Lionesses' title defence preparations confirmed! England announce final fixture before Euro 2025

England go into this summer's Euros as the defending champions and they will have a small window before the tournament to play some warm-up games to best prepare them in their bid to retain that title. The final fixture in that period will be a home one, as the Lionesses will welcome Jamaica to Leicester on June 29 for their send-off match.

Sarina Wiegman's side are already going through some tough preparation for the Euros by way of their Nations League campaign. The Lionesses are grouped with Portugal, Spain and Belgium and will face the former two again before their attentions turn to the Euros, with Portugal to visit Wembley on May 30 before a trip to Barcelona follows on June 3. Jamaica, though, will offer England a different kind of test as they prepare to go into a major tournament that features a variety of potential opponents.

“I am really pleased to be able to play a good game to finalise our Euros preparations on English soil," Wiegman said. "Jamaica will be a difficult test, they’re a nation we haven’t faced before and a real opportunity for us to keep learning and growing as a team. They are building as a team themselves and have been doing really well, especially at the last World Cup.

"It will be a special occasion and atmosphere in a great stadium which we have performed well at in the past. We will do our best to put on a good performance and make it a memorable send-off moment for both the team and the fans. There will only be one week until our opening match against France in Zurich so this is an important milestone in our preparation."

As well as Les Bleues, England will face the Netherlands and Wales in Group D at Euro 2025. It's likely that Wiegman sees Jamaica's defensive strength and tendency to play on the counter against bigger nations as good preparation for the Wales fixture, though the Reggae Girlz will also replicate some of the efficiency in transition that France and the Netherlands bring to the table.

England do have room in their calendar for one more match before the Euros. Whether or not the Football Association chooses to arrange one will be revealed in due course, with the Lionesses' focus, for now, on their next Nations League fixture at the end of May.