Qualifying: how it stands

UEFA Women's EURO qualifying is in progress with a record 47 teams competing for 15 places alongside hosts England in the finals from 6 to 31 July 2022.

How qualifying works

• The group winners and the three runners-up with the best record against the sides first, third, fourth and fifth in their sections will join hosts England in the final tournament.

• The other six runners-up will play off in April for the remaining three berths in the 16-team finals.

The latest from the groups

Group A: Netherlands (holders), Russia, Slovenia, Kosovo, Estonia, Turkey

• The Netherlands have six wins out of six. Russia's 5-0 March win against competition debutants Kosovo closed the gap on the holders to nine points, with two games in hand. Slovenia's 3-0 win at Kosovo the following week moved them level with Russia, though having played two games more, with Kosovo three points back.

Key games this week: Russia vs Netherlands (Friday), Estonia vs Russia (Tuesday)

Denmark celebrate scoring in Bosnia and HerzegovinaFedja Krvavac

Group B: Italy, Denmark, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Israel, Malta, Georgia

• Denmark joined Italy on a maximum 18 points from six games after a 4-0 win in Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday. Bosnia and Herzegovina are three points adrift but have played two games more. Italy would seal a top-two finish with a draw on Tuesday, as would Denmark with a win (or an Azzurre victory).

Key games to come his week: Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Italy, Malta vs Denmark (both Tuesday)

Group C: Norway, Wales, Belarus, Northern Ireland, Faroe Islands

• Norway have four wins out of four, and in their 6-0 victory against Northern Ireland in front of a home qualifying record crowd of 6,709, Caroline Graham Hansen got two to take her qualifying tally to a competition-leading ten goals, one ahead of the Netherlands' Sherida Spitse. Wales are four points behind after being held to a draw for the second time in the group by Northern Ireland.

Key games this week: Norway vs Wales (Tuesday)

Group D: Spain, Poland, Czech Republic, Moldova, Azerbaijan

• Poland were the last team to open qualifying on 12 November and showed their intent in front of a record 7,528 crowd in Lublin with a 0-0 draw against a Spain side that had won their previous 22 qualifiers including their first two games in this group. Among those was a 5-1 victory in the Czech Republic, who are one point off the lead following a 4-0 defeat of Azerbaijan. Poland beat Moldova and Azerbaijan in March to move level with Spain and a point ahead of the Czech Republic (who face Poland twice this month). Moldova got their first point in November with a 3-1 defeat of Azerbaijan courtesy of two penalties by goalkeeper Natalia Munteanu.

Key games this week: Czech Republic vs Poland (Friday), Moldova vs Spain (Saturday), Poland vs Czech Republic (Tuesday)

Group E: Finland, Scotland, Portugal, Albania, Cyprus

• Before the last game in the group of 2019, three teams were still perfect, but just one remain after Portugal drew 1-1 with Finland, who levelled in added time through Sällström. Finland have ten points from four games but Scotland have won both their matches, leaving them two points ahead of Portugal. The next games are in October.

Germany celebrate during their second 8-0 defeat of Ukraine©Getty Images

Group F: Sweden, Iceland, Hungary, Slovakia, Latvia

• Sweden and Iceland, who meet on Tuesday in Reykjavik, each secured fourth perfect wins on Thursday, defeating Hungary and Latvia respectively. Hungary (who have played a game more) and Slovakia are now eight points adrift.

Key games to come this week: Iceland vs Sweden (Tuesday)

Group G: Austria, Serbia, France, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan

• Austria have four wins out of four after beating North Macedonia and Kazakhstan while France have two perfect victories, Amel Majri's hat-trick helping them win 6-0 against Serbia (whose March win against North Macedonia actually moved them three points ahead of Les Bleues, who have three games in hand). Neither Austria nor France have conceded a goal.

Key games this week: Serbia vs France (Friday), Kazakhstan vs Austria & North Macedonia vs France (both Tuesday)

France have made a typically strong start©Getty Images

Group H: Belgium, Switzerland, Romania, Croatia, Lithuania

• Belgium and Switzerland both have four perfect wins, lifting them nine points clear of Romania (who have a game in hand) and Croatia. The top two meet on 22 September.

Key games this week: Croatia vs Switzerland & Belgium vs Romania (both Friday), Switzerland vs Belgium (Tuesday)

Group I: Republic of Ireland, Germany Greece, Montenegro, Ukraine

• Germany are on four wins out of four but are a point behind the Republic of Ireland, who beat Greece and Montenegro in March. However, Germany have a game in hand. Both Montenegro and Ukraine (who have faced Germany twice) are yet to get off the mark, with Greece on four points.

Key games this week: Germany vs Republic of Ireland (Saturday), Montenegro vs Germany (Tuesday)

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Calendar

Remaining scheduled qualifying games: 16–22 September, 21–27 October, 26 November–1 December 2020
Play-off draw: tbc
Play-offs: April 2021
Finals draw: tbc, England
Finals: 6–31 July 2022, England

The lowdown

• The Netherlands are defending champions and reached their first FIFA Women's World Cup final in 2019.

The Netherlands have the right to wear the champions' badge©Getty Images

• World Cup semi-finalists Sweden and England (as Great Britain) will join the Netherlands at the 2020 Olympic tournament in Japan.

• France, Germany, Italy and Norway reached the World Cup quarter-finals, Spain went out in the last 16 and Scotland, on debut, fell in the group stage.

• Denmark were EURO 2017 runners-up while Austria and England also made the semis.

• Germany won every EURO from 1995 until 2017, when they fell to Denmark in the last eight, a run of six straight victories.

• Germany have won eight titles and Norway two, while Sweden and the Netherlands have one each.

• Cyprus are making their senior competitive debut while Kosovo are also in their first Women's EURO.

• France and Austria were in the same group at UEFA Women's EURO 2017 and both made it through.

• Finland coach Anna Signeul was in charge of Scotland when they made their finals debut in 2017.

• Norway qualified ahead of Wales for the 2017 finals.

• Portugal pipped Finland to the 2017 play-offs on their way to a debut finals.Switzerland beat Belgium on away goals in the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup play-offs before losing to the Netherlands.