England's women's team will play their World Cup qualifier against Ukraine in Antalya, Turkey, on Tuesday as scheduled, despite the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Head coach Sarina Wiegman confirmed the team has received reassurances about their safety and remains in close contact with UK authorities.
The UK Foreign Office advises against travel to areas within 10km of the Syrian border, which does not include Antalya. However, it urges vigilance elsewhere in Turkey. Wiegman stated that if the government deemed it unsafe, they would return, but currently no such signals exist.
The match, being played in neutral territory due to the war in Ukraine, saw an unusually quiet media session as several UK outlets, including The Guardian, cancelled travel plans over safety concerns. Only Sky Sports News attended in person.
Wiegman confirmed all squad members are available for the first of six qualifiers in a group also featuring Spain and Iceland. Midfielder Georgia Stanway revealed she is close to deciding her next club after leaving Bayern Munich, while the team celebrated the pregnancy announcement of Aston Villa's Missy Bo Kearns.
