The England Women's Football team, or the Lionesses, is one of the top international women's football teams. The squad includes tournament winners, experienced leaders, and emerging talent. Here, we'll explore the team, its achievements, and who's in it right now.
Key Takeaways
- The current Lionesses squad includes players from the Women's Super League, European clubs, and overseas leagues, and England Football's squad hub provides player-by-player details, including positions, clubs, caps, and goals.²
- Leah Williamson is the England women’s football team captain and remains one of the squad’s most important leaders.⁷
- Sarina Wiegman has led England through one of the team's strongest periods since becoming head coach in September 2021.⁵
- England have won the UEFA Women’s Euro twice in recent years, beating Germany in 2022 and Spain in 2025.¹⁵
- Fara Williams holds the England women’s caps record with 172 senior appearances, while Ellen White leads the all-time goals list with 52 goals.³
Current England Women’s Football Squad Overview
The current Lionesses squad includes players from the Women's Super League, European clubs, and overseas leagues. Reuters reported that England's senior men's team and the women's team have received equal match fees and bonuses from the FA since January 2020.¹³
Deloitte reported that WSL club revenues reached £65m in the 2023 to 2024 season, showing the growth of the domestic environment many Lionesses play in.¹ England Football's squad hub also gives useful player-by-player context, including positions, clubs, caps, and goals.² However, because the March 2026 squad announcement was tied to the Spain and Iceland qualifiers, we can only guarantee that squad for those two matches.⁹
| Position | Player | Club | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Hannah Hampton | Chelsea | One of England’s leading goalkeeping options. |
| Goalkeeper | Anna Moorhouse | Orlando Pride | Experienced club goalkeeper based in the United States. |
| Goalkeeper | Ellie Roebuck | Aston Villa | Returned to the England setup after moving to Aston Villa. |
| Defender | Lucy Bronze | Chelsea | One of the squad’s most experienced defenders. |
| Defender | Jess Carter | Gotham City | Versatile defender with major tournament experience. |
| Defender | Alex Greenwood | Manchester City | Senior defender and set-piece specialist. |
| Defender | Taylor Hinds | Arsenal | Full-back option in the Lionesses squad. |
| Defender | Maya Le Tissier | Manchester United | Young defender with growing senior England experience. |
| Defender | Esme Morgan | Washington Spirit | Centre-back option playing in the United States. |
| Defender | Leah Williamson | Arsenal | England captain and central defensive leader. |
| Defender | Lotte Wubben-Moy | Arsenal | Centre-back option with Arsenal and England experience. |
| Midfielder | Laura Blindkilde Brown | Manchester City | Midfield option with technical quality. |
| Midfielder | Lucia Kendall | Aston Villa | Emerging midfielder in the senior squad. |
| Midfielder | Erica Meg Parkinson | Valadares Gaia | First senior call-up after progressing through the England pathway. |
| Midfielder | Georgia Stanway | Bayern Munich | Powerful midfielder with major tournament pedigree. |
| Midfielder | Keira Walsh | Chelsea | Deep-lying midfielder and one of England’s key playmakers. |
| Forward | Freya Godfrey | London City Lionesses | Young forward included in the latest squad. |
| Forward | Lauren Hemp | Manchester City | Direct winger and regular England attacking threat. |
| Forward | Lauren James | Chelsea | Creative forward with match-winning ability. |
| Forward | Chloe Kelly | Arsenal | Wide forward known for big tournament moments. |
| Forward | Beth Mead | Arsenal | Returned to the squad for the April qualifiers. |
| Forward | Jess Park | Manchester United | Attacking midfielder or forward option. |
| Forward | Alessia Russo | Arsenal | Central striker and one of England’s main goal threats. |
Recent Call-Ups and Emerging Talents
England has a youth player pathway that continues to feed younger players into the squad. Keira Barry is one example of that pathway, having represented England at the youth level before receiving her first senior call-up.⁶ These newer names could be the names of the future.
Keira Barry
Erica Meg Parkinson
Team Leadership
The Lionesses have a clear leadership structure on and off the pitch. Leah Williamson is a senior defender and captain.⁷ Sarina Wiegman, who would be one of the most successful English managers if she weren't Dutch, has led England through one of the strongest periods in the team's history since becoming head coach in September 2021.⁵ Together with the background staff and the rest of the squad, the team's leadership creates the team's identity heading towards World Cup qualification.
England Women’s Football Team Captain
England Women’s Football Team Coach
Recent Fixtures and Results
The Lionesses recent fixtures are an indication of how they're performing now. With England's recent results and upcoming games, an interesting picture is emerging for a top squad.¹⁰ Beyond the very recent games, there are also milestones being hit and a growing list of 100-cap players in England women's football history.³
14 April 2026 | Wembley Stadium | FIFA 2027 Women’s World Cup qualifier
Lauren Hemp scored the only goal as England beat Spain in the Lionesses' 499th international. It was also a milestone night for Keira Walsh, who reached 100 senior caps.
18 April 2026 | Laugardalsvöllur | FIFA 2027 Women’s World Cup qualifier
Alessia Russo scored the winner as England kept their perfect qualifying record and won the 500th match in the history of the women's senior team.
Historical Context and Achievements
The Lionesses' success isn't recent; it's been a journey that started decades ago. From early internationals to repeated major tournament appearances, and the UK's top clubs recognising the importance of even having women's teams, England's legacy informs the team's current successes. The landmark Euro 2022 and Euro 2025 final victories wouldn't have been possible without them. ⁸
England Women’s Football Team History
1972
First official England women’s international
England played their first official women's international, beginning the recognised history of the Lionesses.⁸
2009
UEFA Women’s Euro runners-up
England reached the European final, an important step in the team's rise before their later title-winning years.⁸
2015
FIFA Women’s World Cup third place
The Lionesses finished third at the World Cup, one of their strongest performances at a global tournament.⁸
2022
UEFA Women’s Euro champions
England beat Germany 2-1 after extra time at Wembley to win their first major women's tournament.¹⁵
2023
FIFA Women’s World Cup runners-up
England reached the World Cup final, continuing their run as one of the strongest teams in international women's football.⁸
2025
UEFA Women’s Euro champions again
England beat Spain on penalties to defend their European title and become back-to-back European champions.¹⁴
Major Achievements
England beat Germany 2-1 after extra time at Wembley to win their first major women's tournament.¹⁵
The Lionesses reached their first Women's World Cup final, confirming their status as one of the strongest teams in international football.⁸
England defended their European title by beating Spain on penalties in the Euro 2025 final.¹⁴
Winning Euro 2022 and Euro 2025 made England the dominant European women's national team of the period.¹⁵
Records and Milestones
Fara Williams is England women's all-time appearance leader with 172 senior caps.³
Ellen White leads the Lionesses' all-time scoring list with 52 goals.⁴
Keira Walsh became part of England's 100-cap group during the April 2026 international window.³
England played the 500th match in the women's senior team's history during the April 2026 win away to Iceland.¹⁰
Upcoming Fixtures and Expectations
So what's next for England? The FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying campaign is a route to the tournament, where FIFA's 2023 payment model guarantees player payments for every participant.¹² These matches are going to be an indication of how Wiegman balances regular players with new talent trying to make their way into the squad. Watch this space. While England's top male goalkeepers regularly leave international tournaments disappointed, the Lionesses' whole squad will be looking to the World Cup with some confidence off the back of their Euros victories.
5 June 2026 | Estadi Mallorca Son Moix | FIFA 2027 Women’s World Cup qualifier
England's next match is a major away test against Spain. After beating Spain at Wembley in April 2026 and in the Euro 2025 final, this fixture should be one of the Lionesses' biggest qualifiers of the year.¹⁰
9 June 2026 | Hill Dickinson Stadium | FIFA 2027 Women’s World Cup qualifier
The Lionesses then return home to face Ukraine. This gives England a chance to build momentum in Group 3 and continue their push towards the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup.¹⁰
References
- Deloitte. “Women’s Super League Club Revenues Soar by 34% to Hit £65m in Record-Breaking 2023/24 Season.” Deloitte UK, 9 June 2025. https://www.deloitte.com/uk/en/about/press-room/deloitte-annual-review-of-football-finance-womens-super-league-june-2025.html Accessed 11 May 2026.
- England Football. “England Football Women’s Senior Team Players and Latest Squad.” England Football. https://www.englandfootball.com/england/womens-senior-team/squad Accessed 11 May 2026.
- England Football. “England Women’s All-Time Record Caps and Appearances List.” England Football, 18 Apr. 2026. https://www.englandfootball.com/articles/2022/Aug/22/england-womens-senior-all-time-record-appearances-international-caps Accessed 11 May 2026.
- England Football. “England Women’s All-Time Record Top Goalscorers List.” England Football, 18 Apr. 2026. https://www.englandfootball.com/articles/2023/Oct/17/england-womens-all-time-record-goalscorers Accessed 11 May 2026.
- England Football. “England Women’s Head Coach Profile: Sarina Wiegman.” England Football. https://www.englandfootball.com/england/womens-senior-team/squad/Sarina-Wiegman Accessed 11 May 2026.
- England Football. “England Women’s Player Profile: Keira Barry.” England Football. https://www.englandfootball.com/england/womens-senior-team/squad/keira-barry Accessed 11 May 2026.
- England Football. “England Women’s Player Profile: Leah Williamson.” England Football. https://www.englandfootball.com/england/womens-senior-team/squad/leah-williamson Accessed 11 May 2026.
- England Football. “England Women’s Senior Team Legacy.” England Football. https://www.englandfootball.com/england/womens-senior-team/Legacy Accessed 11 May 2026.
- England Football. “England Women’s Squad Named for Spain and Iceland.” England Football, 31 Mar. 2026. https://www.englandfootball.com/articles/2026/Mar/31/england-womens-senior-squad-named-for-spain-and-iceland-20263103 Accessed 11 May 2026.
- England Football. “Fixtures and Results: England Women’s Senior Team.” England Football. https://www.englandfootball.com/england/womens-senior-team/fixtures-results Accessed 11 May 2026.
- England Football. “Get to Know New Lionesses Call-Up Erica Meg Parkinson.” England Football, 31 Mar. 2026. https://www.englandfootball.com/articles/2025/Dec/01/erica-meg-parkinson-england-womens-under-23s-profile-interview-20250112 Accessed 11 May 2026.
- FIFA. “New Payment Model Guarantees Support for Every FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Team and Player.” FIFA, 8 June 2023. https://inside.fifa.com/tournaments/womens/womensworldcup/australia-new-zealand2023/media-releases/new-payment-model-guarantees-support-for-every-fifa-womens-world-cup-2023-tm Accessed 11 May 2026.
- Reuters. “Soccer-England’s Men’s and Women’s Teams Receive Equal Pay, Says FA.” Reuters, 10 Sept. 2020. https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer-englands-mens-womens-teams-receive-equal-pay-says-fa-2020-09-03/ Accessed 11 May 2026.
- UEFA. “England 1-1 Spain AET, 3-1 Pens: Lionesses Win Women’s Euro 2025 Final on Penalties to Retain Title.” UEFA, 27 July 2025. https://www.uefa.com/womenseuro/news/029b-1e56a4b43051-3ec6381b01f6-1000--england-1-1-spain-aet-3-1-pens-highlights-lionesses-win-wo/ Accessed 11 May 2026.
- UEFA. “England 2-1 Germany AET: Kelly Gives Lionesses Wembley Final Triumph.” UEFA, 31 July 2022. https://www.uefa.com/womenseuro/news/0277-15c1d9745f40-baafd6e58b36-1000--england-2-1-germany-aet-kelly-gives-lionesses-wembley-fin/ Accessed 11 May 2026.
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