Spain get favorable Women's Euro 2025 draw; England face challenge

Posted : 17 December 2024

Spain, the 2023 World Cup champions, will face Italy, Belgium, and Portugal at the 2025 Women’s Euro, while England, the current European champions and World Cup runners-up, face a more challenging group in their quest to defend their title in Switzerland.

England has been placed in Group D alongside France, the Netherlands, and debutants Wales for the tournament, set to take place from July 2 to 27. The group features tough competition, with England’s first match being against France, a team that reached the semifinals in the last Euro tournament but has never won a major international title in women's football.

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England's manager, Sarina Wiegman, who led the Netherlands to victory in 2017, will face her home country in a highly anticipated match on July 9. After that, England will play Wales, who will be making their debut at a major international competition. Wiegman expressed her excitement for the rivalry, noting the strong competition and the passion that Wales will bring to the pitch.

France, despite their consistent strong performances in international tournaments, are yet to claim a major victory. Their coach, Laurent Bonadei, expressed confidence in his team's abilities and hinted that other teams in their group may be concerned about facing France. He also highlighted the competitiveness of all the groups, including Germany’s and Spain’s.

Germany, with eight Euro titles to their name, are drawn in Group C along with Sweden, Denmark, and Poland. Germany, who dominated women’s European football for years, have recently experienced setbacks, losing to England in the final two years ago. However, their rich history makes them a formidable opponent for their group rivals.

The tournament will begin with hosts Switzerland facing two-time champions Norway in Group A, which also includes Iceland and Finland. Switzerland will be eager to perform well on home soil, but the competition will be tough in a group featuring strong teams with a history of success.

Spain, who have reached the quarterfinals in the last three European Championships, are cautiously optimistic about their group draw. Coach Montserrat Tome expressed satisfaction with their group, noting they avoided some of the bigger continental rivals. However, Tome remained humble, acknowledging that every match at the international level presents challenges.

Ahead of the draw, UEFA announced a significant increase in prize money, with 41 million euros up for grabs. The winning team will receive up to 5.1 million euros, more than double what England earned as champions in 2022. Each of the 16 teams will receive 1.8 million euros, underlining the growing financial importance of women’s football.

Group stage draw in full:

- Group A: Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Finland
- Group B: Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Italy
- Group C: Germany, Poland, Denmark, Sweden
- Group D: France, England, Wales, Netherlands

Spain get favorable Women's Euro 2025 draw; England face challenge

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