Sarina Wiegman has stressed the importance of England securing a positive result against Iceland in Saturday’s World Cup qualifier to ensure Tuesday’s narrow victory over Spain carries full weight. Lauren Hemp’s early goal earned the European champions a 1-0 win at Wembley, leaving them with three wins from three and in control of their qualifying group. Only the top team in each League A group avoids the playoffs, increasing the pressure to keep winning.
Speaking ahead of the match at the Laugardalsvöllur Stadium, Wiegman said: “It will be a different challenge but we need to make the win on Tuesday even more valuable by having a good result tomorrow. That’s absolutely what we want to go for, it’s different circumstances and with a different opponent, but we’re ready.” England face Spain in Mallorca and Ukraine at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in early June.
Iceland are seen as England’s easiest opponent in this international window, but Wiegman acknowledged the lessons from recent Nations League campaigns, where similar-level sides posed problems. Defeats to Belgium in 2023 and 2025 and a draw with Portugal in 2025 proved costly. “Of course in those Nations League campaigns we were really disappointed that we didn’t get the wins,” she said. “We are absolutely aware this is again a new game, a new situation with Iceland in front of us here in Reykjavík, and we’re going to get ready in the best possible way.”
England will be without Keira Barry, the 20-year-old forward who left the squad due to ankle problems. Leah Williamson, absent since mid-March with a thigh injury, is fit and will train before final selection decisions are made. The match marks the Lionesses’ 500th game, a milestone celebrated at Wembley and with a limited-edition warm-up shirt.
Lucy Bronze, with 146 caps, called the occasion “insane” and reflected on the squad’s connection to history. “We had some of the older Lionesses come in and speak to us and share the history of what it means from the very first game,” she said. Bronze also expressed optimism about England’s future, praising the talent of young players such as Lucia Kendall and the under-23s’ performances in Spain.
