by The Women’s Euro 2025 qualification period to determine the 15 teams that will host Switzerland at next year’s tournament is almost upon us.
England have been drawn in the toughest qualifying group, but the defending champions will still be expected to progress. They open their bid this week against Sweden.
England Euro 2025 qualifiers
England will face France, Sweden and the Republic of Ireland, home and away, across three international windows over the next four and a half months.
In the autumn of 2024, the teams that finish outside the top two windows, and therefore do not automatically qualify, will compete in the play-offs over two rounds of two-legged ties over two windows.
Friday, April 5
England vs Sweden, Wembley, 8pm
Tuesday, April 9
Republic of Ireland vs England, Aviva Stadium 7.30pm
Friday, May 31
England vs France, St James’ Park, 8pm
Tuesday, June 4
France vs England, Stade Geoffrey-Guichard, TBC
Friday, July 12
England vs Republic of Ireland, Carrow Road, 8pm
Tuesday, July 16
Sweden vs England, TBC
How to watch
ITV Sport will broadcast all England games.
Other important dates
21-29 October
Euro 2025 qualifying play-offs (if necessary) or friendlies
25 November-3 December
Final round of Euro 2025 qualifying play-offs (if necessary) or friendlies
December 16
Draw for Euro 2025
Who are England’s group opponents?
France
Excellence has often been expected but so far they have been perennial underachievers at a major tournament.
Managed by Hervé Renard, who oversaw Saudi Arabia’s shock victory over Argentina at the 2022 men’s World Cup in Qatar, they reached the quarter-finals of last year’s Women’s World Cup but lost on penalties to co-hosts on Australia. France were also runners-up in the Women’s Nations Championship last month.
They have a star-studded squad from Paris St-Germain and a record number of Women’s Champions League winners Lyon, and have a historically strong head-to-head record against England.
Key player: Kadidiatou Diani (forward, Lyon)
Sweden
Regular in the final stages of major women’s tournaments and silver medalists at the last two Olympic Games, Sweden is a huge presence in global women’s football and finished third at the 2023 World Cup.
They were comprehensively beaten by England at Bramall Lane in the semi-final of Euro 2022 but they are still a formidable team.
The Swedes surprisingly didn’t finish third in their Nations League group last autumn, mainly because of a costly away defeat to Switzerland – which is why they were in Pot Three for the draw.
Key player: Stina Blackstenius (winner, Arsenal)
Irish public
The Irish are entering a new era under head coach Eileen Gleeson. She replaces Vera Pauw, whose four-year reign came to an end after last summer’s World Cup when the Republic of Ireland crashed out in the group stages.
In his six Nations League games in charge, Gleeson led an impressive six wins out of six in League B to secure promotion to League A for this latest cycle. They beat Albania, Hungary and Northern Ireland twice each as a result. However, they will go into this Serie A campaign as underdogs against three of the world’s top five-score teams.
Key player: Katie McCabe (back/wing, Arsenal)
How does eligibility work?
Group A3 contains three of the world’s five best-ranked sides – France (third), England (fourth) and Sweden (fifth), along with the Republic of Ireland (24th) – but automatic qualification is not guaranteed except for the top two sides. for next summer’s competition in Switzerland.
England’s chances of qualifying for Euro 2025 – and defending the title – remain relatively strong overall, however, as the new format means that the third- and fourth-placed teams in their group will take part in the reserve play-offs as a way forward to. the finals.
The qualification process is linked to the Women’s Nations League, which started in 2023. England are in League A and are therefore guaranteed to face strong teams in qualifying, although teams in Leagues B and C cannot qualify for the Euros automatically and there is only hope. for playgrounds at its best.
Latest England news
Lucy Bronze says England have set the standard since winning Euro 2022 and “know how to win” as they head into their Women’s Euro 2025 qualifying campaign.
The Lionesses host Sweden in their first qualifier on Friday at Wembley, officially kicking off the defense of their title, and Barcelona right-back Bronze says the squad now has more experience than before which was when they achieved history in 2022.
“We want to qualify [first of all] for the Euros, that’s the goal of this campaign, but obviously the long goal would be needed to win the tournament,” said Bronze at St George’s Park. “That was a special part of history to be a team that could go back to back in a tournament. It is difficult [to defend a title] in any competition, be it the WSL, the Champions League, but to do that on an international stage would be an achievement at the next level.”
From the team that won the Euros last time, striker Ellen White and midfielder Jill Scott have retired, with younger talents such as Lauren James coming to the fore, but Bronze added: “It’s we probably have a little more experience. than the Euros [in 2022], which is crazy to say, we have more experience now than we did before. We know how to win.
“All the players that come through are competitive. They play at a high level, they play in really good games week after week.
“We now have a standard at England too, that we get to the finals, that we want to win trophies, and all the players who come through feel that and raise their game to that. So it’s very exciting but there’s still a long way to go until the real Euros come around and we’ve got another 12 months to keep improving and keep developing as individuals and as a team.”
Head coach Sarina Wiegman has confirmed that Arsenal goalkeeper Leah Williamson remains captain of the national team, although it is still unclear whether Williamson will be fit to play on Friday, with Wiegman saying: “We have to manage her a bit. She had a full training session. That’s really good. She’s still building but she’s in a good place and she’s ready – if she pulls through of course. It’s just good that she’s back. First of all for herself because she is so excited to come back and she is fit. It’s good to have another quality player in the squad. We already have a lot of good players. Now we are in an even better place.”
Wiegman also confirmed that Manchester City goalkeeper Khiara Keating has left camp due to some “discomfort” in her knee, while Southampton shot-stopper Kayla Rendell has been drafted in from the Under-23s in Keating’s place.
Full qualifying draw
Series A
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Group A1: Netherlands, Italy, Norway, Finland
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Group A2: Spain, Denmark, Belgium, Czech Republic
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Group A3: France, England, Sweden, Republic of Ireland
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Group A4: Germany, Austria, Iceland, Poland
Series B
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Group B1: Switzerland, Hungary, Turkey, Azerbaijan
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Group B2: Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, Israel
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Group B3: Portugal, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Northern Ireland, Malta
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Group B4: Wales, Croatia, Ukraine, Kosovo
Series C
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Group C1: Belarus, Lithuania, Cyprus, Georgia
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Group C2: Slovenia, Latvia, North Macedonia, Moldova
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Group C3: Greece, Montenegro, Andorra, Faroe Islands
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Group C4: Romania, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Armenia
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Group C5: Albania, Estonia, Luxembourg
When will Euro 2025 take place?
The 16-team competition will take place from July 2-27, 2025.
Where is the 2025 tournament being hosted?
Switzerland is the host country after seeing off competition from Poland, France and Denmark/Finland/Norway/Sweden.
Who are the defending champions?
England are the defending champions after taking the trophy home in 2022.
