Group of death?! Lionesses get killer Euro qualifying draw

England's Lionesses drawn with France, Sweden, and the Republic of Ireland in the 2025 UEFA Women's Euro qualifying.

England has been drawn into a challenging group for the 2025 UEFA Women's Euro qualification, facing tough competition from France, Sweden, and the Republic of Ireland. This comes as the Lionesses aim to secure their spot in the prestigious tournament, where they are the defending champions.
England has been assigned to Group A3 in the recent qualifying draw, and their path to automatic qualification for the Euros requires securing one of the top two positions. Should they end up in the third or fourth spot, an alternative route to qualification exists, albeit a more intricate one through the play-offs.

What Wiegman said

England's head coach, Sarina Wiegman, expressed excitement about the challenging but thrilling draw. She emphasized the need for England to deliver on the field. Wiegman highlighted France's strong squad, reaching the Nations League final, and the anticipation of facing them for the first time under her leadership.

Discussing Sweden, she acknowledged their struggles in the Nations League but recognized their historical performance, emphasizing their status as a top country with talented players, many familiar from the Women's Super League. Wiegman anticipated Sweden's desire to showcase their continued excellence in European and world football.

Regarding the Republic of Ireland, Wiegman expected highly competitive games, given the proximity of the countries and the familiarity among players. She hoped for a significant fan presence, similar to the Sweden matches, anticipating special elements in these encounters.

The bigger picture

In 2022, the Lionesses secured their inaugural major tournament victory, becoming reigning European champions by defeating Germany in extra time at Wembley. Despite a commendable effort at the World Cup the following summer, England narrowly missed securing another title, facing a 1-0 defeat to Spain in the final. Looking ahead to the upcoming Euros, Spain, Germany, France, and the Netherlands are anticipated to be strong contenders, with La Roja considered among the favorites.

In 2022, the Lionesses secured their inaugural major tournament victory, becoming reigning European champions by defeating Germany in extra time at Wembley. Despite a commendable effort at the World Cup the following summer, England narrowly missed securing another title, facing a 1-0 defeat to Spain in the final. Looking ahead to the upcoming Euros, Spain, Germany, France, and the Netherlands are anticipated to be strong contenders, with La Roja considered among the favorites