Football

Women’s Euro 2025: How England Qualified For This Summer’s Finals

2 months ago

| BY Sam Cox

The Lionesses enter Euro 2025 as one of the football betting favourites to lift the trophy. Defending European champions and boasting a talented squad, Sarina Wiegman’s team are well placed to make another deep run in the competition.

While the Lionesses qualified relatively comfortably with 11 points from six matches, their preparation for the tournament has been slightly disrupted by the controversial retirement of Mary Earps.

Bet on the Women’s Euro 2025 at William Hill

Wiegman has plenty of experience in her squad, including Lucy Bronze and Keira Walsh, but there has been significant turnover from the team that won this competition three years ago.

Fran Kirby joined Earps in retiring in the build-up to Euro 2025. Millie Bright withdrew from the squad due to burnout. Ellen White and Jill Scott retired soon after the previous Euros. Rachel Daly called time on her international career in 2024. Nikita Parris was left out of the squad.

England are second favourites to win the Euros at 7/2 behind world champions Spain. They are 13/10 to win their group ahead of France, Netherlands, and Wales.

There are bound to be some tantalising live betting encounters in Group D, as England look to join Norway and Germany as the only teams with multiple European Championships to their name.

How Did The Lionesses Qualify For Euro 2025?

Drawn in Group 3 in League A, England only had to finish in the top two in their section to book a place in the Euros. A playoff spot was available if they finished third or fourth, but automatic qualification was always the target.

Their campaign didn’t start off as Wiegman will have hoped. A draw with Sweden at Wembley in April 2024 – after Fridolina Rolfö’s second-half equaliser – was an early setback.

Luckily, Lauren James and Alex Greenwood scored two goals in the first 20 minutes when England played against Ireland in Dublin a few days later to get the Lionesses back on track.

Defeat to France in Newcastle followed in May. It was an especially disappointing result after Beth Mead gave the hosts a first-half lead.

First-half goals from Georgia Stanway and Alessia Russo led the Lionesses to a win in Saint-Etienne on matchday four before a win over Ireland and a draw with Sweden.