France vs England Preview & Prediction | UEFA Women’s EURO 2025

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It is a heavyweight Group D at this summer’s UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 and two of the pre-tournament favourites face off in Zurich as France take on England.

Kick-off date/time:

How to watch on TV & online: UK – ITV platforms / US – Fox Sports & ViX

France team news: Fully fit

The French don't appear to have any reported injury concerns, so they do have a fully fit and available squad for this opener. Their standout names include the likes of Griedge Mbock Bathy, Amel Majri and Kadidiatou Diani.

Predicted XI (4-3-3): Peyraud-Magnin; Bacha, Lakrar, Mbock Bathy, De Almeida; Karchaoui, Toletti, Geyoro; Baltimore, Katoto, Diani

Unavailable:

Questionable:

England team news: Several issues

Sarina Wiegman has plenty of injury issues as Millie Bright, Ella Morris and Millie Turner are not at the tournament, whilst Lauren James and Ruby Mace are rushing back to full fitness, too, with Laura Blindkilde Brown named as a standby player due to fitness.

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Hampton; Bronze, Williamson, Greenwood, Carter; Stanway, Walsh; Mead, Toone, Hemp; Russo

Unavailable:

Questionable: Mace (Fitness), James (Injured)

Key stats

France and England have met twice previously in Women’s EURO final tournaments with each team winning once. France recorded a 3-0 victory in the 2013 group stage and England won 1-0 in the quarter-finals in 2017.
These two teams also met in the qualifying tournament for the 2025 finals, a 2-1 win for France in Newcastle on 31 May 2024 was followed by a 2-1 success for England in Saint-Etienne on 4 June 2024.
France are participating in their eighth successive Women’s EURO final tournament. They have reached the knockout rounds in the last four editions and progressed to the semi-finals for the first time in 2022 where they lost out 2-1 against Germany.
France have also reached the knockout rounds in their last four Women’s World Cup participations and in their three appearances in the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament.
France are unbeaten in their last ten Women’s EURO final tournament group stage matches (W6 D4). Since a 5-1 defeat against Germany in their second fixture at the 2009 finals.
France have won their opening match in each of the last five Women’s EURO final tournaments. The last time they did not win their opening fixture was in 2001 vs Norway (L 0-3).
France have only failed to score in one of their last 13 Women’s EURO final tournament matches.
Winners in 2022 when they hosted the tournament, England are making their seventh successive Women’s EURO final tournament participation.
As well as winning the tournament in 2022, England have finished runners-up twice (1984 and 2009) and have reached a further three semi-finals (1987, 1995 and 2017).
England won all six matches at Women’s EURO 2022, scoring a record 22 goals (the most goals by a team in a Women’s EURO final tournament).
England’s coach Sarina Wiegman has won the last two Women's EURO final tournaments (Netherlands 2017 and England 2022). She is the only coach to lead two different teams to the title.
In 2022, England were the fifth different Women’s EURO winners after Germany (eight titles), Norway (two), Sweden (one) and the Netherlands (one).
At Women’s EURO 2022, England named the same starting XI for all six matches, the first time that has happened in a men's or women's EURO with a group stage.
England have won ten of their last 11 Women’s EURO final tournament matches (L1).
None of England’s previous 34 Women’s EURO final tournament matches finished without a goal being scored.
England have won their last six Women’s EURO final tournament group stage matches. Since a 3-0 defeat against France in their final group fixture in 2013.
England have kept five clean sheets in their last six Women’s EURO final tournament group stage matches.
England won their opening match at the last two Women’s EURO final tournaments.
Four players in France’s squad are currently based in England: Sandy Baltimore and Oriane Jean-François with WSL champions Chelsea, Kelly Gago with Everton, and Melvine Malard with Manchester United.
France’s Sandy Baltimore and Oriane Jean-François are Chelsea club colleagues of six England squad members – Hannah Hampton, Lucy Bronze, Niamh Charles, Keira Walsh, Lauren James and Aggie Beever-Jones.
France’s Melvine Malard has England squad members Ella Toone, Maya Le Tissier and Grace Clinton as Manchester United team-mates.
England’s Lucy Bronze (2017-20) and Alex Greenwood (2019/20) played in France for Lyon, where Amel Majri, Selma Bacha, Griedge Mbock Bathy and Delphine Cascarino were team-mates.
12 of France’s squad for this tournament have made at least one appearance in a Women’s EURO final tournament. Leading the way are Sakina Karchaoui and Kadidiatou Diani with nine appearances.
21 of France’s squad have made at least one UEFA Women’s Champions League appearance (all rounds including qualifying).
11 of England’s squad for this tournament have made at least one appearance in a Women’s EURO final tournament. Leading the way is Lucy Bronze with ten appearances.
22 of England’s squad have made at least one UEFA Women’s Champions League appearance (all rounds including qualifying).
France have won their last eight international matches.

France vs England prediction

The French are now coached by Laurent Bonadei after Herve Renard’s disappointing stint in charge. Les Bleues head into this one on the back of some excellent form, with a 5-0 demolition of Belgium in a friendly a couple of weeks ago meaning that they have now enjoyed seven successive victories.

Defending champions England reached the final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023 but things have begun to go downhill for Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses and, rather than an era coming to an end, it feels as though that end has happened but England are still seeking one last hurrah in Switzerland this summer.

Teams that do that very rarely get another moment in the sun and a lack of effective transition means the English may be in for a shock in Switzerland so we see France as firm favourites.

France vs England tip: France to win

France vs England Preview & Prediction | UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 | Group Stage