The Women’s World Cup qualifying draw was made earlier this week in Nyon and the Arsenal players now know their road to France 2019.
There are seven qualifying groups with the group winners joining the host France in the tournament.
The four runners-up with the best records against the sides first, third and fourth in their groups will advance to the play-offs, which will consist of two rounds of two-legged knockout ties in October and November 2018 to decide Europe’s last qualifier.
Qualifying group stage: 11 September 2017 – 4 September 2018
Play-off draw: tbc September 2018, Nyon
Play-off semi-finals: 1–9 October 2018
Play-off final: 5–13 November 2018
Finals draw: late 2018, France
Finals: summer 2019, France
England (Alex Scott, Jordan Nobbs, Fara Williams, Jodie Taylor and Danielle Carter) are in Group 1 and should easily qualify considering their current status as world number four.
Scotland ( Emma Mitchell and Kim Little) are in Group 2 and will have to do some work to qualify under new coach and former Arsenal Ladies manager Shelley Kerr. Switzerland will be their mian competitor.
Republic of Ireland ( Katie McCabe) are in Group 3 and will have a hard task to go through with Norway and Netherlands two strong competitors.
Netherlands ( Sari Van Veenendaal, Danielle Van De Donk, Dominique Janssen) are in Group 3 and will have a difficult task to go through as winners with Norway on their way to the finals, as well as the two Irish teams.
For the other home nations Wales are in Group 1 and fill face England and Northern Ireland in Group 3 and will face the Republic of Ireland
The full draw
Group 1: England, Russia, Wales, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kazakhstan
Group 2: Switzerland, Scotland, Poland, Belarus, Albania
Group 3: Norway, Netherlands, Republic of Ireland, Slovakia, Northern Ireland
Group 4: Sweden, Denmark, Ukraine, Hungary, Croatia
Group 5: Germany, Iceland, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Faroe Islands
Group 6: Italy, Belgium, Romania, Portugal, Moldova
Group 7: Spain, Austria, Finland, Serbia, Israel
My predictions for the home nations:
Group Winners: England
Play-offs: Scotland and Wales
Eliminated: Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland