Leah Williamson Returns to England Squad for World Cup Qualifiers
Leah Williamson, the England captain, has been recalled to the national squad after recovering from injury, as head coach Sarina Wiegman names her first selection of 2026. Williamson, who trained with Arsenal this week, is among several Euro 2025 winners making a comeback for the upcoming matches against Ukraine and Iceland in March.
Wiegman Addresses Contract Speculation
Sarina Wiegman firmly denied that her contract situation, which is due to expire after the 2027 World Cup in Brazil, poses any distraction to the team. "No update. It's pretty far away," Wiegman stated, emphasizing ongoing positive discussions with the Football Association. "We are in conversations all the time and we're still very happy from both sides. There is no distraction whatsoever. We want to really focus on this qualification." She highlighted the team's goal to secure automatic qualification for the 2027 tournament by June, avoiding playoffs.
Injury Returns and Absences
Alongside Williamson, fellow Euro 2025 champions Hannah Hampton, Alex Greenwood, and Lauren James have also been recalled after overcoming injuries. Jess Carter returns as well, having missed England's final matches of 2025 to recover from the NWSL playoffs. However, the squad will be without key players Ella Toone, Beth Mead, Niamh Charles, and Missy Bo Kearns due to injuries, as England kick off their World Cup qualifying campaign.
Challenging Qualifying Group
England face a tough path to the 2027 World Cup, drawn in a group with world champions Spain, whom they have met in the past two major finals. They will play Ukraine on neutral territory in Antalya, Turkey, on 3 March, followed by a home match against Iceland at Nottingham Forest's City Ground on 7 March. Wiegman expressed sympathy for Ukraine's situation, noting the match's relocation due to ongoing conflicts, but praised the accommodations in Turkey as a good solution.
Squad Selections and Strategy
Wiegman has introduced new faces to the squad, including a first call-up for London City Lionesses defender Poppy Pattinson. In goal, Ellie Roebuck has been selected over Manchester City's Khiara Keating. The coach explained the decision to play only two matches in this international window, despite FIFA allowing three, citing player workload concerns. "With the congested agenda and the amount of games, the players play so much, so we didn't want to use the third one," she said, adding that an earlier first qualifier would have been ideal for scheduling.
England Women's Squad for March Qualifiers
Goalkeepers: Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), Anna Moorhouse (Orlando Pride), Ellie Roebuck (Aston Villa)
Defenders: Lucy Bronze (Chelsea), Jess Carter (Gotham), Grace Fisk (Liverpool), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Taylor Hinds (Arsenal), Maya Le Tissier (Manchester United), Esme Morgan (Washington Spirit), Poppy Pattinson (London City Lionesses), Leah Williamson (Arsenal), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal)
Midfielders: Laura Blindkilde Brown (Manchester City), Grace Clinton (Manchester City), Lucia Kendall (Aston Villa), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Keira Walsh (Chelsea)
Forwards: Aggie Beever-Jones (Chelsea), Freya Godfrey (London City Lionesses), Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Chloe Kelly (Arsenal), Jess Park (Manchester United), Alessia Russo (Arsenal)
Wiegman concluded by reinforcing the team's ambition: "The message is that we want to qualify as soon as possible. It's a huge challenge with the group we have but I'm excited to see that." England aim to build on their back-to-back European titles by securing a first world championship in the coming years.
