As the summer international window closes and we say farewell to the 2025 UEFA Women’s Euro, Women’s Afcon, and the 2025 Copa America Femenina, it’s time to crank up the heat on the build-up to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The biggest women’s tournament is set to take place in Brazil, and some nations have already secured their spots in their respective World Cup qualifying competitions, which are scheduled to begin later this year and conclude in 2026.
England extended their reign over Europe during their comeback run throughout the 2025 Euro and are now two-time Euro champions, while 2023 World Cup champions Spain had to settle for runners-up. The Euros delivered endless goals in the group stage and high drama in the knockouts, with extra-time matches and penalty shootouts, including in the final, where Chloe Kelly scored the title-deciding penalty. The U.S. women’s national team closed out their summer early, with a five-game win streak, pulling off victories against Canada, Ireland, Jamaica, and China.
While the United States, England, and Spain are likely to form a “big three” in the globe, when it comes to teams sneaking into the rankings, any team can challenge another. Nigeria reclaimed the title as Africa’s best with their 10th Women’s Afcon title over Morocco. Brazil has already qualified for the 2027 World Cup as host nation, but they’re still on the hunt for another Copa America championship, but Uruguay, Colombia, and Argentina are hopeful to disrupt Brazil’s run.
The 2027 World Cup is 23 months away, and top national teams are locked into preparations for the long journey to Brazil. But where do they rank based on current form?
1. USWNT
The most recent winners of a global tournament, the entire first half of the year has been a flex for the program to show how deep it is after the 2024 Olympic gold medal win. Head coach Emma Hayes has mastered roster pool expansion and refining team identity by prioritizing the players and the overall long-term program goals. The USWNT returned to global prominence with their top podium finish in Paris, and under Hayes, remain the gold standard for performance, attacking prowess, and now tactical ability.
2. England
There’s no denying the incredible efforts England made to build on their program’s history. Back-to-back Euro champions is a near-impossible feat for most programs, but not for the Lionesses. They showed off another aspect of their program with resiliency under manager Sarina Wiegman, and a reminder that sometimes glory comes with a price, as defender Lucy Bronze played through a fractured tibia.
3. Spain
The 2023 World Cup champions had to settle for runners-up at the Euro, but despite the penalty heartbreak, their technical brilliance led the march toward the final. They’ll have a chance to make another statement during the upcoming UEFA Nations League, but their Euro performance showed once again they’re a top side in the world. Their possession-based style with a midfield of maestros in Aitana Bonmati, Alexia Putellas, and Patri Guajirro will keep them elite.
4. Brazil
The 2027 World Cup hosts are on the rise following their silver medal finish at the 2024 Olympics. They handed the USWNT one of their two losses this year, and are currently dominating the Copa America. The group is building toward a home World Cup as Marta’s presence is still a factor for the squad, and her legacy is inspiring a new generation of players. Manager Arthur Elias has his team competing with their signature flair, combined with defensive efforts.
5. Germany
It was hurdle after hurdle for the squad during the Euros, but Germany’s pedigree remains. They found a way to the semifinals thanks to goalkeeping heroics by Ann-Katrin Berger and fell short to eventual runners-up Spain. Although Lena Oberdorf has been sidelined as she works back from an ACL injury, Jule Brand, Klara Buhl, and Sjoeke Nüsken remain players to build the program around.
6. Sweden
Veteran Kosovare Asllani spoke up for her squad against critics and oddsmakers who underrated Sweden during the Euros, but unfortunately, the team squandered a two-goal lead in the quarterfinal against England, and they stay outside the top five of this ranking as well. Despite constantly being the obstacle in others’ success stories, rather than having a trophy of their own, they’re still a tough opponent who will remain a top-ten team with plenty of talent in the pipeline with Rosa Kafaji and Hanna Bennison.
7. Japan
The Nadeshiko delivered an early loss to the USWNT and won the 2025 SheBelieves Cup earlier this year. Their disciplined technicality on the ball makes them a challenging opponent to go up against, and their ability to share attacking responsibility offers a layer of unpredictability for defenders. They’ll only get stronger as they integrate more youth to balance with veterans.
8. France
Head coach Laurent Bonadei made a statement with his roster choices ahead of the Euros, leaving off veterans Eugénie Le Sommer and Wendie Renard, and another quarterfinal exit for France will just mean more questions around the team’s ability in high-stakes tournaments. Hard to count out a team with exciting attacking talents in Delphine Cascarino, Marie Antoinette Katoto, and Sandy Baltimore, but consistency against top teams in the knockout rounds remains elusive.
9. Nigeria
A group that caused England plenty of anxiety and troubles during the 2023 World Cup, despite being owed back-pay and a lack of resources, marched right back to the top of the Women’s Afcon tournament this year. More official, governing body-type rankings likely won’t have an African nation in the top ten, but that’s not the case here. There’s no way we could leave Africa’s powerhouse, the Super Falcons, off the list. Top of the kit rankings shouldn’t be the only place where they feature, and after missing out on the Women’s Afcon title in 2022, the group completed their “Mission X” for a tenth title. Imagine Rasheedat Ajibade and Asisat Oshoala, and Jennifer Echegini could do with more support.
10. Canada
This team is sitting in last place and barely hanging on. They’ve got a hold because they have great players whose talents can determine the outcomes of games, and the federation managed to hire a solid coach in Casey Stoney to start the year. But the truth is they’re a team that has somewhat regressed since their 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medal run. Stoney was vocal about the ways the program and players fell short after their 2-0 loss against the USWNT in July, and the roster needs more support if they’re to improve moving forward.
Honorable mentions
Italy: The roster showed significant evolution under head coach Andrea Soncin. They defied expectations during the Euro with a mix of tactical awareness and key players stepping up as they bowed out of the semifinals against eventual tournament winners England. If they can work on defensive lapses and build on their tactics, they could leap into the top ten.
Colombia: Las Chicas Superpoderosas aren’t some imitation Powerpuff Girls, but a group who have emerged as bona fide continental figures for South America. They’re currently on the hunt to take Brazil’s crown in the Copa America, and with Chelsea FC’s Mayra Ramirez and Real Madrid’s Linda Caicedo, they could rival the crown and leap into our rankings.
Netherlands: The Dutch look like an evaporating version of their 2017 Euro championship run. The roster struggled with its group of death draw in the Euro, now their early elimination means the federation needs to get the next coaching hire right, as they’ll have to tackle questions around an aging squad and how to rejuvenate the team in the build-up to the 2027 World Cup, a full decade from their historic Euro title-run.
