Women's Euro 2025 Group D guide: England, Netherlands, France, Wales - fixtures, key players, predictions

Set to kick off on Tuesday, women’s football fans are now counting down to the hours until the beginning of this summer’s Women’s Euros tournament in Switzerland.

Set to begin on July 2 in St Gallen, the seventh edition of the tournament will see England Lionesses look to hold onto their crown following their success in the record breaking European Championships in England three years ago, with over half-a-million tickets already sold for the event.

Undoubtedly the toughest group at the tournament is Group D. Including both the 2022 and 2017 champions England and Netherlands respectively, one of the tournament favourites, France, will also join the party alongside tournament newcomers Wales.

New to the women’s game and want to pack in as much knowledge as possible before the tournament kicks-off? Then you’re in luck, as we’ve put together a handy guide to preview the tournament, group by group, in the run up to the tournament.

Can England make their third successive major tournament final this summer? | AFP via Getty Images

England

The reigning champions enter the tournament as one of the big favourites to retain their title, but have been rocked by the international retirement of Mary Earps and Fran Kirby, while Millie Bright also ruled herself out of the tournament due to concerns about her mental and physical well-being.

That said, the Lionesses are still one of the most experienced squads at the the tournament, with Lucy Bronze, Georgia Stanway and Lauren Hemp all playing huge roles in the last two major tournaments, where England have made it all the way to the final of both. There’s bucket loads of young talent to add to the experience too, with Grace Clinton, Lauren James and Maya Le Tissier included in Sarina Wiegman’s squad for the tournament in Switzerland. Alessia Russo, Leah Williamson, Chloe Kelly and Mead also enter the tournament on a high, having won the Champions League with Arsenal in May.

Head coach: Sarina Wiegman

Key player: Lauren Hemp

Fixtures:

July 5 - England vs France (5:00 PM, Zurich)

July 9 - England vs Netherlands (5:00 PM, Zurich)

July 13 - Wales vs England (8:00 PM, St Gallen)

Best ever Euro’s finish: Winners (2022)

Tournament odds: 7/2 with SkyBet

Prediction: Quarter-finals

Can they Dutch make it out of the group of death?

Netherlands

The winners of the competition in 2017, the Dutch have struggled to get beyond the quarter-finals in their last two major tournament appearances. Inconsistent form in Nations League will have been a frustration too, as they look to build up momentum for the Euros. Taking all of that into account, the Netherlands are still a force to be reckoned with.

Arsenal goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar is one of the best stoppers in Europe. Vivianne Miedema, Victoria Pelova and Jill Roord may have had their injuries of late, but their technically quality is undeniable, with an ability to unlock defences at will. Wieke Kaptein is the team’s rising star at 19, with Wolfsburg striker Lineth Beerensteyn one of the most deadly strikers heading to the tournament. She bagged 17 goals in just 20 games in last season’s Bundesliga.

Head coach: Andries Jonker

Key player: Lineth Beerensteyn

Fixtures:

July 5 - France vs England (8:00 PM, Lucerne)

July 9 - England vs Netherlands (5:00 PM, Zurich)

July 13 - Netherlands vs France (8:00 PM, Basel)

Best ever Euro’s finish: Winners (2017)

Tournament odds: 16/1 with SkyBet

Prediction: Quarter-finals

France forward Marie-Antoinette Katoto is one of the best strikers in Europe.

France

Joint-third favourites to win the tournament, France are yet to win a major tournament, but have quickly developed into one of Europe’s best sides. Laurent Bonadei has made some very bold selections in his squad, with notable omissions of veteran players, signalling a shift toward a new generation. Regular captain Wendie Renard and all-time leading goalscorer Eugenie Le Sommer have been left at home. Young stars Maëlle Lakrar and Lou Bogaert will be trusted to make an impact instead.

France’s forward line of Kadidiatou Diani and Marie-Antoinette Katoto is one of the best at the tournament, while midfielder Grace Geyoro’s ability to run the game in a box-to-box role will be crucial. Clara Mateo will provide the creative spark, having scored 18 goals and provided seven assists for Paris FC in the 2024-25 Première Ligue season.

Head coach: Laurent Bonadei

Key player: Marie-Antoinette Katoto

Fixtures:

July 5 - France vs England (8:00 PM, Zurich)

July 9 - France vs Wales (8:00 PM, St. Gallen)

July 13 - Netherlands vs France (8:00 PM, Basel)

Best ever Euro’s finish: Winners (2017)

Tournament odds: 16/1 with SkyBet

Prediction: Group stage

Jess Fishlock will be Wales one to watch this summer. | Getty Images

Wales

A proud moment for the Wales national team as they head to their very first major tournament as a nation. Rhian Wilkinson’s side fought off the challenge of Republic Of Ireland in the Euro 2025 playoffs, and will be desperate to prove they’ve got what it takes to go deep in the competition despite their inexperience at the level.

The draw has not been kind to them though, with a trifecta of England, Netherlands and France being as tough as it possibly gets for the Dragons. Hayley Ladd, Gemma Evans and Sophie Ingle offer bundles of high-level experience and nous from their years in the Women’s Super League, though they’ll be plenty of trust placed into youngsters Safia Middleton-Patel, Carrie Jones, and Esther Morgan. Jess Fishlock is the team’s standout player, though.

Head coach: Rhian Wilkinson

Key player: Jess Fishlock

Fixtures:

July 5 - Wales vs Netherlands (5:00 PM, Lucerne)

July 9 - France vs Wales (8:00 PM, St Gallen)

July 13 - Wales vs England (8:00 PM, St Gallen)

Best ever Euro’s finish: N/A

Tournament odds: 150/1 with SkyBet

Prediction: Group stage

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