LONDON – In a highly anticipated rematch between two of women’s soccer’s global powerhouses, European champion England secured a dramatic 1-0 victory over top-ranked Spain in a 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup Group A3 qualifier at iconic Wembley Stadium on Tuesday. The only goal of the match came just three minutes after kickoff, when forward Lauren Hemp poked the ball into the net from an early corner kick. Although Spanish star Alexia Putellas made a last-ditch attempt to clear the ball off the goal line, replays confirmed the effort had already crossed the boundary, giving England an early lead that it never relinquished.
Tuesday’s clash marked the latest in a string of high-stakes meetings between the two elite sides. It mirrored the matchups of both the 2022 UEFA Women’s Euros final and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup final, two of the biggest matches in recent women’s soccer history. In the 2022 Euros final, England claimed victory to defend their continental title, securing back-to-back European championships. Just one year later, Spain flipped the script at the 2023 World Cup, lifting the trophy for the first time in their history after defeating England in the final.
With the result, England maintains a perfect winning record through its qualifying campaign so far and sits firmly at the top of Group A3. Heading into the next round of matches, the three points gained from this marquee win give the Lionesses a major boost in their bid to qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, which is scheduled to be hosted by Brazil. Fourth-ranked England’s defeat of world number one Spain also serves as a powerful statement of intent ahead of the upcoming tournament, reigniting debate over which side enters the global event as the favorite.
This report was compiled from original wire coverage of the match, part of ongoing international soccer qualifying action for the 2027 cycle.