offs with proof that it can quickly change the course of a match, but also with a clear warning that defensive fluctuations against quality opponents leave little room for error.
How the continuation of European qualifying works
According to UEFA's explanation of the qualifying system, Europe has 11 guaranteed places at the 2027 Women's World Cup, with the possibility of one more place through FIFA's intercontinental play-offs. The four winners of the League A groups secured direct qualification, while the remaining 32 national teams move into a play-off system that will be played over two rounds. In the first round there are two paths. In the first path, the second-placed and third-placed national teams from League A, among them Italy and Sweden, will be seeded against the winners of the League C groups and the two best second-placed national teams from League C. UEFA states that those League A national teams will play the return leg at home, which gives Italy and Sweden a certain advantage in the first step of the additional qualifiers.
The play-off draw is scheduled for 18 June 2026, and the first round will be played in October 2026. The second round is planned for the period from the end of November to the beginning of December 2026, and according to UEFA's system the seven best-ranked winners of the second round will secure direct qualification for the final tournament. The remaining second-round winner will go into the intercontinental play-offs. Such a format further increases the importance of the overall ranking, seeded status and every detail from the league phase, because the final outcome is determined not only by progressing through two-legged ties but also by the broader qualifying ranking. For Italy and Sweden, this means that the draw in Gothenburg was the end of one phase, but not the end of the qualifying path. Both national teams must confirm their quality in October against nominally lower-ranked opponents, and then in the second round secure a place among the best.
Brazil 2027 as a goal that remains open
FIFA has confirmed that the 2027 Women's World Cup will be held in Brazil from 24 June to 25 July 2027. It will be the first edition of the Women's World Cup in South America, which gives the final tournament additional symbolic weight for the global development of women's football. The competition will once again bring together 32 national teams, and the European qualifying system, because of the breadth and quality of UEFA's area, remains one of the most demanding paths to the finals. That is precisely why the outcome of Group A1 matters beyond a single match: Denmark confirmed continuity and secured a direct trip to Brazil, Italy showed growth and competitiveness, and Sweden proved that even in a period of change they remain capable of responding to results pressure. For both national teams that played in Gothenburg, a period of preparation now follows in which the 2-2 result can serve both as encouragement and as a warning.
The match at Gamla Ullevi can therefore be read on several levels. As an individual encounter, it was an attractive draw with four goals, clear tactical turns and strong individual roles from Elisabetta Oliviero, Martina Piemonte, Hanna Lundkvist and Fridolina Rolfö. As part of the qualifying picture, it confirmed that Group A1 did not produce a simple hierarchy, but a series of matches in which small details decided direct qualification, the play-offs and the final order. Italy will enter the play-offs with second place and the argument that they played a very high-quality first half against Sweden, while Sweden will seek the stability that they lacked during the spring part of qualifying. The final impression from Gothenburg remains that both national teams are attacking capable and good enough to fight for the World Cup, but that the path toward Brazil will now require more than one good half.
Sources:
- UEFA – summary of the 6th round of European qualifying and the outcome of Group A1 (link)
- UEFA – overview of qualified national teams, play-off participants and the additional qualifying system (link)
- UEFA – official overview of all results from the league phase of qualifying for the 2027 Women's World Cup (link)
- UEFA – official information on the Sweden - Italy match at Gamla Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg (link)
- FIGC – report by the Italian Football Federation on the match, scorers, statements, line-ups and final group table (link)
- FIFA – official information on the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil and the tournament dates (link)