England Women World Cup Qualification Defeat To Spain Stings Wiegman

England are trying to reset in Women’s World Cup qualification after a 4-0 defeat to Spain, which Sarina Wiegman likened to a hit on the chin. The loss in Mallorca left Spain leading their qualifying group and increased pressure on the Lionesses before their final fixture against Ukraine.

The goals in Mallorca came from Patri Guijarro, a double from Alexia Putellas and a strike by Claudia Pina for the reigning world champions. It was England’s heaviest loss under Wiegman, and the largest margin of defeat for England since 2009 in any competition.

Spain now sit at the top of the qualifying pool heading into the last round of matches, with England facing Ukraine while Spain meet Iceland. England must achieve a better result against Ukraine than

Spain manage against Iceland to secure automatic entry to next year’s Women’s World Cup, otherwise a two-legged play-off route will be required.

Wiegman accepted the scale of the setback but stressed the fast turnaround in Women’s World Cup qualification. "Of course it was a difficult Friday night that hurt. But we've moved on too because we have another game [on Tuesday]," said Wiegman. The head coach underlined that the squad needed to react quickly after such a heavy defeat.

Wiegman explained that the group stayed united despite the heavy scoreline. There was good energy in the dressing room, and Wiegman said the players wanted to show a response. The squad sat together on the pitch after the match and admitted, 'okay, this one is really hard to take', with Wiegman again describing the experience as a hit on the chin.

Putting in the work pic.twitter.com/VQbP30G8k2Lionesses (@Lionesses) June 7, 2026

Wiegman reflected on game management and control during Women’s World Cup qualification. Wiegman said you cannot manage every aspect of a match, although England wanted more control against Spain and also expect it against Ukraine. Wiegman added that no team can guarantee such a defeat never happens, but England aim to reduce that risk by improving their style and delivering the game plan.

Women’s World Cup qualification boosted by England’s record vs Ukraine

Historical results give England encouragement for Women’s World Cup qualification. England have won all five previous meetings with Ukraine in all competitions. The most recent clash came in Turkiye in March and ended 6-1, which remains England’s biggest victory against Ukraine at senior level.

England’s home form also supports confidence during this Women’s World Cup qualification campaign. The Lionesses have won their last five home fixtures in all competitions without conceding a goal. Another win with a clean sheet would match England’s longest such streaks on home soil, recorded in September 2010, April 2013 and August 2014, each lasting six matches.

Wiegman’s team now carry the memory of the 4-0 loss to Spain into the decisive week of Women’s World Cup qualification. The match against Ukraine, combined with Spain’s result versus Iceland, will settle whether England progress directly or face a play-off, with the group determined to respond to what Wiegman called a hit on the chin.