Women's World Cup 2019: England face Wales in qualifying group - BBC Sport
England and Wales women have been drawn in the same group for European qualifying for the 2019 Women's World Cup.
Last updated on .From the section Women's Football

England women have been drawn in the same qualifying group as Wales for the 2019 Women's World Cup.

Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are also together, in a group featuring Norway and the Netherlands, while Scotland will face fellow Euro 2017 qualifiers Switzerland.

England and Wales are joined in Group 1 by Russia, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Kazakhstan.

The finals will be held in France in June 2019, with 24 teams taking part.

The seven European qualifying group winners will all progress automatically, while the four best runners-up will face a two-round play-off to fill the eighth European spot at the World Cup.

England last faced Wales in 2014, during qualifying for the 2015 World Cup, in which Mark Sampson's side went on to finish third.

The Lionesses - ranked fourth in the Fifa world rankings - were seeded in Pot A for the 2019 qualifying draw, with Scotland in Pot B, Wales and the Republic of Ireland in Pot C and Northern Ireland in the lowest, Pot E.

Scotland, who will join England at this summer's European Championships in the Netherlands, will also face Poland, Belarus and Albania in their group, with Switzerland the top-seeded team.

Qualifiers will take place between 11 September 2017 and 4 September 2018.