England handed tough group for Women's Euro 2025 qualifying

England have been drawn alongside France, Sweden and the Republic of Ireland in their group for Women's Euro 2025 qualifying.

The Lionesses enter qualifying as the reigning champions of Europe having won Euro 2022 on home soil nearly two years ago.

England will have to be at their best to secure their spot at the next finals in Switzerland having been drawn with France and Sweden, who were the semi-finalists at Euro 2022, as well as rivals Ireland in Group A3.

Qualifying will begin in April and conclude in July, while play-offs will take place from October to December.

How Euro 2025 qualifying works

England are out to retain their title / Naomi Baker/GettyImages

European nations were split into three leagues - League A, League B and League C - based on their UEFA ranking following the 2023/24 Nations League.

Teams were then divided into four pots of four in Leagues A and B, while there were three pots of five and one of four in League C.

The top two teams from each group in League A will secure direct qualification to Euro 2025, with third place heading to the play-offs as a seeded team. The fourth-placed sides will also be seeded for the play-offs but will be relegated to League B.

In League B, the top three teams of each group will all secure qualification to the play-offs, with first place in each group also securing promotion to League A. The nations finishing third may also be relegated to League C alongside the teams that finish fourth.

The teams in League B also compete in a convoluted league system in which the four group winners and two best runners-up secure seeded status in the play-offs, while the two worst runners-up and four third-placed sides advance as the unseeded sides. The four fourth-placed teams and the worst third-place outfit will be relegated to League C.

Hosts Switzerland have been drawn into a qualifying group in order to fill their international calendar and their place in their group will drop down to the next available side.

The five winners of groups in League C will advance to the play-offs as unseeded teams and earn promotion to League B. They will be joined by the three best runners-up.

In the play-offs, the eight seeded teams from League A will be drawn against the unseeded sides from League C in two-legged ties. Meanwhile, the 12 play-off qualifiers from League B will face off.

The winners from these seven ties will be drawn against each other in the second round to determine who will secure the final spots at Euro 2025.

Euro 2025 qualifying draw in full

League A

Group A1

Netherlands
Italy
Norway
Finland

Group A2

Spain
Denmark
Belgium
Czech Republic

Group A3

France
England
Sweden
Republic of Ireland

Group A4

Germany
Austria
Iceland
Poland

League B

Group B1

Switzerland
Hungary
Turkey
Azerbaijan

Group B2

Scotland
Serbia
Slovakia
Israel

Group B3

Portugal
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Northern Ireland
Malta

Group B4

Wales
Croatia
Ukraine
Kosovo

League C

Group C1

Belarus
Lithuania
Cyprus
Georgia

Group C2

Slovenia
Latvia
North Macedonia
Moldova

Group C3

Greece
Montenegro
Andorra
Faroe Islands

Group C4

Romania
Bulgaria
Kazakhstan
Armenia

Group C5

Albania
Estonia
Luxembourg