England captain Leah Williamson has been ruled out of the Lionesses' crucial World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Ukraine due to a hamstring injury. Goalkeeper Khiara Keating is also unavailable after suffering a concussion in training last week.
Liverpool captain Grace Fisk and Brighton goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley have been called up by manager Sarina Wiegman to replace them. Fisk, who has been capped several times since her first call-up in February 2020, remains uncapped, while Baggaley first joined the England camp a decade ago.
The Lionesses, who gathered at St George's Park on Monday, face Spain in Palma on June 5, followed by a match against Ukraine at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium on June 9. These fixtures are pivotal for direct qualification to the 2027 World Cup in Brazil, with only the top team from each group advancing automatically.
England currently top their group with a flawless record of 12 points, three ahead of second-placed Spain, while Ukraine have yet to secure a point. The team will be hoping to secure their place in the World Cup after reaching the final three years ago, where they were defeated by Spain.
Wiegman's side gained revenge at last year's Euros by beating Spain on penalties to retain their European Championship title. However, the task has been made more difficult with the absence of their influential captain for the upcoming matches.
