
Lord's to host historic women's Test match in 2026
England women's last home Test, in 2023, ended in defeat to Australia at Trent Bridge in a match played over five days, but the India game will revert to the usual women's format of four days, played from July 10 to 13.
The team also has white-ball series against New Zealand, India and Ireland.
England's men will face New Zealand in a three-match Test series in June, with three Tests to follow against Pakistan, starting in August.
The white-ball team take on India in July in five T20s and three one-day internationals, with Sri Lanka visiting in September.

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France 24
10 hours ago
- France 24
England's Lionesses head home to party after Euro glory
Chloe Kelly converted the decisive spot-kick in Basel after Sunday's Women's Euro 2025 final ended 1-1, repeating her heroics from three years previously. It was sweet revenge for Sarina Wiegman's defending champions, who suffered bitter defeat against the same opponents in the World Cup final two years ago. Fans are preparing to welcome home the victors, who will be whisked straight to 10 Downing Street, the working home of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. An open-top bus parade will follow on Tuesday, culminating in a celebration in front of Buckingham Palace. King Charles III said the team had the royal family's "warmest appreciation and admiration" following their victory, adding: "The next task is to bring home the World Cup in 2027 if you possibly can." Starmer hailed the triumph, saying: "The Lionesses have once again captured the hearts of the nation. "Their victory is not only a remarkable sporting achievement, but an inspiration for young people across the country." The Downing Street reception will hosted by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and sports minister Stephanie Peacock. Red-and-white St George's flags were hanging around the famous black door ahead of the team's arrival later on Monday from a rainy Zurich. Captain Leah Williamson showed off the trophy to a knot of fans who had gathered as the team made their way to the airport. Late drama Victory in Switzerland on Sunday capped a remarkable tournament packed with of late drama for England. Wiegman's team were slow out of the blocks, losing their first match against France, before comfortable wins over the Netherlands and Wales in the group phase. They came back from 2-0 down against Sweden in the quarter-finals before winning on penalties, and sealed their spot in Sunday's final with a last-gasp extra-time win over Italy. The defending champions again fell behind against Spain on Sunday but Alessia Russo cancelled out Mariona Caldentey's first-half opener and neither side could find a winner by the end of extra time. Two penalty saves by player-of-the-match Hannah Hampton and Salma Paralluelo's miss set the stage for Kelly, who also scored the winner against Germany in the 2022 final, as England won the shootout 3-1. The Lionesses led for fewer than five minutes across the entire Euros knockout stage. "I must admit that this is the most chaotic and ridiculous tournament we have played," said Wiegman. "The players say we can win by any means, and we just never, ever give up." The Dutch coach, who has now won three European Championship crowns in a row, having led the Netherlands to victory in 2017, said she hoped England's win would boost women's football across the globe. "How I've experienced this tournament is that the level went up again, the intensity of the games went through the roof," she said. "That's what we've seen. "We've seen it in the games, but also in the data we have. I think this tournament broke every record again and that's great, and I hope that that will boost the women's game everywhere.


France 24
11 hours ago
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France 24
11 hours ago
- France 24
England's remarkable Euro 2025 success a triumph for 'incredible' Wiegman
The Dutch coach has now firmly established herself as one of the greatest in the women's game. The Lionesses came from behind against Spain to draw 1-1 after extra time before winning Sunday's final 3-1 on penalties in Basel, exacting revenge for their defeat in the World Cup decider in 2023. England cannot claim to have been the most accomplished tournament winners, having started by losing 2-1 to France. That was followed by a quarter-final against Sweden in which they were 2-0 down with 12 minutes to go before roaring back to equalise and eventually win on penalties. Then came the semi-final against Italy, when Wiegman's team required a 96th-minute Michelle Agyemang equaliser to force extra time and Chloe Kelly scored the winner as a shoot-out loomed. England won the trophy despite being ahead for a grand total of one minute across three knockout ties, and Wiegman admitted: "This is the most chaotic and ridiculous tournament we have played. "Of course we have players who have talent, and the togetherness of this team is really, really incredible," she added. "The players think they can win by any means, and we just never, ever give up." Regardless of how they did it, Wiegman's Lionesses are the first England senior team, men's or women's, to lift a major trophy on foreign soil. Three in a row They were hit in the run-up to the tournament by the retirements of goalkeeper Mary Earps and Fran Kirby, along with Chelsea captain Millie Bright's decision to make herself unavailable. But England's success was achieved in large part thanks to their strength in depth, with the quality available to Wiegman on the bench helping them change the course of numerous games. If England do not have the same clearly defined way of playing as Aitana Bonmati's Spain, they do have a brilliant manager. The Lionesses had never won any major tournament before Wiegman arrived in 2021, and now they have won back-to-back Euros while also reaching a first Women's World Cup final. They have rarely done it easily, with just three wins out of nine in major tournament knockout matches under the Dutchwoman coming inside 90 minutes. But her influence is obvious, given the way England's players speak about her, and Wiegman's record is remarkable. She has been to five consecutive finals between European Championships and World Cups, and has won three straight Euros having led her native Netherlands to victory in 2017 before taking charge of England. "She is bloody amazing. She is an incredible woman," said Kelly, who scored the winning penalty against Spain. "We should all be so grateful for what she has done for this country. She has taken the women's game, not just in England but the whole women's game, to another level." Record attendance Thoughts will soon turn to what the future might hold for the winners and England will switch their attentions to the 2027 World Cup in Brazil, with qualifying starting early next year. English FA chief Mark Bullingham said last week that they were determined to retain Wiegman, whose contract runs through to the World Cup. Assuming they qualify, England will hope to be among the leading contenders along with Spain and Olympic champions the United States, coached by England's Emma Hayes. On the whole, the tournament in Switzerland confirmed the growing popularity of women's football, with the total attendance of 657,291 the highest ever at a European Championship -- even more than in England in 2022, despite over 87,000 attending that year's final at Wembley. It also confirmed England and Spain as the leading forces, off the back of Arsenal defeating Barcelona in the Women's Champions League final. But there was plenty of drama throughout the competition, and impressive performances elsewhere, notably from Italy in reaching their first semi-final since 1997. Wiegman is optimistic the competition will have a lasting impact in helping the women's game grow across the continent. "How I have experienced this tournament is that the level went up again, the intensity of the games went through the roof," said the 55-year-old. © 2025 AFP