PREVIEW: Euros 2025
The quest to be football champions of Europe starts early Thursday.
The women’s Euros kick off early Friday morning, with the best football nations from across Europe coming together in Switzerland to see who will be crowned champions.
2022’s tournament in the UK was seen as a game changing moment in women’s sport, with 574,875 fans attending the tournament. However that looks to be exceeded in 2025, with over 600,000 tickets already sold and 22 matches already sellouts.
Sixteen of Europe’s best will be split into four groups (FIFA ranking in brackets):
GROUP A
Finland (26)
Iceland (14)
Norway (16)
Switzerland (23)
GROUP B
Belgium (20)
Spain (2)
Italy (13)
Portugal (22)
GROUP C
Denmark (12)
Germany (3)
Poland (27)
Sweden (6)
GROUP D
England (5)
France (10)
Netherlands (11)
Wales (30)
World Champions Spain have named a strong squad and appear to be drama-free, unlike the 2023 World Cup, when players refused to interact with controversial head coach Jorge Vilda. As well as World Cup champions, Spain also boast the last four winners of the Ballon d’Or (Aitana Bonmati 2023-24, Alexia Putellas 2021-22).
Bontami has been named in the squad despite being treated in hospital over the past weekend for viral meningitis, so how much involvement and impact she has remains to be seen. Putellas, who tore her ACL just days before the 2022 Euros and played limited minutes in the World Cup win, but with 16 goals in the domestic Spanish league this season, seems to be back to her best form.
England are the defending champions, and while a few big names from their 2022 success are missing, they have a squad of stars who will still be one of the favourites. A number of their squad are Arsenal Champions League winners such as Alessia Russo, Leah Williamson, Beth Mead and teen forward Michelle Agyemang, who recently defeated Spanish giants Barcelona. The X factor of 23 year old Lauren James, who returned from a hamstring injury last week, is a bonus for the Lionesses.
Their Group D is the tournament’s ’group of death’, with the Lionesses, France and Netherlands looking likely to battle for only two spots in the knockout stages.
Group C will be an interesting battle, with three of the top 12 ranked countries - Germany, Sweden and Denmark. Six time Euro winners Germany were runners up in 2022, and will be looking to return to the top, with captain Giulia Gwinn - the Bayern star missed the 2023 World Cup as she recovered from an ACL injury, and will be determined to lead her team well.
Sweden missed out on last year’s Olympics, and will have former Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson watching on, as he will take over as coach of the team after this tournament.
Group A looks wide open in terms of who could progress. Iceland booked their spot last year with a massive 3-0 win over Germany, Chelsea star Guro Reiten will lead Norway’s chances, and hosts Switzerland will be led by Arsenal’s Lia Wälti in their third appearance at the Euros.