Ireland vs England LIVE: Lionesses team news, line-ups and more ahead of Euro 2025 qualifier in Dublin

The expectation is that Ireland will persist with the strategy that caused France such frustration last week, getting players behind the ball and trying to hold firm. While Eileen Gleeson’s side conceded after just six minutes in Metz, they were resolute thereafter despite allowing 21 shots.

We’re expecting a strong crowd at the beautifully designed Aviva Stadium this evening, with a record attendance a possibility in Dublin. “I am so happy that the game is at this stadium,” Leah Williamson said yesterday. “This many people coming to watch women’s football is a huge credit to what Ireland have done over the last couple of years as well. We must enjoy that.”

It’s a busy day of qualifying action with Scotland joining our combatants in kicking off a little later, but Wales and Northern Ireland have each already secured success this afternoon. Jess Fishlock, winning her 150th international cap, helped put Wales in control with two first-half assists against Kosovo as Rhian Wilkinson’s side cruised to a 6-0 win, while Northern Ireland emerged 3-1 victors against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Zenica.

In 2008, Switzerland was supported in its joint-hosting of the men’s European Championships with a package of £71m (82m Swiss Francs) from its Federal Council, but the amount allocated for next summer’s women’s tournament has been dramatically reduced to just £3.5m (4m Swiss Francs).

The staging of Euro 2025 in Switzerland follows the record-breaking Euro 2022 in England, where the Lionesses defeated Germany in the final in front of a sold-out Wembley at the end of a four-week tournament that smashed several attendance records.

Euro 2022 was a huge success for Uefa and proved to be a landmark moment for women’s football in Europe, with the total attendance of 574,875 more than doubling the previous record, set in the Netherlands in 2017.

But changes to the European Qualifiers format means Sarina Wiegman’s side face a challenge to reach the Euro 2025 finals, at least in comparison to their run of one-sided victories in qualifying for the last World Cup.

Defending champions England face Sweden, France and the Republic of Ireland in Group A3 of the Euro 2025 qualifiers – a group that features three of the four semi-finalists from the last Euros and three of the top five teams in the world. Here’s how the Euro 2025 qualifying works:

Ireland launched their campaign with a 1-0 defeat to France in Metz on Friday evening courtesy of Paris St Germain striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto’s sixth-minute goal, which came after Michelle Lakrar had turned Kenza Dali’s free-kick back across goal.

The hosts dominated for long periods, but Eileen Gleeson’s side passed up a late chance to level in a game played just a day after the death of assistant coach Colin Healy’s wife Kelly.

McCabe said: “Some shift wasn’t it? For us, we knew it was always going to be a difficult task.

“The moment we conceded on the set-piece was very disappointing because normally we’re very good and we’re really strong at that, so that’s obviously something we’re going to be looking at to tidy up.

“We gave it our best, obviously – which we always do when we represent Ireland. All we can do now is take the positives from the game and look to build into England now.”

The Lionesses also endured a disappointing start to their campaign when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Sweden at Wembley with Fridolina Rolfo cancelling out Alessia Russo’s opener.

However, they have won all seven of their previous meetings with the Republic, the last of them a 1-0 friendly victory at Dalymount Park in March 1987.

Glasgow City striker Emily Whelan has been added to the Ireland squad after West Ham’s Jess Ziu was forced to withdraw with a hamstring injury.

Republic of Ireland skipper Katie McCabe has warned reigning champions England to take nothing for granted as the sides prepare for a Euro 2025 qualifier battle.

Ireland host Sarina Wiegman’s team at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on Tuesday evening, hoping to build upon a committed, if ultimately fruitless, display in their Group A3 opener against France on Friday.

The Girls in Green sit in 25th place in FIFA’s world rankings with England second, although Arsenal’s McCabe insisted belief was high ahead of an eagerly-anticipated clash for which more than 30,000 tickets have been sold.

The versatile winger told a press conference: “We’re realistic, but in terms of our belief, we always believe we can go and beat anyone on our day.

“We’ve got the quality, we’ve got a world-class goalkeeper (Everton’s Courtney Brosnan), how we set up, the art of defending at times, we’ve shown our quality in how we can attack in previous games throughout the Nations League.

“So it’s about finding the balance and for us against these big teams, these big nations.

“There are only a couple of moments at this level as well, so we just need to make sure we’re on it tomorrow and decisive in those moments.”

Leah Williamson succeeded Steph Houghton as England captain, of course, following in the footsteps of her fellow centre-half and taking the Lionesses to new heights. But, as Sonia Twigg explained after her recent retirement announcement, it is worth remembering how influential a figure Houghton was in the growth of the side.

Alessia Russo nodded home Lauren James’ delivery to open the scoring in the 24th minute, but it was the visitors who looked likelier to score as half-time approached.

The Lionesses preserved their lead until the 64th minute, when England’s concentration switched off and allowed Fridolina Rolfo to drift in and nod substitute Rosa Kafaji’s delivery past Mary Earps.

Wiegman said: “I think this group is really tough. Of course I’m disappointed, because we always want to win.”