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Lionesses line up Italy GFXGetty/GOAL
Ameé Ruszkai

How England should line up for Euro 2025 semi-final vs Italy: Sarina Wiegman must change shape to help defence - and give Lauren James some rest

Opinion
England
Women's EURO
L. James
S. Wiegman
J. Carter
N. Charles
Women's football
FEATURES
England vs Italy

The 2022 winners are into a sixth-successive major semi-final, but must make changes to successfully defend their European Championship title

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There was so much to take away from England's penalty shootout win over Sweden in the quarter-finals of the 2025 European Championship. Some of it was good, be it the impact of the substitutes or the resilience from the whole team. Some of it, though, was bad, particularly in defence, where the Lionesses were torn apart despite their remarkable second-half comeback.

It's a performance that should serve as a wake-up call for Sarina Wiegman, who needs to address the issues in the backline if England are to retain their European title. That starts on Tuesday, when her side come up against an Italy team that is in its first major tournament semi-final this century.

The Lionesses will be the favourites, given their status as holders and the greater experience in their squad when it comes to these big moments. But that does not mean Wiegman should rest on her laurels when it comes to team selection, as GOAL takes a look at how England should line-up in Geneva...

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Frequently asked questions

The UEFA Women's Euro 2025 starts on July 2 and runs until the grand final on July 27. The Women's Euro 2025 will take place across Switzerland, featuring stadiums in Basel, Geneva, and Bern.

If you're looking for your chance to secure Women's Euro 2025 tickets, fret not. We've got all of the intel for you to get a seat at this international tournament in Switzerland.

You can buy England Women's Euro 2025 tickets on the official UEFA website or through England Football. However, since the general sale of tickets has long been open and was allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, there might now be only a limited number of official tickets available through these sites.There are a number of tickets available on the secondary market. StubHub is one of the leading retailers for those seeking to buy tickets through alternative channels. StubHub's website guarantees you will get tickets in time for the event you are attending and a valid entry ticket, so you'll be able to enjoy the tournament, even if you're looking for tickets to the Women's Euro final, semi-final, quarter-final, or any other event.

UEFA Women's EURO 2025, which is the 14th edition of the Women’s European Championship, is being held from Wednesday, July 2 to Sunday, July 27. Switzerland is staging the tournament for the first time, and the host nation will be hoping that playing in front of their fervent home fans will prove to be a good omen. The Netherlands were the host nation when they won the Women’s Euro 2017, and England reigned supreme on home turf at Women’s Euro 2022. Women’s Euro 2025 matches will be staged in eight Swiss cities: Basel, Bern, Geneva, Zurich, St.Gallen, Lucerne, Thun & Sion.

Other major timelines for the events you might want to note include:

Here's a closer look at where you can watch the Women's Euro 2025 from where you are:

  • United Kingdom - BBC, ITV and STV
  • Australia - Optus Sport
  • United States - FOX Sports. FuboTV
  • Latin America - ESPN
  • Spain - STVE
  • Germany - ARD - ZDF
  • France - TF1

Women’s Euro 2022 was won by the tournament hosts, England. Chloe Kelly was the goalscoring heroine as she netted the winning goal in extra time against Germany. It was the first time an England senior team had won major footballing honours since the men’s side had won the FIFA World Cup in 1966. The Lionesses were led by Sarina Wiegman, who had coached the Netherlands to glory five years earlier at Women’s Euro 2017.

The 16 teams playing at Women’s Euro 2025 are split into four groups of four teams. The top two sides in each group will progress to the quarter-finals. The groups were confirmed during December’s draw in Lausanne and are as follows:
Group A: Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Finland

Group B: Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Italy

Group C: Germany, Poland, Denmark, Sweden

Group D: France, England, Wales, Netherlands

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