South Africa, Ghana, others set to storm Rabat for FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 Play-Off Tournament

• Nine-match competition in Morocco to determine which teams progress to final phase of FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™ Play-Off Tournament
• Chinese Taipei, Ecuador, Ghana, Papua New Guinea, South Africa and Uzbekistan set to contest preliminary phase from 28 November
• Tournament marks another significant milestone on road to Brazil in 2027 as race for final places at next FIFA Women’s World Cup™ intensifies

Rabat, Morocco has been confirmed as the host for the preliminary phase of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™ Play-Off Tournament, bringing together six nations from across the globe for a crucial step on the road to next year’s showpiece event in Brazil.

The tournament will see Chinese Taipei, Ecuador, Ghana, Papua New Guinea, South Africa and Uzbekistan compete across nine matches, with the top two teams securing progression to the final phase of the play-off competition. The match schedule, including the fixtures and timings, is now available.

The preliminary phase is scheduled to take place at the Mohammed VI Football Complex between 28 November and 5 December 2026, during the international window. The complex is no stranger to FIFA women’s football tournaments and is currently hosting the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup™ .

The preliminary phase represents the next major stepping stone on the journey towards the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027, where the world’s best players and teams will come together for the first time in South America.

The six participating nations already discovered their opponents during the draw for the preliminary phase , with matchday 1 featuring Uzbekistan against Papua New Guinea, Chinese Taipei against South Africa and Ghana against Ecuador. Each team will play three matches. The two teams that finish first and second overall in the preliminary phase will qualify for the final phase of the play-off tournament, which will take place in February next year.