The England women’s national soccer team has called up 25 players for two October friendlies that mark the start of a new cycle after winning the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 title. The team will face Brazil at the Etihad Stadium on the 25th and Australia at Pride Park on the 28th. These aren’t just any matches. They’re meaningful games, planned to test a group that doesn’t want to simply celebrate the past. It wants to prove it’s still ready to keep winning.
Sarina Wiegman’s list kept the spine of the championship team, even with Lauren Hemp, Lauren James, and Leah Williamson sidelined by injury. Katie Reid, Lucia Kendall, and Taylor Hinds are back, as are Laura Blindkilde Brown and Missy Bo Kearns.
England begins a cycle with different expectations
The matches against Brazil and Australia come at a time when the England team no longer steps onto the field to convince anyone it’s strong. It steps out to confirm it’s still on top. After the European title, expectations grew. The country follows the team’s every step, tickets sell out in advance, and the players feel the weight of representing a project that’s no longer just a promise.
Brazil will be the first test. The clearest memory between the two teams is the 2023 Finalissima at Wembley, when England won on penalties. It was a balanced, tense match and made it clear the Brazilian side has the weapons to trouble any opponent. Brazil’s style demands constant focus. It’s a technical, fast team that changes the tempo in seconds. Facing them means dealing with unpredictability, and that works as a good gauge for a team trying to keep a high competitive level.
Three days later, England faces Australia. The last time they met was the 2023 World Cup semifinal in Sydney, when the Lionesses won 3–1.
Brazil and Australia put England in different scenarios
The two opponents couldn’t be more strategic. Brazil represents the technical challenge, the one that requires emotional control and sharp decisions to manage quick shifts in rhythm. Australia, in turn, represents the physical and mental test. It’s a team that plays at the limit, presses, and knows how to make life difficult even without dominating the game. The combination of these matches serves as a lab to assess not only performance but also how the team reacts to different styles.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), Khiara Keating (Manchester City), Anna Moorhouse (Orlando Pride)
Defenders: Lucy Bronze (Chelsea), Jess Carter (Gotham FC), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Taylor Hinds (Arsenal), Maya Le Tissier (Manchester United), Esme Morgan (Washington Spirit), Katie Reid (Arsenal), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal)
Midfielders: Laura Blindkilde Brown (Manchester City), Grace Clinton (Manchester City), Missy Bo Kearns (Aston Villa), Lucia Kendall (Aston Villa), Jess Park (Manchester United), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Ella Toone (Manchester United), Keira Walsh (Chelsea)
Forwards: Michelle Agyemang (Brighton & Hove Albion, loan from Arsenal), Aggie Beever-Jones (Chelsea), Chloe Kelly (Arsenal), Beth Mead (Arsenal), Alessia Russo (Arsenal)