England's easy win over Greece has reignited a loud question: is the Women's World Cup qualifying play-off format actually doing its job?
England made light work of Greece in round one of the Women's World Cup qualifying play-offs, and the lopsided nature of the tie has put the whole structure under the microscope. When a heavyweight meets a side so far down the ladder, the contest can feel settled long before kickoff.
That is the heart of the debate. Play-offs are supposed to be tense, high-stakes ties where one slip can end a nation's World Cup dream. Instead, mismatches like this one risk turning a crucial qualifying stage into a formality for the stronger team and a punishing exercise for the weaker one.
Supporters of the current setup argue that every nation deserves a path to the world stage, and that the format rewards consistency over a long campaign. Critics counter that pairing top-ranked sides against much lower-ranked opponents produces big scorelines and little drama, while doing nothing to help the weaker teams develop.
The question for the sport's decision-makers is whether qualifying should be built mainly to protect favourites or to produce the most competitive matches possible. As the women's game keeps growing, expect calls for a rethink to get louder with every one-sided result.
