England: Emma Hayes set for Wembley return as Lionesses confirm USA and Germany friendlies

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Evening Standard

·30 July 2024

England: Emma Hayes set for Wembley return as Lionesses confirm USA and Germany friendlies

Games will serve as preparation for next summer’s European Championships

The Lionesses have announced four new autumn friendly fixtures, including Wembley meetings with Germany and Emma Hayes’s United States.

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The FA revealed on Tuesday that the Lionesses will face Germany at Wembley on October 25 before hosting South Africa at the Coventry Building Society Arena on October 29.

The matches will serve as preparation for next summer’s European Championships in Switzerland, where England will be the defending champions, having won the Euros in 2022 on home soil.

The Lionesses will then meet the US at Wembley on November 30 before bringing their 2024 campaign to a close on December 3 when they head north to play Euro 2025 hosts the Swiss at Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane.

Both matches away from Wembley will kick off at 7:45pm GMT, while the Germany match is scheduled for 7:30pm and the US match at 5.20pm.

England qualified automatically for Euro 2025 by finishing second behind only France in qualifying Group A3, where they also faced Sweden and the Republic of Ireland.

England manager Sarina Wiegman said of the newly announced autumn schedule: “Our preparations for the Euros start now. Securing our place at the tournament next summer, without the need to participate in the play-offs, gives us the maximum time to prepare for the challenge that awaits us in Switzerland.

“With the current UEFA Women’s Nations League format, the opportunities to play friendlies are limited. Therefore, I’m really pleased that we’ve been able to carefully select our opponents and give ourselves four very different and difficult challenges to aid our preparation.

“Each nation has a different style of play, a variety of strengths and that will test us in different ways.”

Wiegman added: “To play at Wembley again, especially against the quality of Germany and the United States, is really exciting. Our fans always show-up and bring the noise when we play there, which really helps the team and no doubt both games will create memorable atmospheres.

“Being able to take the team across the country is also very important to us and we’re pleased to be heading back to Coventry and Sheffield and two excellent stadiums. We have happy memories from both cities and I have no doubt the fans will come out in their numbers to support the team, as they always do.”