Women’s Euro 2025: Group A preview as Switzerland prepare to host | OneFootball

Women’s Euro 2025 gets underway on Wednesday 2 July as Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Finland kick off the tournament in Group A.

The 14th edition of the Women’s Euros will commence over the coming days, with Iceland and Finland set to take the stage in the opening fixture of the beloved tournament, which England won three years ago. The two sides will meet in Thun at Stockhorn Arena all before host nation Switzerland face Norway in Basel later that night.

Here is all you need to know about all four nations in Group A ahead of the opening day.

Switzerland

Tournament hosts Switzerland will be ready to inspire the nation as the side head into their third Women’s Euros. Having featured at both the 2017 and 2022 instalment of the competition, the Swiss have never made it out of the group stages – a fate they will be eager to change this time around.

Currently occupying 23rd place in the global FIFA rankings, Switzerland will be riding on key talents, host nation spirit, and a little bit of luck if they are to fly past their Group A opponents into the quarter-finals.

Pia Sundhage is the head coach at the helm for the host nation, and her management record is a hopeful sight for home fans. Sundhage led the U.S. Women’s National Team to Olympic gold in 2008 and 2012, before departing her role to take charge of Sweden. Her time in charge of the Swedes was less impressive after her five year tenure came to a close after a disappointing tournament at Euro 2017. Sundhage then spent four years in charge of Brazil before being announced as the new Swiss head coach in 2024.

One to watch: Arsenal midfielder Lia Walti will certainly be one to watch as the Switzerland captain prepares to lead her country out on home soil. The technical midfielder is fluid on the ball, and her ability to swivel through defenders and break the lines with both feet will certainly be an asset to her country.

Iceland

Branded as the tournament dark horse by many, Iceland will be hungry to shake up the standings in Group A. This summer’s tournament will be the side’s fifth appearance at a Women’s Euros, having featured at the last four instalments.

The nation’s best finish in the competition arrived in 2013 when they reached the quarter-finals, before being sent home in a heavy 4-0 defeat at the hands of Sweden. Iceland will be eager to build on the momentum gathered at Euro 2022 after the nation scored three goals in three games – their best scoring record in the competition thus far.

One to watch: West Ham’s Dagny Brynjarsdottir will be a key piece in the puzzle of Iceland’s Euro 2025 hopes. The 33-year-old central midfielder will provide the Icelandic side with pivotal leadership and experience in Switzerland.

Norway

Norway will need to shake off some major tournament ghosts as they head into Euro 2025 in Switzerland. The nation’s 16th-place world ranking certainly doesn’t reflect the talent they possess, including Barcelona’s Caroline Graham Hansen, Ballon d’Or winner Ada Hegerberg, and Women’s Super League stars Frida Maanum, Guro Reiten and Celin Bizet.

The two-time European champions have failed to progress out of the group stages in the previous two tournaments, including a shocking 8-0 defeat to England at Euro 2022.

Despite the calibre of talent in their ranks, Norway continue to struggle on the international stage. Head coach Gemma Grainger, who previously coached Wales between 2021 and 2024, is in desperate need of a solution if she is to employ a successful football style into this Norwegian side.

However, it is hard to overlook a side with such talent when they have been placed in what may be the most favourable group of the Women’s Euros. The firepower they posses should be more than enough to dislodge opponents and showcase some brilliant football in Switzerland.

One to watch: If there is one thing you can count on, it’s that Barcelona forward Caroline Graham Hansen will light up the stage for Norway. Fast on her feet and poetic in possession, Graham Hansen will be key to Norway’s success in Switzerland.

Finland

Two decades after their semi-final feat at Euro 2005, Finland are back for more this time around in Switzerland.

Having failed to progress out of the group stages at Euro 2022, Finland confirmed their return to the European stage after defeating Scotland in the competition’s qualifiers. Marko Saloranta’s Finnish side will be looking to shake up Group A, and definitely host the talent to do so.

The side have been in promising form heading into the tournament, winning all three of their final games in the UEFA Women’s Nations League group stages. A narrow 2-1 defeat to the Netherlands on June 26 provided Saloranta’s side with plenty of learnings ahead of an exciting summer in Switzerland.

One to watch: Tottenham Hotspur’s Eveliina Summanen will be one to watch, as the key midfielder continues to showcase her talent on the international stage. She will be hoping that her defensive prowess and creative efficiency helps her team at both ends of the pitch.