Article by Laura Soica – Published Saturday, April 18, 2026, 2:37 p.m. / Updated Saturday, April 18, 2026, 2:37 p.m.
The women's national team of Romania receives today the visit of Cyprus, on the “Arc de Triomphe”, in the preliminaries of the World Championship. The match starts at 16:00 and will be broadcast liveTEXT on GSP.ro. With a win, the tricolors would mathematically win Group C5 and qualify for the first play-off round.
This is the third match of the Romanian women's national team in the 2027 World Cup preliminaries, in the group with Moldova and Cyprus. So far, Romania has beaten Moldova 1-0 at home and Cyprus 4-0 away.
Romania – Cyprus, live at 16:00
Romania is in first place in group 5 of League 3, having 6 points. Cyprus and Moldova have one point each, after 0-0 in the direct match between the two.
With a victory, the “tricolor” national team would mathematically win the group. They would reach 9 points, 8 more than Moldova and Cyprus, with two stages left to play.
Romania's probable team
Romania's probable team: Părăluță – A. Bratu, AM Stanciu, M. Ficzay, E. Gered – Ș. Vătafu, O. Iordăchiusi, M. Ciolacu – I. Bălăceanu, C. Marcu, I. Stancu
Coach: Massimo Pedrazzini
Ranking in the Romania group
flashscore source
How can Romania qualify for the World Cup?
The C League group is just the first step on the way to the World Cup. Romania must finish in first place to advance to the next stage, which involves a play-off with a team in 2nd or 3rd place in an A League group.
Then, if he goes on, the play-off final would follow, with World Cup tickets on the table. Romania would face another winner from the first phase of the play-off. The opponent would be determined by drawing lots.
Massimo Pedrazzini's squad for the match with Cyprus
GOALKEEPERS: Andreea PĂRĂLUĂ (Fortuna Hjorring | Denmark), Sara CâMPEAN (CSM Unirea Alba Iulia), Cosmina ROȘU (Politehnica Timișoara), Camelia CEASAR (Parma Calcio | Italy);
DEFENDERS: Maria FICZAY (Apollon Ladies Limassol | Cyprus), Brigitta GODER (Ferencvarosi TC | Hungary), Claudia BISTRIAN (CSM Unirea Alba Iulia), Ana Maria STANCIU (Farul Constanța), Antonia BRATU (Farul Constanța), Simona SIGHEARTĂU (“U” Olimpia Cluj), Erika GERED (FK Csikszereda), Anda JIVAN (Politehnica Timișoara);
INTERMEDIARIES: Olga IORDĂCHIUȘI (Omonoia Nicosia | Cyprus), Ștefania VĂTAFU (RSC Anderlecht | Belgium), Mihaela CIOLACU (CS Gloria Bistrița), Cristina BOTOJEL (Farul Constanța), Sonia BUMBAR (“U” Olimpia Cluj), Anita ANTAL (FK Csikszereda), Oana NEGREA (Rapid Bucharest);
ATTACKERS: Ioana BĂLĂCEANU (Farul Constanța), Carmen MARCU (“U” Olimpia Cluj), Adina BORODI (“U” Olimpia Cluj), Ioana STANCU (Farul Constanța), Ana VLĂDULESCU (FK Csikszereda).
The last match for Stefania Vătafu at home for the national team
Midfielder Ștefania Vătafu (32 years old) has announced that she will retire from Romania's women's national team this summer, after finishing the group in the World Championship preliminaries. The match on April 18, against Cyprus, will represent the last appearance on home soil for Ștefania.
131 matchesaccumulated by Ștefania Vătafu for the Romanian national team, from 2009 until now.
