The Ukrainian women's national team played a draw against Scotland and defeated Austria in the She Plays international tournament in Spain — 1:1 and 3:2, respectively.

Head coach of the blue-and-yellow team, Volodymyr Pyatenko, shared his impressions on the official website of the UAF:

— First and foremost, a big thank you to the Ukrainian Armed Forces who bravely resist Russian aggression, which gives us the opportunity to compete and train. As for the tournament itself, I am satisfied with the performance of my players, especially since our opponents were tough national teams. This was valuable experience that will definitely come in handy as we start qualifying matches against favorites — England and Spain at the beginning of March.

— Does the fact that the Ukrainian team allowed Scotland to save a draw towards the end of stoppage time, and conceded early on in the match against Austria, indicate a lack of concentration?

 — No, I wouldn't say so. It was more a matter of circumstances, as the girls' mindset was at its maximum level. Of course, it's worth remembering that we had experienced and renowned foreign players. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time to restore parity against the British team after the final whistle sounded. In the match against Austria, however, the misfortune in the opening minutes didn't knock my players off their feet, and they demonstrated skill and fighting qualities to secure a hard-fought victory. Such moments are unforgettable.

Photo by Yuri Lisin

— Did you use these encounters to conduct experiments?

— No, the level of our opponents was too high. After all, I always adhere to the rule that the strongest players at any given moment play.

— What tactical schemes did the Ukrainians have in their arsenal in Spain?

— We had ample information about our opponents' strengths and weaknesses, and I relied on that during preparation and at the venue. Therefore, it would be incorrect to say we stuck to our traditional 4-3-3 formation. The setups largely depended on how events unfolded on the field.

— You had 22 players in your squad in Spain. Who couldn't participate due to certain circumstances?

— Only Tanya Boychuk from the Canadian club "Montreal Roses." There was hope that she would be able to obtain Ukrainian citizenship and help us in Spain, but there were delays with the paperwork. As a result, she could only participate in training sessions. However, there are reasons to believe that the situation will normalize soon.

— Were there any injuries in Spain?

— Unfortunately, yes. In the match against Austria, Anna Petrik from "Metalist 1925" was injured and even had to go to the hospital. However, we hope that she will not suffer serious complications.

— When do you plan to reconvene?

— At the beginning of March, we have official matches against England and Spain. Therefore, at the end of February, we will hold a short preparatory stage. Where exactly — and in which country we will host our opponents — is still under consideration. For me, the main thing is that all injured players return to action and recover their fitness.

Schedule of matches for Ukraine's women's national team in Group 3 of the UEFA Euro Championship 2027 qualifiers

03.03.2026. Ukraine — England

07.03.2026. Ukraine — Spain

14.04.2026. Iceland — Ukraine

18.04.2026. Spain — Ukraine

05.06.2026. Ukraine — Iceland

09.06.2026. England — Ukraine

UEFA Euro Championship 2027 Qualifiers

League A

Group 1: Sweden, Italy, Denmark, Serbia.

Group 2: France, Netherlands, Poland, Ireland.

Group 3: Spain, England, Iceland, Ukraine.

Group 4: Germany, Norway, Austria, Slovenia. 

League B

Group 1: Wales, Czech Republic, Albania, Montenegro.

Group 2: Switzerland, Northern Ireland, Turkey, Malta.

Group 3: Portugal, Finland, Slovakia, Latvia.

Group 4: Belgium, Scotland, Israel, Luxembourg.                

League C

Group 1: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Estonia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein.

Group 2: Croatia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Gibraltar. 

Group 3: Hungary, Azerbaijan, North Macedonia, Andorra.

Group 4: Greece, Faroe Islands, Georgia. 

Group 5: Romania, Cyprus, Moldova. 

Group 6: Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia.        

The European qualifiers will take place in three stages. Group stage matches will be held on March 3 and 7, April 14 and 18, and June 5 and 9, 2026, across three leagues — A (16 teams), B (16) and C (21).

The starting position of each team in the leagues is determined based on the results of the Nations League-2025. Ukraine will compete in League A.

The winners of four groups in League A will qualify directly for Euro 2027.

Remaining spots will be contested in playoff rounds in October—December 2026. In the first round, teams finishing second and third in League A will face off against winners of six groups from League C and best runners-up from that league. Eight winners advance to the second round.

The bottom four teams from League A and top four group winners from League B will play against second- and third-place finishers in League B, respectively. The eight winners advance to the second round.

In the second round, 16 teams will meet in eight pairs. Seven best winners qualify for Euro 2027, while the eighth team must participate in a continental playoff.