Red Flames see their 2027 World Cup dream fade away

The Red Flames were eliminated by Poland in the qualifying playoffs for the 2027 World Cup, after a 3‑2 defeat in extra time in Gdańsk and losing the penalty shoot‑out. This dramatic exit ends their hopes of taking part in the next global tournament.

The first leg, played in Leuven, ended with a 1‑0 win thanks to a goal from Elena Dhont. The Belgians therefore thought they had secured the hardest‑to‑overturn advantage.

Poland's Return and Twists in Gdańsk

In Poland, the Leuven advantage did not withstand the pressure of the second leg. Ewa Pajor opened the scoring in the 42nd minute, before Amy Littel equalised in the 51st thanks to a free kick from Tessa Wullaert and a poor intervention by the Polish goalkeeper.

Poland regained control in the 67th minute with Paulina Tomasiak, then the Red Flames equalised again in extra time thanks to Jarne Teulings in the 105th minute. However, Ewa Pajor, a Barcelona star, scored the decisive goal in the 117th minute, bringing the score to 3‑2.

Poland eliminates the Red Flames and plunges Belgium into uncertainty

Penalty‑Shootout Defeat and Disillusion

After 120 minutes, the two teams were level, leading to a penalty shoot‑out. The Red Flames could not tip the balance in their favour, Poland prevailed and secured qualification.

This elimination is all the more painful because Belgium went into the tie with an advantage, albeit a slim one, after the Leuven success. The Belgian players scored twice in Gdańsk, but could not contain the Polish attacks for the entire match.

Beyond the immediate disappointment, this latest exit raises questions about the Belgian women’s team’s ability to handle decisive fixtures. Tessa Wullaert and her teammates dreamed of a World Cup spot, but the dream ultimately evaporated.

Tessa Wullaert calls for the Icelandic coach to stay after Red Flames' elimination

The team will now have to digest this elimination, analyse the mistakes and draw lessons from this two‑legged encounter to prepare for the next challenges of the national side.