The tournament starts on July 2 with the full schedule available here: Fixtures & results | UEFA Women's EURO 2025 | UEFA.com.
2025 UEFA Women’s EURO Preview
GROUP A
Finland
Midfielder Emmi Alanen (34) retired from football just before the Women EUROs, having spent 14 seasons with Helmarit or Boreal Owls, Finland’s WNT. She has played in Sweden with Kristianstads DFF for the past few years. She explained that her original plan was to finish her career following the Damallsvenskan season and at the Women EURO’s but injuries impacted that plan: “My goal was to finish the league season and represent Finland in the European Championships this summer. But life doesn’t always go as planned. The decision is tough and difficult, and certainly also surprising, but it is not hasty.”
She has incurred a number of injuries in recent years, including one at the end of May. She wanted to have an active lifestyle after she retired and was concerned about her health post-football, explaining that: “I’ve had to prepare for the future. To find out what is important to me and what the future will look like when it’s time to quit…
"For me, one of the most meaningful things about football has been that, while the goal of the sport is to win and get results, it is important to break your own boundaries, develop and at the same time keep the joy and enjoyment of training and playing. The fact that it’s a process, not just what the scoreboard shows. Elite sports are based on stretching and crossing boundaries, but at some point, when the limits have been stretched enough, they will be reached.”
Alanen played at home with a number of clubs, including HJK and Kokkola F10 and in Sweden with Umeå IK, Vittsjö GIK, Växjö DFF and Kristianstads DFF. She finished with 109 full caps and 22 goals and played in two Women’s EURO finals—in Sweden in 2013 and in 2022 in England. She was also a freestyle wrestler and won silver and bronze medals at the European Under-17 Championships and silver at the U-20 World Championships. She has a master’s degree in physical education and psychology which she completed in Sweden a year ago. Best of luck to her in her future career plans.
The final 23 roster does not include Nanne Ruuskanen (23) of Djugardens IF of Sweden link, who was omitted from the last Nations League matches in June because some dope in the federation office confused a 23-year-old with a 51 year old who had been retired for 29 years (see our column from two weeks ago: The Week in Women's Football: Carmona leaves Real Madrid; World Sevens; reviewing Nations League - TribalFootball.com). We do hope that she will receive an opportunity for her senior WNT debut during the WWC qualifiers later in the year.
Iceland
The 23 member Iceland squad for the 2025 Women’s EURO includes: five players with clubs in Iceland, five playing in Sweden, as well as one in the U.S. and 12 players based in nine European nations: Denmark (2), England (2), Germany (2), Belgium (1), Italy (1), Netherlands (1), Norway (1), Scotland (1) and Spain (1).
Norway
Norway’s 23 player for the 2025 UEFA Women’s EURO are based with clubs in eight countries: England (6), Germany (4), Spain (3), Italy (2), France (1), Portugal (1) and Sweden (1), with four based at home in Norway and one unattached—Ingrid Engen, who has been at Barcelona for four years and was rumored to be joining London City in their first WSL season for 2025-26, though Lyon and Chelsea have also shown interest in the midfielder—at press time she signed with OL Lyonnes, who is owned by London City and Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang.
Switzerland
Experienced Swedish coach Pia Sundhage is guiding Switzerland for this tournament but there is skepticism as to whether she will be any more successful than she was in Brazil at the 2023 Women’s World Cup—after four years with their WNT—where they failed to get out of their group, given that she has a younger, smaller base of players to draw from and a less-talented team than the South Americans.
The Swiss should make the knockout stage as they did in Australia/New Zealand in 2023 out of the Nordic Group but likely no farther for a team that has lost four of their six games in 2025, with two ties. Teenager Sydney Schertenleib (18) remains one to watch closely. Schertenlieb moved to Barcelona in 2024-25 and was sent to their second team, but ended up playing five games for the senior side, scoring one goal.
She has scored two goals in eight appearances for La Nati. Midfielder Lia Walti (32) won the Champions League with Arsenal a few weeks ago and will be pivotal for the Swiss but they will miss Ramona Bachmann (34), who has scored 60 goals in 153 national team matches, and is out for the NWSL season with her club the Houston Dash with a knee injury. They will miss her experience and winning mentality as she has won nine league titles in Europe—five in Sweden with Umea (2) and Rosengard (3), three in England with Chelsea and one in France at Paris St. Germain. Switzerland have never made it past the EUROs group stage, falling short in both 2017 and 2022. They did make the knockout round (Round of 16) at their two World Cup appearances in 2015 and 2023.
This column’s prediction:
Norway, despite their dreadful record in recent WWC/UEFA events, should win the group, with Switzerland in second place. Any upset to the top two would come from Iceland, while Finland will hope to acquire a few points.
Group B
Belgium
The 23 player Belgium squad for the Women's Euro 2025 include players from Italy (5), Netherlands (4), England (4), France (1), Germany (1), and Spain (1), with seven based with clubs in Belgium.
Spain
Spain’s 2025 Women’s EURO squad does not include Jenni Hermoso (35), who is playing in Mexico at Tigres in Monterrey. She was a curious deletion by head coach Montse Tome, who seems hard to predict in her squad choices at any given time. Hermoso guided Spain to the Women’s World Cup title in 2023 and the 2023-24 UEFA Nations League. She is a proven goal scorer at the highest level—currently the side’s all-time record scorer with 57 goals in 123 matches—and is an icon around the world for standing up for women’s rights, particularly against RFEF (Spanish Football Federation) ex-President Luis Rubiales and his cronies in the federation hierarchy.
Tome tried to explain her decision: “I spoke with Jenni at the beginning of the year. We had a conversation. She came to the first FIFA matchday and didn’t get many minutes. We’ve evaluated her year, we’ve spoken with her coach on several occasions, and we’ve done what we have to do to see what we need or don’t need from the players.”
Swampland is clearer than her explanation. Fellow WWC winner Esther Gonzalez has been in fine goalscoring form for Gotham FC in the NWSL and CONCACAF W Champions Cup as well for Spain in the Nations League. If Tome doesn’t deliver a first EURO title for Spain this month, then she could be replaced as she doesn’t have the total backing of players or fans, having been seen as a sycophant by some to former coach Jorge Vilda, who was strongly supported by Rubiales. Their EURO side does include two-time Ballon d’Or winners Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas (both of Barcelona) along with nine other members of the 2023 World Cup-winning squad. Spain will look to Arsenal’s WCL winner Mariona Caldentey of Arsenal, who has been fantastic this season with club and country, and Claudia Pina of Barcelona, who scored two goals in Spain’s crucial Nations League win over England in the last FIFA Window.
As we recently discussed (see link: The Week in Women's Football: Carmona leaves Real Madrid; World Sevens; reviewing Nations League - TribalFootball.com), Olga Carmona has confirmed her move from Real Madrid to Paris St. Germain, signing a three year deal. She said about her move on a free transfer: “Paris Saint-Germain is one of the best clubs in the world. Personally, I needed a new challenge and new ambitions, and I knew that PSG were interested in me. I decided to come to Paris, a new city with a new language, but I’m sure I’ll adapt quickly and I’m looking forward to taking on this challenge.” She talked about her objectives at her new club: “My personal goals are to do better than I did in the Spanish league. And on a team level, I would like to win as many titles as possible and do well in all competitions.”
For Spain, 17 of the players are based at home—10 for Barcelona and four with Real Madrid last season—with three playing in England’s WSL, and one each in Mexico, Portugal and the U.S.
Italy
Italy typically utilizes a squad built around players in the Italian league and this time is no different as their only player with a club abroad is recently transferred Sofia Cantore to the D.C. Spirit, who joins the NWSL club after the EUROs; she previously was with Juventus. Forward Aurora Galli (28) of Everton of the WSL has been injured all season with an ACL and will miss the tournament. Note below is the roster for their 29 member preliminary roster after a mid-June camp at Forte Village Resort di Santa Margherita di Pula, in Sardinia. Forte Village is a European equivalent of Disney World for sports on the academy and resort side. The Resort has over 20 sports academies with high level facilities and hosts events during the year.
Portugal
Portugal head coach Francisco Neto has named a preliminary 27-player squad ahead of Euro 2025, including Barcelona’s Kika Nazareth, who was named to the squad despite only just returning to running after sustaining an ankle injury earlier in the year. The vast majority of the roster play at home in Portugal (17), with the others called in from two European countries and three in CONCACAF: Spain (6), Canada (1), Italy (1), Mexico (1) and U.S. (1).
This column’s prediction:
Spain is the clear class leader in the group, while Italy should just edge the rapidly improving Portugal for second spot. Belgium has talented players and is developing nicely under their Icelandic head coach Elisabet Gunnarsdottir but is probably a four year cycle away from advancing to the group stage in this tournament, their third, though they made the Quarterfinals last time in England. Belgium could be ahead of schedule if they make the 2027 WWC in Brazil for the first time ever during the qualification stage which starts this fall.
Group C
Denmark
After the Women’s EURO this summer, Jakob Michelsen (44) will be the new national coach of the Denmark’s women’s national team, taking over as Andrée Jeglertz retires after the finals. Michelsen has signed a contract through 2028, which could be extended to 2029 if Denmark qualifies for the next EURO finals and will start in his role official on August 1.
The Danish native has largely coached men’s sides in Denmark, Sweden (Hammarby) and has been in Norway with KamKam for the last two years. On the women’s side in 2007 he took charge of the IK Slovbakken in the Danish top division, before moving to their men’s side in early 2009. He assisted iconic Danish coach Kim Poulson with Tanzania’s men’s U-17 and U-20 team in 2012-13. He will want to keep Denmark’s recent string of major finals going after qualifying for three consecutive finals—two EUROs and the Women’s World Cup in 2023.
Jakob Michelsen’s first task will be to keep the women’s national team in Nations League A in the autumn, as Denmark will now face playoff matches after falling to Sweden 6-1 in their last match and finishing third in their group (10 points), three points behind group winner Sweden and one behind second place Italy.
The current national coach, Andrée Jeglertz, who took office in the summer of 2023, says: “I am grateful for the time I have had with the Women's National Team. It has been a pleasure to work with such dedicated players and staff. Now we are fully focused on the upcoming European Championships, where we have a big task ahead of us, where we have to move on from the group as a start.” Jeglertz coached Finland’s WNT from 2010-2016 and should be in demand on the national team and club side.
Germany
Germany’s side for the Women's Euro 2025 draws the majority of the players from the Frauen-Bundesliga (18), along two each from the U.S. (both in the NWSL) and England (WSL) and one in France.
Poland
Poland’s debut team at the Women EURO Finals has all but one of the 23 playing for clubs in Europe: Germany (6), Poland (5), France (4), Spain (3), Switzerland (2), England (1) and Norway (1), along with one based in the new Northern Soccer League in Canada.
Sweden
Head coach Peter Gerhardsson has stayed loyal to the old guard for the 2025 Women’s EURO, with some reporters in Sweden particularly questioning Sofia Jakobsson’s (35) inclusion, due to her age and playing last season with second tier side London City. When I pointed out to one journalist in Sweden that Kosovare Asllani (35) is the same age and also played with London City in 2023-24, that was a different argument because she is viewed—rightly so—as an inspirational genius and the heart and soul of the whichever team she is on.
Next season, they both will again play with London City Lionesses in the top tier WSL 1 after winning promotion in 2024-25 (see: The Week in Women's Football: A-League & WSL review; examining 2027 Brazil hosting cities - TribalFootball.com).
Another player selected who local journalists questioned why was Amanda Ilestedt (32), even though she was a huge star in Australia/New Zealand at the 2023 WWC, scoring four goals—as a defender—to finish second in the tournament’s Golden Boot race and won the Bronze Ball as the third best player among the 32 teams in helping Sweden to its second consecutive third place finish. She was on Arsenal’s Women’s Champions League title winners this season but only played in three matches after giving birth in January. She is now out of contract.
I think she is a good selection as she is a proven winner and can bring a scoring dimension that can befuddle defenders. Forward Lina Hurtig has also left the Gunners at the end of her three year contract and in June signed a three year contract with Fiorentina, returning to Italy where she played from 2020-22 with Juventus in Turin. She is remembered for scoring the winning penalty kick to knock the U.S. out of the 2023 WWC in the Round of 16.
Sweden did bring in a talented youngster who is highly thought of in forward Ellen Wangerheim (20), who has scored 10 goals in nine games this season for Hammarby.
Sweden’s 2025 Women’s EURO squad bound for Switzerland. Photo courtesy of Svenskfotboll.se—the Swedish Football Federation website.
Sweden has players drawn from clubs in England (6), Germany (4), Spain (3), Italy (2) Norway (1), the U.S. (1) and at home (4), while two are currently out of contract.
This column’s prediction:
Germany has been playing well of late in Nations League matches and is through to the semifinals in October. They are aiming to purge their horrendous 2023 WWC—where they failed to make the group stage with Morocco gleefully taking the second spot in the group after a classic five minute delay to finally learn that Germany had tied Korea Republic and finished with only four points to Morocco’s six.
I have seen Sweden written off ahead of so many global tournaments over the years—dating back to 2003 WWC final where they lost to Germany in the final on a Golden Goal—but they just find a way to win and should easily advance to the knockout stage and could make the semifinals. They are also in the 2024-25 Nations League semifinals. In a particularly tough group, Poland should finish third over rebuilding Denmark and will benefit from the experience; we could see Poland be the first Central European nation to qualify for a Women’s World Cup Finals in Brazil in 2027.
Group D
France
French WNT head coach Laurent Bonadei shocking left off all-time record goal scorer Eugenie Le Sommer (with a French record 94 goals from 200 appearances) and iconic defender and national team captain Wendie Renard (with 168 caps and 39 goals from mostly moving up from defense on free kicks and corners) from the EURO side, as well as Kenza Dali (with 13 goals from 76 caps) who moved this year to join San Diego Wave in the NWSL and has been playing well in my opinion. Bonadei said that his decisions were: “not a spur of the moment” choice.
He explained: “When I announced that everyone had a chance, that no one was indispensable, in my mind it wasn’t just about giving young players a chance but also players who had suffered psychologically after the Olympic Games (where host nation France fell to Brazil 1-0 in the quarterfinals in Nantes) and making sure that everyone was involved.”
That Olympic team was coached by Herve Renard—who guided France to the quarterfinals the year before at the Women’s World Cup, falling to co-host Australia 7-6 on penalties after a 0-0 120 minutes—who is back coaching the Saudi Arabian men’s national side at this summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup as a guest side. France is a premier developer of young talent through their youth national teams’ program—the question for 2025 is, will they be ready? With such a bold move to dispatch key players from the past, only a championship game appearance could potentially save Bonadei’s job for the next WWC cycle. He seemingly has used Spain’s Montse Tome’s Media Relations consultant for explaining why he has discarded legendary players—they both have appeared weak in their responses.
France’s 2025 Women’s EURO players are based in France (15), England (4), Spain (2), Italy (1) and the U.S. (1):
England
England is looking to defend their 2022 EURO title win as host, but has had some roster turmoil before the tournament. Defender Ella Morris (22) of Tottenham Hotspur recently suffered an ACL injury while training with England for their last two Nations League matches and was not able to debut for the senior team and forward Nikita Parris (31) of Brighton & Hove Albion, who scored seven WSL goals last season in 22 games and was on the roster for the June Nations League—were not included for Switzerland. Forward Lauren James (23) of Chelsea made the roster even though she missed the end of the 2024-25 season with a hamstring injury.
The most recent Nations League qualifiers roster originally had goalkeeper Mary Earps (32) of PSG in France, who retired during the last camp after a dispute with head coach Sarina Weigman over who would start the finals; she had 53 senior caps. Central defender Millie Bright of Chelsea, who captained the team to a runner-up finish in 2023 at the WWC, has 88 caps (and three for Great Britian), did not want to be selected for health reasons, saying she was “at her limits physically and mentally”.
She said that it was “one of the hardest decisions” she has made as a footballer, explaining on social media that: “Football has given me so much, and representing my country has always been my greatest honour. My pride and ego tells me to go but I think the team and the fans deserve more. Right now, I’m not able to give 100 per cent mentally or physically. As much as I want to be out there running through brick walls for England and fighting alongside my team-mates, stepping back is the right thing for my health, my future in the game and most importantly the team. It wouldn’t be fair for me to take the place and opportunity away from another player who is ready and able to give everything for the badge and country.”
All credit for her in prioritizing her health and we hope to see her back for future tournaments.
Attacker Fran Kirby (31), who played last season at Brighton and Hove Albion after a decade at Chelsea, also ended her international career just before the EURO finals. Kirby had 77 caps (with 2 for Great Britian) but retired after reports surfaced that head coach Sarina Wiegman was not going to select the midfielder for the summer tournament.
Ellen White retired after England won the 2022 European championship, as did Jill Scott, who was used as a substitute throughout that tournament, and then Demi Stokes and Rachel Daly stepping out of the international frame in April 2024. Only the starters at the Euro 2022 final against Germany are still in this England squad: Leah Williamson, Lucy Bronze, Keira Walsh, Georgia Stanway, Beth Mead and Lauren Hemp. Of course, substitute and game winner Chloe Kelly—who was instrumental in Arsenal’s win over Barcelona in the 2024-25 Women’s Champions League—is still on the team and always a potential game winner. Concerns among some in the media in England is that this team is too young, but there are still experienced heads to guide the team in difficult moments during the tournament.
England’s roster includes the majority of players from their domestic league (19), with three based in the U.S. (all in the NWSL) and one in Germany.
Wales
Defender Sophie Ingle (33) of Chelsea, who has 141 caps, was named on Wales Women’s EURO finals debut side even though she has been out of football since September of 2024 after she suffered an ACL injury during a pre-season camp in Switzerland. Ingle left Chelsea at the end of the season after seven years, during which she made 214 appearances for the Blues, but has continued her rehabilitation at the London club. According to sources, she is likely to continue to play in England. Ingle was selected despite the fact that Wales WNT head coach Rhian Wilkinson said she had only a 50% chance to be recovered enough to play in Switzerland, though Ingle is determined to play.
She said on June 25 that she hoped to be ready to play in the first match against Netherlands on July 5: “I feel good. I’m still ticking off a few things over the next week with the medical team but I’m in a good place on the pitch and all my testing is improving. I do feel really good on the pitch right now and whatever role I’m needed (to play) for the team I’ll be ready, but I’m still trying to push through the fitness side of things for the next week. I’ve been working hard in the heat and I’ve got to play some football as well which is nice. We’ve got four days of training in a row and then an in-house friendly match.”
It will be good to see the inspirational Welsh veteran return to the field at the EURO—she will be a benefit to the side in their first ever senior international tournament.
Wales and Chelsea’s Sophie Ingle has won five league titles in seven seasons at the London club, but is out of contract and will be moving to another side after the 2025 Women’s EURO in Switzerland. Photo courtesy of Wales Football Federation
Defender Rhiannon Roberts (34) is included by Wales after injury ruled her out of Nations League action last month. She has 77 caps and is out of contact after two seasons at Real Betis in Spain and is looking for a new club. Veteran forward Jess Fishlock is the star name in a squad skippered by her Seattle Reign team-mate Angharad James, the former Everton and Tottenham midfielder, who is one of four players in the squad with 100 or more caps on 132, alongside Fishlock (162 caps with 47 goals), Ingle (141) and Hayley Ladd (105).
Aston Villa goalkeeper Soffia Kelly, Manchester City defender Mayzee Davies, Bristol City forward Tianna Teisar and Manchester United striker Mared Griffiths missed out on the flight after being in the squad for last month’s Nations League games against Denmark and Italy. The 18-year-old Davies suffered a rupture to her ACL against Denmark and faces a considerable spell on the sidelines.
The squad is comprised of 13 players from England, along with four from the U.S. (three in the NWSL and one in the USL Super League), Sweden (1) and five unattached/out of contract. No players were brought in from the Welsh amateur domestic top league, which has eight clubs.
Netherlands
Midfielder Danielle van de Donk (33), who has 167 caps for Netherlands and won three league titles at Lyon in France and one in England with Arsenal, has moved to London City Lionesses from Lyon on a two year contract (see more on the side in the Sweden section). She is the first new signing since the club won promotion to WSL 1 at the end of the 2024-25 season, with more players expected to join. Van de Donk said about her move to London’s new WSL side: “It’s just such a nice environment to be in, the club really appeals to me, it reminds me of a little family, and I want to be a part of it.”
Van de Donk began her career in the Netherlands with Willem II before playing for VVV-Venlo and PSV Eindhoven and Goteborg in Sweden until moving to Arsenal in 2015.
The 23 player squad for the Netherlands includes players from England (11), France (4), Germany (3), Spain (1) and at home (4).
This column’s prediction:
This group includes the last two EURO winners in Netherlands and England. Even though England is not perceived to have its strongest team, they should make the quarterfinals along with Netherlands, with both perhaps edging France, who have had their own roster turmoil with veterans Wendy Renaud and Eugenie Le Sommer not included by their new coach, which we discussed above. Wales could pull a point or two off of the other teams, but will look at this tournament as a tribute to long-time vets Sophie Ingle and Jess Fishlock.
Wales should treat this tournament as a chance to learn and boost their confidence to qualify for their first ever WWC in Brazil. It is not easy to qualify for two consecutive major tournaments, as the Republic of Ireland found after making their first finals at the Women’s World Cup in Australia-New Zealand in 2023, but narrowly missed out on qualifying for Switzerland after losing to Wales in the EURO playoffs (3-2 on aggregate, including a second leg 2-1 win in Dublin in front of a home crowd of 25,832). Ireland had multiple coaching changes since the 2023 WWC but if Wales sticks with Rhian Wilkinson—we don’t honestly know why they wouldn’t—that will help for the stability of their team.
Our Predictions for the knockout stages:
We project that the semifinalists will be Germany, England, Sweden and Spain. We will pick Spain as the overall tournament winners over Germany, with Sweden third and England fourth. We feel that Spain, which made the semifinals in 1997 in Norway and Sweden when there were only 8 teams, and then the quarterfinals in the last three tournaments, will have another tournament-winning run within them. The ground-breaking and at times breath-taking side will want to make up for falling short of a medal at the last Olympics and add to their 2023 Women’s World Cup and 2023-24 UEFA Women’s Nations League titles.
Tim Grainey is a contributor to Tribal Football. His latest book Beyond Bend it Like Beckham on the global game of women’s football. Get your copy today. Follow Tim on X: @TimGrainey