England will look to hold on to their crown when the 14th edition of the UEFA European Women’s Championship, or Women’s Euro 2025, begins in Switzerland on Wednesday.
The continent’s top nations will compete over the course of the 26-day tournament across eight host cities.
Here’s everything you need to know about the championship:
When and where is Euro 2025?
Switzerland is playing host to the Women’s Euro for the first time.
The tournament begins in Thun on Wednesday, July 2 and concludes in Basel on Sunday, July 27.
How many countries are participating in the Women’s Euro 2025?
Of the 51 national women’s bodies associated with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), 16 have qualified for the championship.
They will be divided into four groups:
Group A
- Switzerland
- Norway
- Iceland
- Finland
Group B
- Spain
- Portugal
- Belgium
- Italy
Group C
- Germany
- Poland
- Denmark
- Sweden
Group D
- France
- England
- Wales
- Netherlands
Which teams are favourites to win Women’s Euro 2025?
Apart from holders England and world champions Spain, former Olympic gold medal winners Germany are firm favourites to lift the trophy. Here’s a brief look at each team’s pedigree:
- England: The defending champions will gain confidence from their top rank in UEFA’s rankings heading into the tournament. Under the leadership of their trusted coach, Sarina Wiegman, the Lionesses enter the tournament on the back of mixed results in their UEFA Nations League matches. The young-looking squad will lean on the experienced Lucy Bronze, who will be playing in her fourth Euro, as they look to build on the success of their predecessors.
- Spain: Arguably the most exciting women’s team to watch thanks to their prowess in front of the goal, Spain are the current world champions. The women in red and gold would like to one up their men’s team of the early 2010s by winning the Euro on top of a World Cup title. La Roja have won five of their six competitive matches in 2025, scoring 21 goals in the process.
- Germany: Germans are the undeniable queens of European football, having won the tournament on a whopping eight occasions, including six consecutive titles from 1995 to 2013. Also the world champions twice, they are another in-form team, having won five of their six games in 2025 with 26 goals scored and only three conceded.
Spain will be favourites to add the European title to their FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 win [File: Rick Rycroft/AP Photo]
Will Aitana Bonmati play in Euro 2025?
Up until Friday, Bonmati’s participation in the tournament was unquestionable as the superstar midfielder is the centrepiece of the Spanish side. However, the 27-year-old tested positive for viral meningitis and was hospitalised in Madrid.
The Spanish football federation, RFEF, however, is hopeful that the star player will return to the squad in a few days despite not being part of the contingent travelling to Switzerland on Sunday.
“After several days hospitalised with viral meningitis, Aitana Bonmati has been discharged from the hospital and will join the Spanish national team in the coming days,” RFEF said in a brief statement.
The Barcelona player, winner of the Ballon d’Or award in 2023 and 2024, posted a photo from her hospital bed on social media on Sunday, giving a thumbs-up and stating: “Fortunately, everything is going well. I hope to return soon.”
Bonmati has been pivotal for Spain, scoring 30 goals in 78 appearances and helping them win the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and last year’s UEFA Nations League.
Gracias a tod@s por los mensajes recibidos y a l@s que me habéis ayudado estos días. Afortunadamente todo va bien, espero volver pronto. 💪🏼⚔️🧠
Gràcies a totes i tots, us he sentit a prop❤️ pic.twitter.com/GV6ORVEn8i
— Aitana Bonmatí Conca (@AitanaBonmati) June 29, 2025
Who are the key players to watch at Euro 2025?
- Ewa Pajor (Poland): The Barcelona forward is ranked among the world’s top strikers and has scored 43 goals in her 45 appearances for the club in the past season. She has won more than 100 caps for her country, scoring 68 goals in the process and has been named the nation’s top women’s player on five occasions. The tournament debutantes will rely on Pajor’s red-hot form to see them through to the knockouts and beyond.
- Alexia Putellas (Spain): Arguably one of the greatest women to play the game, Putellas will be the mainstay of Spain’s midfield and attack as the world champions seek a third title. The Barcelona player had another incredible season for the Spanish champions, scoring 17 goals in 25 appearances to add to her control of the team’s midfield. Putellas missed out on the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023 and would like to make up for it with a Euro win.
- Klara Buhl (Germany): The German winger has been playing for the European giants Bayern Munich since 2020 and has made 102 appearances. Making her international debut in 2019, Buhl has scored 28 goals for Germany in 67 games. She will be among the top young players at the 2025 championship.
- Lauren James (England): Another bright young European footballer, James has swiftly climbed up the ranks in Wiegman’s squad. The 23-year-old will have plenty of eyes on her as she leads England’s attack in Switzerland. She scored 22 goals for Chelsea in the last season and has seven goals in 27 international appearances.
Ewa Pajor was instrumental in Poland’s qualification for the Euro championship [File: Lisa Leutner/Reuters]
Who are the past winners of the Women’s Euro championships?
- 1984: Sweden
- 1987: Norway
- 1989: West Germany
- 1991: West Germany
- 1993: Norway
- 1995: Germany
- 1997: Germany
- 2001: Germany
- 2005: Germany
- 2009: Germany
- 2013: Germany
- 2017: Netherlands
- 2022: England
Germany have won the Women’s Euro a record eight times, with their last win coming in 2013 [File: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters]
Where are the Women’s Euro 2025 venues?
From stadiums located in the heart of Switzerland’s main cities, to picturesque arenas sitting in the lap of the Alps, these are the eight venues hosting the championship:
- Basel (St Jakob-Park): The venue in Switzerland’s most populous city will host five games, including the home team’s opener, the last quarterfinal and the final. The 35,000-capacity stadium was opened in March 2001 and is the home ground for the city’s eponymous team in the Swiss league.
- Bern (Stadion Wankdorf): The 32,000-capacity home of the Young Boys football club was rebuilt on the site of the 1925-built Wankdorf Stadium, which hosted the famous “Miracle of Bern” FIFA World Cup 1954 final between West Germany and Hungary. It will host four Women’s Euro 2025 fixtures, including the third quarterfinal.
- Geneva (Stade de Geneve): The venue was one of the co-hosts for the UEFA Euro 2008 and has also held rugby games. In the Women’s Euro 2025, the 30,000-capacity stadium will host five matches, including the first quarterfinal and the first semifinal.
- Lucerne (Allmend Stadion): The glittering golden structure of the Swissporarena stands out in the city of Lucerne and is home to its Swiss Super League side. It will host three group-stage games during the tournament.
- St Gallen (Arena St Gallen): The venue in the northwest of Switzerland can host close to 20,000 football fans. It will also host three group-stage games.
- Sion (Stade de Tourbillon): A picturesque football venue, the Stade de Tourbillon sits amid the Alps, overlooked by two prehistoric castles. It is the smallest venue by capacity, 9,570, and will host three group-stage games.
- Thun (Arena Thun): Spectators will have a view of a football match on the field and the Alps in the background when they attend one of the three group-stage games in Thun.
- Zurich (Stadion Letzigrund): The Stadion Letzigrund in Switzerland’s largest city will host three group-stage fixtures, as well as the second quarterfinal and the second semifinal. The home ground for two of the city’s football clubs has a capacity of more than 24,000.
A drone view shows the picturesque Arena Thun, one of the venues for the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 [File: Denis Balibouse/Reuters]
What is the prize money for the Women’s Euro 2025?
According to UEFA, the total prize pot for the tournament is 41 million euros ($48m), more than double the 16 million euros (about $19m) given in 2022.
The champions can get a maximum of 5.1 million euros (about $6m) if they also win all three of their group-stage matches.
All 16 teams will receive a participation fee of 1.8 million euros ($2.1m).
How to buy tickets for the Women’s Euro 2025?
Tickets for all games go on sale at 09:00 GMT on every match day from the group stage up until the knockouts. They will be available on the UEFA ticketing website and start from 22 Swiss Francs ($27.5) and go up to 90 Swiss Francs ($112).
How to watch Euro 2025?
The tournament will be streamed live on the UEFA.tv website, as well as regional broadcasters and streaming services.
Al Jazeera Sport will provide live text and photo commentary stream for a selection of knockout matches, including the final.
Hosts England won the Women’s Euro 2022 by beating eight-time winners Germany at Wembley Stadium in London on July 31, 2022 [Alessandra Tarantino/AP Photo]
What is the format and full match schedule of the Women’s Euro 2025?
Format: All four teams in each of the four groups will play each other once, and the top two teams will progress to the knockout stage, which begins with the quarterfinals.
⚽ Women’s Euro 2025 group stage schedule
Wednesday, July 2
Group A: Iceland vs Finland (16:00 GMT, Thun)
Group A: Switzerland vs Norway (19:00 GMT, Basel)
Thursday, July 3
Group B: Belgium vs Italy (16:00 GMT, Sion)
Group B: Spain vs Portugal (19:00 GMT, Bern)
Friday, July 4
Group C: Denmark vs Sweden (16:00 GMT, Geneva)
Group C: Germany vs Poland (19:00 GMT, St Gallen)
Saturday, July 5
Group D: Wales vs Netherlands (16:00 GMT, Lucerne)
Group D: France vs England (19:00 GMT, Zurich)
Sunday, July 6
Group A: Norway vs Finland (16:00 GMT, Sion)
Group A: Switzerland vs Iceland (19:00 GMT, Bern)
Monday, July 7
Group B: Spain vs Belgium (16:00 GMT, Thun)
Group B: Portugal vs Italy (19:00 GMT, Geneva)
Tuesday, July 8
Group C: Germany vs Denmark (16:00 GMT, Basel)
Group C: Poland vs Sweden (19:00 GMT, Lucerne)
Wednesday, July 9
Group D: England vs Netherlands (16:00 GMT, Zurich)
Group D: France vs Wales (19:00 GMT, St Gallen)
Thursday, July 10
Group A: Finland vs Switzerland (19:00 GMT, Geneva)
Group A: Norway vs Iceland (19:00 GMT, Thun)
Friday, July 11
Group B: Italy vs Spain (19:00 GMT, Bern)
Group B: Portugal vs Belgium (19:00 GMT, Sion)
Saturday, July 12
Group C: Sweden vs Germany (19:00 GMT, Zurich)
Group C: Poland vs Denmark (19:00 GMT, Lucerne)
Sunday, July 13
Group D: Netherlands vs France (19:00 GMT, Basel)
Group D: England vs Wales (19:00 GMT, St Gallen)
⚽ Women’s Euro 2025 quarterfinals
Wednesday, July 16
Winners of Group A vs Runners-up of Group B (Geneva, 19:00 GMT)
Thursday, July 17
Winners of Group C vs Runners-up of Group D (Zurich, 19:00 GMT)
Friday, July 18
Winners of Group B vs Runners-up of Group A (Bern, 19:00 GMT)
Saturday, July 19
Winners of Group D vs Runners-up of Group C (Basel, 19:00 GMT)
⚽ Women’s Euro 2025 semifinals
Tuesday, July 22
Winners of quarterfinal 3 vs winners of quarterfinal 1 (Geneva, 19:00 GMT)
Wednesday, July 23
Winners of quarterfinal 4 vs winners of quarterfinal 2 (Zurich, 19:00 GMT)
⚽ Women’s Euro 2025 final
Sunday, July 27
Winners of semifinal 1 vs winners of semifinal 2 (Basel, 19:00 GMT)
