England will face Spain in a highly anticipated rematch at the 2025 Women’s Nations League after the two sides were drawn into the same group. The draw, held today, placed Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses in Group A3 alongside the world champions from Spain, Belgium, and Portugal.
The match-up sets the stage for a thrilling encounter between the two teams, who recently met in the 2023 Women’s World Cup final in Sydney. Spain triumphed 1-0 in that final, securing their first-ever major women’s tournament victory, with Olga Carmona’s stunning goal proving the difference. Now, less than five months later, England will have a chance to avenge that loss in the new-look Nations League, which will run through 2025.
In a competitive and tightly balanced group, Spain enters as the reigning Nations League champions, having defeated England in the final of the inaugural tournament in 2023. Both teams will be looking to build momentum ahead of next summer’s European Championship in Switzerland, where England will aim to defend their title as the reigning Euro 2022 champions.
The format of the Nations League remains largely unchanged from its first edition, with 53 European nations divided into three leagues based on their rankings. The four group winners from League A will compete in semi-finals, with the final and third-place play-off taking place over two legs in October and November 2025. However, a key change this year will see all knockout ties, including the semi-finals and final, played over two legs.
The tournament also serves as a vital qualification route for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. The top two teams in each League A group will secure their place in the European qualifiers for the World Cup, while the bottom teams face relegation to League B.
In other significant draws, Scotland have been placed in Group A1 alongside Euro 2022 finalists Germany, as well as the Netherlands and Austria. This will be a challenging group for the Scots, who will be aiming to prove their competitive strength after a solid performance in the 2023 World Cup qualifiers.
Wales, who are looking to build on their recent progress, will face Italy, Denmark, and Sweden in Group A4. Their task will not be easy, as they face some of the most formidable teams in Europe. Northern Ireland, in contrast, will face a more manageable challenge in Group B1, with Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Romania providing the opposition.
The group stage matches will take place between February and June 2025, before the Euro 2025 tournament kicks off in Switzerland on 2 July. The semi-finals and final of the Nations League will be held later in the year, culminating in a two-legged final in late November.
As the competition heats up, England will be keen to avenge their World Cup final defeat by Spain. With top-class teams like France, Germany, and Sweden also competing for glory, the Nations League will be an important test ahead of the next major international tournament. For fans, the clash between England and Spain promises to be one of the most eagerly awaited matches in 2025, as the best teams in Europe battle for supremacy.
