July 17 – Defending champions England automatically secured their place in the women’s Euro 2025 finals after a 0-0 draw with Sweden on Tuesday but had to withstand a second-half barrage.
France’s shock 3-1 defeat to Ireland meant victory for England would have seem them top the group above the French, earning a valuable seeding.
The Lionesses will still defend their European crown in Switzerland next year but the stalemate meant Sarina Wiegmann’s team landed a second-place finish in Group A3. The Swedes, meanwhile, head for the playoffs
France were already through after a win over the Swedes on Friday but England failed to capitalise on the French defeat to Ireland.
England skipper Leah Williamson knew direct qualification would be beneficial for the team’s preparations rather than having to take the additional step of a play-off game.
“We are reigning champions, and we want to be at the tournament first and foremost, but securing qualification means you have a year to prepare and you know where you’re going to be,” she said.
“The later you leave it, the more that can be a detriment to your preparations, it’s important to us. There’s a lot more to come, we’ve taken care of business and we can prepare now to get the most out of ourselves.”
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