England’s first match day is finally upon us, with France the opposition at Stadion Letzigrund in Zurich at 8pm this evening.

As anticipation builds for the Lionesses’ opening game, the players themselves have been making the most of their pleasant surroundings with a matchday walk in the Dolderpark.

Here is everything that has been happening on day four of Euro 2025.

READ MORE: Sarina Wiegman is looking for a 'new England' ahead of Euro 2025 France opener

READ MORE: How to watch France vs England for free - Euro 2025 TV channel, live stream, kick-off time

Today in camp

The customary matchday walk has been and gone for the Lionesses, and Zurich provided the perfect setting.

Unlike in 2022, when England found themselves striding down Teddington High Street or around Salford Quay, three years later they found themselves in the foothills of the Alps.

It is a reassuring routine that will undoubtedly help the players settle some nerves and focus on the challenge of France, which awaits them in a matter of hours.

Leah Williamson divulged camp happenings in Friday’s press conference as she told the assembled media that the group were spending plenty of time together off the pitch too.

“The staff have worked really hard to make it feel like a home away from home. It is lovely,” she said.

“Whether or not this deteriorates as the tournament goes on as you spend everyday together, but we’re spending a lot of time together at the moment as it goes.

“Lots of Monopoly, Deal, cards, different games. We went out on a boat trip to see the city we’re in and there is Love Island watching.”

As Sarina Wiegman was keen to emphasise the bonding within the squad, she will hope those moments of downtime in each other’s company pay dividends on the pitch as England look to kick Group D off in style.

Team news

While there is little to report from the England camp, with Lauren James the only update in Friday’s press conference, big news broke from Germany on Saturday.

The DFB confirmed that captain Giulia Gwinn would miss the remainder of the tournament after sustaining a medial ligament injury in their opening fixture against Poland.

The Bayern Munich right-back will return to Munich for further tests, with the silver lining coming in confirmation that she has not sustained an ACL injury.

Gwinn was forced off in the 40th minute of Germany’s 2-0 victory over Poland on Friday, leaving the field in tears after awkwardly twisting her knee during a brilliant tackle in the box.

It is a big blow for the 2022 finalists as they lose a captain and talismanic presence at the back.

For the Lionesses, Wiegman has been true to form in keeping her cards close to her chest revealing only that James is fit enough to play more than the 30 minutes she managed against Jamaica.

Trending topics

Though the Netherlands embark on their Euros campaign against Wales on Saturday afternoon, there has already been drama off the pitch.

Manager Andries Jonker came under fire in his pre-match press conference from a journalist accusing him of playing the ‘puppetmaster’.

Jonker was criticised for appearing on the NOS Football podcast just prior to the tournament and revealing that he came close to quitting the managerial post before a ball had even been kicked.

The Dutch manager will be replaced by England assistant coach Arjan Veurink at the close of the tournament.

But he hit back at the De Telegraaf journalist who accused him of stealing the spotlight, saying: “What you call a puppet show is the daily work of a coach.

“If you were to make some time, you would see how that works with us.

“Then you could see it with your own eyes and the word puppet show would not occur to you in any way.”

Thankfully, England's own Dutch manager has been far more relaxed.

What are the pundits saying?

On Friday, Wiegman admitted she had called on Lauren Hemp to be more vocal within the England camp as she looks for the 24-year-old to bring invaluable perspective to the group.

Despite her age, Hemp has now been involved in three major tournaments in the last four years, and her contribution has led to former England international Karen Carney hailing the left-winger as world-class.

“The thing about Hemp is everyone talks about her being a top player, but she deserves to be mentioned as one of the best in the world — not 28th in the Ballon d’Or ranking as she was in 2024,” she told The Athletic.

“Whether it’s sending in the corner that sets up Chloe Kelly to create a winning goal in front of 87,000 people at Wembley in the final of the Euros or her effective dribbling and creative playmaking, Hemp is an engine that makes England’s attack work.

“Fellow forward Beth Mead said in that same tournament it was Hemp’s work on the opposite flank that helped her become the joint top goalscorer. Hemp drawing players out to the left enabled Mead to sneak in on the right and score.”

Hemp will almost certainly start for England against Laurent Bonadei’s France, and for Carney she could be the key to the Lionesses’ success in Switzerland.

“Hemp has been on that edge of something special since I first lined up against her in training six years ago. And even though she is still young, I think we need to be talking about her more,” she added.

Quote of the day

“It was a great atmosphere [at Leicester], and it does make a difference, especially in games when it’s tight. You want to hear them.

“You acknowledge the responsibility that you have when people come to watch you. It’s a nice pressure to carry.

“It was difficult for family and friends to get tickets so I presume that means the England fans have done their job and secured them. We’re very excited to get in front of [the fans].” - Leah Williamson on England’s travelling fans.

Best of the rest

While Williamson awaits the support of the travelling Lionesses’ fans, supporters from across Europe have been doing their bit to ensure Euro 2025 becomes a true spectacle.

One such group is Sweden’s ‘Soft Hooligans’ who subvert the stereotype of football hooliganism with renditions of ABBA hits sung out through megaphones.

While the ensuing sea of yellow may well sound like they’re clamouring for ‘a man after midnight’, their support is solely dedicated to the women’s national team.

The group was set up by Estrid Kjellman in 2017 after she found the atmosphere at Euro 2017 flat compared to her experience of men’s domestic football and since then Soft Hooligans have ensured she can never say the same again.

The group were rewarded with a 1-0 victory over Denmark, courtesy of a low strike from Filippa Angeldahl.

Saturday also brings the first opportunity for the famous travelling Dutch fans to come out in their numbers, a sight no major tournament would be complete without.