Sarina Wiegman’s side followed up Euro 2025 final glory with another defensively minded win over biggest rivals

As the seconds ran down, the tension was palpable around Wembley. Hearts were in mouths as Hannah Hampton made a world-class save from point-blank range to keep out Edna Imade’s header. Every sinew was stretched by Keira Walsh as she stuck out a head and then a boot to scramble away yet another delivery into the box, every single ounce of energy eked out to protect Lauren Hemp’s third-minute goal, a moment that felt like it belonged to another era of time.

Despite the apparent commotion on the field and the anxiety of the spectators in the stands, there was, however, very little panic evident on the faces of the 11 Lionesses on the field. Instead there was an aura of confidence about them, a true belief that they would get the job done. They cut an image of a team that had been there and done it all before and completed the task at hand on a far more stressful stage than the hallowed Wembley turf.

• World Cup qualifier: England 1-0 Spain (Hemp 3’)

• Lionesses win sides’ first meeting since Euros final

A resolute England gave their chances of ­automatic qualification for 2027’s World Cup a ­tremendous boost as they beat the world champions, Spain, at Wembley and demonstrated they are strong enough defensively to hold off the most technically gifted squad in the women’s game.

In a closely fought match in which both teams missed some ­gilt-edged opportunities, the sides were ­ultimately separated by two moments where the ball bounced extremely close to the line; one where it did cross the goalline and another where it did not.

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1 min: And we’re off! Spain get the game started.

Right then, nothing between us and football but a few seconds and a whistle.

Reigning champions have a new coach and some new faces when they face the Lionesses in Women’s World Cup qualifier

Eight-and-a-half months after they locked horns in the final of Euro 2025, England and Spain meet again on Tuesday night in front of more than 70,000 at Wembley. This time it is in qualifiers for the Women’s World Cup, another tournament in which they met in the final last time out.

Despite the relatively brief period since the game in Basel, Spain have a noticeably fresh look with a new head coach and a crop of emerging young players. They have already won a trophy under Sonia Bermúdez, who led them to the Nations League title after replacing Montse Tomé, and, unlike England, are unbeaten since the Euros with five wins and a draw in six matches.

• Bay FC forward Barry in for injured Freya Godfrey

• Lionesses face Spain and Iceland in qualifiers

The Bay FC forward Keira Barry has received her first senior England call-up after being added to Sarina Wiegman’s squad for Women’s World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Iceland alongside the fit-again Chelsea full-back Niamh Charles.

Their additions come after the London City Lionesses forward Freya Godfrey withdrew because of a shoulder injury. Barry, promoted for the Under-23s squad, is a product of Manchester United’s academy and also played for clubs including Crystal Palace and Sunderland before signing for Bay FC in February.

• Teenager plays in Portugal for Valadares Gaia

• Lionesses face Spain and Iceland in World Cup qualifiers

Sarina Wiegman said she left the 17‑year‑old Erica Meg Parkinson speechless with her first call-up to the England squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Iceland.

The shock inclusion of the Singapore-born midfielder, who plays for the Portuguese first division side Valadares Gaia, comes less than six months after her first call-up to England Under-23s, amid a rapid rise through the Lionesses’ youth setup.

Sarina Wiegman made a few positional adjustments as a showdown with Spain looms, and Georgia Stanway and Lauren James shone

There were few fireworks, but six points from six meant “job done” for England in their first two World Cup qualifiers. They might have preferred to score more goals to boost their goal difference, but these victories were essential in England’s quest to top this qualifying group before they face Spain.

With a warmly anticipated meeting with the world champions in April at Wembley, what will they have learned from these two competitive yet ever-so-slightly experimental qualifiers, a 6-1 win against Ukraine in Turkey on Tuesday and a 2-0 victory over Iceland in Nottingham on Saturday?

• England 2-0 Iceland

• Wiegman happy to keep clean sheet in routine win

Goals from Lucy Bronze and Georgia Stanway made it two wins from two in England’s bid to qualify for the 2027 World Cup, with attention now turning to a hugely important game against Spain at Wembley in April.

England’s aim of avoiding the playoffs by securing top spot in their World Cup qualifying group was never going to be derailed by Ukraine and Iceland. Ukraine was a straightforward affair, once they had found their rhythm in the second half to earn a 6-1 win, and at the City Ground in Nottingham, while Iceland are higher ranked than Ukraine, the Lionesses were still overwhelmingly comfortable.

• Ukraine 1-6 England

• Georgia Stanway and Jess Park also score twice

Stressed, anxious or doubtful after a goalless first half? Not these England players, who remained fully confident in their ability and found a flurry of second-half goals to begin their Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign with a 6-1 win against Ukraine.

It helps when you have players with the firepower of Alessia Russo, Georgia Stanway and Jess Park all thriving and scoring twice. The European champions may feel they should have won by a greater margin: they were profligate in the first half, but eventually opened the floodgates as Park continued her bright Manchester United form.

⚽ World Cup qualifier from Turkey, kick-off at 5pm GMT
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3 min: Hemp finds room out on the left, her low ball in cleared inside the area.

2 min: England set up camp inside the Ukraine half, the nominal hosts dropping very deep.

• Lionesses face Ukraine in Antalya on Tuesday

• Wiegman says ‘reassurances’ received before trip

Sarina Wiegman says England’s women’s team have had reassurances they are safe in Turkey but remain in close contact with the authorities about the developing conflict in the Middle East, as they prepare to face Ukraine in a Women’s World Cup qualifier.

Tuesday’s match is being played in Antalya, along Turkey’s southern Mediterranean coast, on neutral ground because of the war in Ukraine. The Lionesses travelled to Antalya to begin a training camp last week, landing before the war began in the Middle East.

• Former England keeper has met with Sarina Wiegman

• She adds: ‘I’m human. I’m not perfect, I’m still learning’

Mary Earps said she has “learned some tough lessons” and understands why there was such strong condemnation of comments made in her autobiography last year.

The former England goalkeeper told the Guardian the “last thing she wanted to do” was hurt Sarina Wiegman and she is grateful to have had a chance to meet up with the Lionesses head coach and have a “really positive conversation” since the release of her book in November, which led to a huge backlash.

• Lioness will leave German club at end of season

• Aston Villa set to sign Chelsea’s Oriane Jean-François

Arsenal are among the leading candidates to sign Georgia Stanway this summer after Bayern Munich confirmed the England midfielder would leave the German club when her contract expires.

According to sources, the north London club are understood to be one of a number of teams interested in acquiring the 27-year-old on a free transfer, but Renée Slegers’ team are leading the running having tracked Stanway’s progress and are eager to add a world-class midfielder to their squad.

England defender publicly confronted racist abuse at the Euros and ended 2025 a title winner with club and country

The Guardian Footballer of the Year is an award given to a player who has done something remarkable, whether by overcoming adversity, helping others or setting a sporting example by acting with exceptional honesty.

Jess Carter has spent her life grappling with when to hold back and when to speak up; wrestling with being naturally herself, embodying the characteristics her parents instilled in her of being open, honest, vocal and confident, and subduing herself because, while society values those traits, in a black woman they can be viewed negatively.

Meera Syal also made dame while England women’s football and rugby winners feature prominently

The actors Idris Elba and Meera Syal have been made a knight and a dame in the new year honours list, with top awards also going to the ice skaters Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean.

The former head of NHS England, Amanda Pritchard, was also made a dame and there were knighthoods for Patrick McCabe, a former UN official responsible for clearing unexploded bombs in Gaza; Tristram Hunt, the former Labour MP and now director of the V&A, for services to museums; and Roy Clarke, creator of the sitcoms Last of the Summer Wine, Open All Hours and Keeping Up Appearances.

The golfer was rewarded for his Masters and Ryder Cup heroics with Ellie Kildunne in second and Lando Norris third

And here are recent Guardian interviews with that trio of elite athletes. Get reading!

Two more contenders for tonight’s big prize have arrived in Salford: Chloe Kelly and Rory McIlroy!

• Four Lionesses, seven from Spain, in women’s world XI

• Donnarumma is named men’s goalkeeper of the year

The France forward Ousmane Dembélé and the Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmatí were crowned the Fifa Best men’s and women’s players of 2025 respectively at the world governing body’s awards ceremony in Doha.

Paris Saint-Germain’s Dembélé won the trophy for the first time after his club’s maiden Champions League triumph, while Barcelona’s Bonmatí won for the third consecutive year, after her club reached a Champions League final and Spain were Euro 2025 runners-up.

Public vote will decide winner among back-to-back European champions, Rugby World Cup winners and Team Europe

England’s Lionesses are up against their rugby union counterparts, the Red Roses, and Europe’s winning Ryder Cup side on the shortlist for team of the year at the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year award.

For the first time the BBC have swerved having to make the call themselves by making the team award a public vote, with the winners to be announced live at the ceremony on 18 December.

• Presenter fell during buildup of game against Ghana

• Woods later posted that she was ‘ok’ on Instagram

Laura Woods collapsed during ITV’s live buildup to England’s final match of 2025 against Ghana, with the 38‑year‑old presenter revealing later that she had “probably” been battling a virus, and thanking the pundits Ian Wright and Anita Asante for catching her as she fell.

Woods was leading ITV’s coverage of the friendly at St Mary’s and was pitchside with Wright and Asante when the incident happened. The camera immediately cut away and there was an advert break. When ­coverage of the game resumed, Woods’s fellow presenter Katie Shanahan had stepped in to replace her, confirming Woods was unwell.

Midfielder’s three goals illustrate the different attributes that have made her the player she is today

England laid down a marker at Wembley on Saturday evening as they waltzed to victory over China with a scintillating show of attacking force. Among the many eye-catching performances, Georgia Stanway stood out, joining Beth Mead and Aggie Beever-Jones by becoming the third Lioness to score a hat-trick at Wembley. Her three goals and assist formed part of a midfield display that was right up there with the best the national stadium has witnessed over the years.

The 26-year-old has been one of the first names on Sarina Wiegman’s team sheet since the Dutchwoman took over as manager in 2021. Famous for her long-range finishing and tenacious tackling, she is emblematic of the fight and quality that this England team possess. When in top form, she and Keira Walsh form one of the best midfield partnerships out there, complementing each other’s attributes. She is one of the leaders of this team, unafraid to stand up and be counted on and off the pitch when things go wrong and at the core of their success when they go right.