The England Women’s National Team launched their 2027 Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign in emphatic style, recording back-to-back victories that announced, in no uncertain terms, that the newly crowned European Champions intend to carry that momentum directly into the road toward the next global showpiece event. A 6-1 demolition of Ukraine was followed by a composed 2-0 victory over Iceland, and the Lionesses are now perfectly placed in their qualifying group heading into a blockbuster clash with world champions Spain next month.
Sarina Wiegman’s side generated an array of talking points across both games — but the individual most responsible for creating headlines was Lauren James, who produced the kind of complete, dominant performance in the Iceland victory that reminded observers across the continent exactly why she is considered among the most dangerous attacking talents in the women’s game. James’s combination of pace, technical excellence, and direct running causes problems for virtually any defensive shape, and her output across the two qualifying games reinforced her status as the Lionesses’ most potent individual weapon.
Against Ukraine in the opener, England’s attacking play was breathtaking in its intensity and variety. The 6-1 final score could have been even more lopsided given the number of high-quality opportunities the Lionesses created in the game’s middle period. The Ukraine goal represented a rare lapse in concentration from a defensive unit that has been remarkably disciplined under Wiegman’s meticulous organization — a brief blip in an otherwise authoritative display of defensive control.
The Iceland victory, played on Saturday, required more composure than attacking flair. The Icelandic team defended with discipline and made life uncomfortable for England in the opening exchanges, but Lucy Bronze and Georgia Stanway scored the goals that settled the contest and sent the Lionesses home with six points from their first two qualifying fixtures. Bronze, who has been outspoken about the privilege and honor of representing her country at this stage of her career, continues to be a transformative presence at right back — combining athleticism, experience, and leadership in a way that shapes the entire team’s rhythm.
Wiegman’s post-match comments reflected both satisfaction at the results and clear-eyed awareness that the toughest challenges lie ahead. Spain — the current world champions, who have revolutionized the women’s game with their dominant possession-based style and their extraordinary depth of talent — represent a different quality of challenge entirely. The upcoming clash with the Spanish will provide England with a genuine barometer of where they stand in relation to the very best team in international women’s football.
The broader narrative around England’s women’s program is one of historic achievement meeting continued ambition. Having won the European Championship, the Lionesses are no longer underdogs chasing dreams — they are champions defending a legacy and setting their sights on a world title that would cement their generation’s status as the greatest in English women’s football history. The qualifying campaign has begun perfectly, and the football world is watching.