England to Face France in Euro 2025 Opening Match

Defending champions England will begin their Euro title defense against France — a match scheduled at Letzigrund Stadium, Zurich on Saturday evening.

The England squad faces major changes following the retirement of Mary Earps and Fran Kirby, while Millie Bright has withdrawn due to physical and emotional exhaustion. Lauren James remains in the squad despite initial fitness concerns.

France’s coach Laurent Bonadei has made a surprising decision by excluding several key players — including captain Wendie Renard and all-time top scorer Eugénie Le Sommer.

“As Einstein said: ‘Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.’ I want different results for this team, so I have gone with a different selection,” Bonadei explained his decision.

The match will be broadcast live on ITV Sports for UK viewers. Head-to-head records show France’s superiority with 13 wins from 27 meetings, compared to England’s 5 victories.