Poland’s women’s national football team has moved one step closer to a historic first appearance at the FIFA Women’s World Cup after a dramatic comeback against Belgium ended in a penalty shootout victory in Gdańsk.
Captain Ewa Pajor scored twice, including a crucial 116th-minute equaliser, as Poland won the second leg 3–2 after extra time on Tuesday, 13 October 2026.
With the aggregate score tied at 3–3, goalkeeper Kinga Seweryn saved two Belgian penalties before Natalia Padilla Bidas converted the decisive spot-kick to secure a 4–3 shootout victory.
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The result sends Poland into the second and final round of European qualifying play-offs, where the team will face the Republic of Ireland over two legs in late November and early December.
For Nina Patalon’s side, it was a victory built on resilience, three comebacks in the tie and an extraordinary contribution from the team’s captain.
Pajor leads Poland’s fightback
Poland entered the return match at Polsat Plus Arena Gdańsk trailing 1–0 following the first leg in Leuven on 9 October.
The home side needed at least one goal to keep its World Cup hopes alive.
In the 42nd minute, Pajor delivered.
Following a corner, the FC Barcelona forward took advantage of confusion in the Belgian penalty area to head Poland into the lead.
The goal levelled the aggregate score and gave the home supporters reason to believe that the tie could be overturned.
But Belgium responded shortly after half-time.
Substitute Amy Littel equalised in the 51st minute, restoring Belgium’s one-goal advantage over the two matches.
Poland appeared to have regained the lead when Ewelina Kamczyk found the net with a powerful strike, but the goal was ruled out following a video review for offside.
The setback did not last long.
In the 67th minute, Paulina Tomasiak produced an impressive individual run, carrying the ball in from the right before finishing at the near post.
Poland led 2–1 on the night, and the aggregate score was level once again.
The two teams remained inseparable after 90 minutes, sending the contest into extra time.
A 116th-minute goal keeps Poland alive
The drama continued in the additional 30 minutes.
Belgium struck in the 105th minute when Jarne Teulings headed home from a Tessa Wullaert free-kick.
With the visitors again ahead on aggregate and time running out, Poland appeared close to elimination.
Then Pajor produced the moment that changed everything.
In the 116th minute, Kamczyk played a pass into the captain’s path. Pajor battled past the Belgian defence, rounded goalkeeper Lowiese Seynhaeve and rolled the ball into the empty net.
It was her second goal of the evening and Poland’s third.
The score stood at 3–2 on the night and 3–3 on aggregate.
Neither team found another goal, leaving the outcome to be decided by penalties.
Seweryn makes two crucial saves
The shootout began with Belgium captain Tessa Wullaert converting her penalty. Paulina Dudek responded successfully for Poland.
Then Seweryn took centre stage.
The Polish goalkeeper saved consecutive Belgian attempts from Jarne Teulings and Luna Vanzeir, handing her teammates a crucial opportunity.
Belgium’s Seynhaeve also made an important intervention, stopping Pajor’s penalty.
But Poland maintained its advantage through successful attempts from Kamczyk and Adriana Achcińska.
After Janice Cayman levelled the shootout at 3–3, Natalia Padilla Bidas stepped forward to take Poland’s fifth penalty.
She converted, sealing the 4–3 victory and sparking celebrations among the Polish players.
The Polish Football Association’s official match report confirmed that Seweryn’s two saves and Padilla Bidas’s final penalty completed the comeback.
The goalkeeper had also saved a penalty from Wullaert during the first leg in Belgium, making her contribution across the two matches particularly significant.
Republic of Ireland stands between Poland and the next step
Poland’s next opponent will be the Republic of Ireland, which progressed after defeating Kazakhstan 12–0 on aggregate.
The final European play-off round is scheduled between 26 November and 5 December 2026.
Under the draw confirmed by UEFA, Poland will host the opening leg before travelling to Ireland for the return fixture.
The countries already know each other well.
Ireland defeated Poland twice during the qualifying league stage earlier in 2026, winning 3–2 in Gdańsk and 1–0 in Dublin.
Those results make the upcoming encounter another demanding test for Patalon’s team.
The stakes are considerable. The seven highest-ranked winners of the eight second-round European play-off ties will qualify directly for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. The remaining winner will enter the inter-confederation play-offs in February 2027.
Poland has never reached the Women’s World Cup finals.
The national team made its first appearance at the Women’s European Championship in 2025, marking an important step in its international development.
Now, after surviving one of the most dramatic ties of the 2027 qualifying campaign, Poland has kept alive the possibility of another historic milestone.
For a team that faced elimination deep into extra time, the journey continues — thanks to Pajor’s late equaliser, Seweryn’s saves and one decisive penalty in Gdańsk.
