Malta to host 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup preliminary round mini-tournament

Malta was drawn in Group 1 with Albania, Luxembourg and Latvia in the preliminary round of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The draws were held in Nyon, Switzerland on Tuesday.

The mini-tournament will be played in Malta between April 4 and 9. Lithuania will be hosting the other group which includes Georgia, Faroe Islands and Montenegro. Albania and Montenegro will be making their competitive debut in these mini-tournaments.

The top two in each group will progress to the qualifying group stage and join the 38 top-ranked nations.

Seven groups of six teams will be drawn on 16 April, to be played on a home-and-away basis from 20/21 September 2013 to 17 September 2014.

The seven group winners qualify for the finals. The four runners-up with the best record against the sides first, third, fourth and fifth in their groups go into two rounds of knockout play-offs.

In view of this mini-tournament, Malta will be playing a friendly match away from home against Cyprus on January 12.