England’s World Cup top 40: Who is most likely to make Sarina Weigman’s squad in 2027?

Four wins from four and England sit top of their 2027 World Cup qualifying group. The reigning European champions impressed in their 1-0 victory over Spain and though the second half against Iceland tested England’s nerve (and goalkeeper Hannah Hampton’s prowess), England again won 1-0, demonstrating the steely tenacity that has so often pushed them onto the right side of fine margins. Head coach Sarina Wiegman made just two changes to her starting XI between Spain on Tuesday and Iceland on Saturday, with captain Leah Williamson returning after a month out with a hamstring injury to replace Lotte Wubben-Moy, and Laura Blindkilde Brown coming in for Lucia Kendall.

Using all five substitutes against Iceland provided a reminder of the depth at Wiegman’s disposal as she considers who might make the cut for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, with 26 places up for grabs. Work still needs to be done for England to qualify as group winners (they sit three points clear of second-placed Spain, who host the reverse fixture in June), but the end of April’s international break offers us a chance to take stock. The Athletic has cobbled together a list of the 40 players most likely to make the cut for next summer’s tournament in Brazil.

The following is an educated guess and it’s important not to get too bogged down in the numbers. These aren’t strict rankings and the names will change as the year progresses — though it’s safe to say the players towards the top are England’s key protagonists. 1.

Keira Walsh The cog that keeps the England machine ticking. If Walsh is on form, England play well. There have been struggles in her first full season at Chelsea but Wiegman trusts her enormously, handing her the captain’s armband in Williamson’s absence for her 100th cap in the 1-0 win over Spain.