Preview: Sweden Women vs England Women - prediction, team news, lineups

England Women will continue the defence of their Women's European Championship crown when they face Sweden Women in Thursday's quarter-final clash in Zurich.

The Lionesses collected six points from three games to finish in second place in Group D, while their opponents clinched top spot in Group C with a perfect record. 

Match preview

Sweden have maintained their 100% record of progressing from the Women's Euros group stage after they topped a group that featured Germany, Poland and Denmark.

They kicked off the tournament with a narrow 1-0 win over Denmark, before they eased to a 3-0 victory against Poland to seal their place in the quarter-finals with a game to spare.

Sweden then came from behind to beat 10-player Germany 4-1 in their final group game thanks to goals from Stina Blackstenius, Smilla Holmberg, Fridolina Rolfo and Lina Hurtig.

After sealing first place in Group C, Sweden are set to face England in back-to-back European Championships after suffering a 4-0 defeat when the teams went head-to-head in the 2022 semi-finals.

They will be looking to beat the Lionesses for the first time since recording a 2-1 victory in the third-place playoff at the 2019 World Cup. 

Sweden will carry momentum into Thursday's fixture, having won their last five internationals in a 15-game unbeaten run since they suffered their most recent defeat to France in July 2024.

The Blagult have progressed from two of their four previous Women's European Championship quarter-finals, including a 1-0 victory against Belgium at this stage of the tournament in 2022.

England are competing in a third consecutive Women's Euros knockout stage after recovering from a defeat to France to record back-to-back victories. 

They bounced back from their narrow 2-1 loss to Les Bleues with a statement 4-0 victory over Netherlands, before they produced another free-scoring display in Sunday's final group game against Wales.

Georgia Stanway, Ella Toone, Lauren Hemp, Alessia Russo, Beth Mead and Aggie Beever-Jones all found the net in a dominant 6-1 victory, ensuring that England clinched second spot behind group winners France. 

After netting 11 goals in three games, England head into the knockout rounds as the tournament's joint-second highest scorers, along with France and three behind top scorers Spain.

They may need all that firepower to break down a Swedish side that have conceded just one goal in the competition, with England hoping to keep their dream alive of becoming just the second nation to retain the Women's European Championship.

England can take confidence from the fact that they have won each of their previous three quarter-final matches at the Women's Euros, including a 2-1 extra-time victory over Spain in 2022.

There is a potential that Thursday's contest could also go the distance, especially as England had to settle for draws in their two meetings with Sweden in last year's qualifying campaign for the tournament. 

Sweden Women Women's European Championship form:

Sweden Women form (all competitions):

England Women Women's European Championship form:

England Women form (all competitions):

Team News

Right-back Hanna Lundkvist could return to the Sweden backline after dropping out of the side for the win over Germany.

Bayern Munich midfielder Julia Zigiotti Olme is also pushing for a recall, while Rolfo is likely to retain her spot after making her first start since returning from injury at the weekend.

Arsenal's Blackstenius will offer one of the main goal threats, having scored six goals in her last five international appearances.

As for England, Wiegman is set to stick with the same side that started the back-to-back victories over the Netherlands and Wales.

Captain Leah Williamson will resume her central-defensive partnership with Jess Carter, while Lucy Bronze and Alex Greenwood will operate as the two full-backs.

At the opposite end of the pitch, Russo will be looking to build upon her first goal of the tournament when she features in a front three with Lauren James and Hemp.

Sweden Women possible starting lineup:

Falk; Lundkvist, Bjorn, Eriksson, Andersson; Angeldahl, Asllani, Zigiotti Olme; Rytting Kaneryd, Rolfo, Blackstenius

England Women possible starting lineup:

Hampton; Bronze, Williamson, Carter, Greenwood; Stanway, Walsh, Toone; James, Hemp, Russo

We say: Sweden Women 1-2 (AET) England Women

England and Sweden played out draws in both of their meetings in Women's Euros qualifying, and we think that the two closely-matched sides will produce another tight affair in Thursday's quarter-final.

We believe that England's recent know-how of progressing in major tournaments could give them the edge, the longer the game goes.

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