Women’s Euro 2025 will officially get underway when Iceland Women take on Finland Women in Wednesday’s meeting in Thun.

The two nations are competing in Group A alongside 1995 winners Norway and tournament hosts Switzerland.

Iceland had to wait until 2009 to qualify for the Euros, but they are now preparing to make their fifth successive appearance at the tournament. 

They are competing in Switzerland after successfully negotiating a qualifying group that contained Germany, Austria and Poland.

Iceland won four, drew one and lost one of their six qualifiers to finish in the second automatic qualification spot and just two points behind group winners Germany.

The team ranked 14th in the world will be desperate to produce a strong group-stage performance, having failed to make the knockout rounds in three of the last four Euros.

In fact, Iceland have won just one of their 12 matches in European Championship history, with that solitary victory taking place against Netherlands in 2013, when four points were enough to progress as one of the two best third-ranked sides. 

They will enter the 2025 tournament on the back of a 3-1 friendly victory over Serbia, which ended a 10-game winless run that included a disappointing Nations League campaign, where they had to settle for a relegation playoff spot.

Finland are set to make their fifth appearance at the Euros after they came through two playoff ties in the qualifying process.

Marko Saloranta’s side collected just five points in six qualifying games, ensuring that they finished bottom of a group that contained Italy, Netherlands and Norway.

As a result, they were forced to go through the playoffs, where they eased to a 6-0 aggregate over Montenegro, before they got the better of Scotland in the second round.

After playing out a goalless draw in Edinburgh, Finland went on to clinch a 2-0 victory in Helsinki to punch their ticket to Switzerland.

Finland will have fond memories of progressing to the knockout rounds in 2005 and 2009, but they have failed to record a single victory in their last two appearances in 2013 and 2022, which ultimately resulted in group-stage exits.

In contrast to Iceland, Finland enjoyed a successful Nations League campaign as they collected 11 points from six games to finish in second spot in Group B3 to qualify for the promotion playoffs, although they would have been frustrated to lose their five-game unbeaten run in their recent friendly defeat to the Netherlands.

Iceland Women form (all competitions):

Finland Women form (all competitions):

Team News

Iceland will line up with Inter Milan’s Cecilia Runarsdottir in goal, with the shot-stopper set to be shielded by a backline of Gudny Arnadottir, Glodis Viggosdottir, Ingibjorg Sigurdardottir and Gudrun Arnardottir. 

At the opposite end of the pitch, Sveindis Jonsdottir will provide one of the main attacking outlets after scoring two goals in her last three internationals, while she will also offer an alternative threat with her long throws.

Jonsdottir, who joined Angel City last month, could be joined in the frontline by Hlin Eiriksdottir and Agla Maria Albertsdottir.

As for the visitors, goalkeeper Anna Koivunen could be shielded by a backline of Nea Lehtola, Natalia Kuikka, Eva Nystrom and Emma Koivisto. 

Tottenham's Eveliina Summanen should partner Crystal Palace's Ria Oling in the middle of the park, while West Ham United's Oona Siren and Malmo's Katariina Kosola may provide the width. 

Finland's all-time record appearance maker and goalscorer Linda Sallstrom is expected to feature up front for the tournament opener.  

Iceland Women possible starting lineup:

Runarsdottir; Arnadottir, Viggosdottir, Sigurdardottir, Arnardottir; Johannsdottir, Vilhjalmsdottir, Antonsdottir; Albertsdottir, Johnsdottir, Albertdottir

Finland Women possible starting lineup:

Koivunen; Lehtola, Kuikka, Nystrom, E. Koivisto; O. Siren, Summanen, Oling, Kosola; Franssi, Sallstrom

We say: Iceland Women 2-1 Finland Women

Iceland are sitting 55 places above Finland in the FIFA World Rankings, and we think that they will do enough to kick off the tournament with a victory, although we expect their opponents to make it a close-fought contest.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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