Latest news from QueenBallers

• In England’s last group matcg, the Lionesses Ella Toone and Beth Mead each dedicated goals to their late parents. Toone to her father and Mead to her mother June, who passed in January 2023. Their whistles to the sky moved fans in St Gallen.
• Mead has become a mentor and confidante to Toone, guiding her through early-stage bereavement with empathetic support—a bond they describe as “constantly talking about them” and having each other's backs.

Read the full moving story here.

• Scottish defender Kirsty Smith has signed for Nottingham Forest Women after leaving West Ham United in the Women’s Super League.
• Her arrival aligns with Forest’s recent promotion to the Women's Championship and their move to full-time professional status starting in 2025/26.

Read the full story here.

The Euro has moved into the knockout stage. For the first time ever, host nation Switzerland has made it through, while Denmark and the Netherlands, teams that have traditionally gone far in the tournament, are out this year. Take a look at when and at what time the individual teams are playing and what awaits them.

Norway vs. Italy

• 16 July
• 21:00 (Central European time)
• Geneva

Sweden vs. England

• 17 July
• 21:00 (Central European time)
• Zurich

Spain vs. Switzerland

• 18 July
• 21:00 (Central European time)
• Bern

France vs. Germany

• 19 July
• 21:00 (Central European time)

• Basel

  

• England closed their Group D campaign with a commanding 6–1 win over Wales, securing their place in the quarter-finals.
• England raced to a 4–0 lead by halftime with goals from Georgia Stanway (from penalty) Ella Toone, Lauren Hemp, and Alessia Russo, showcasing exceptional attacking cohesion.
• Substitutes contributed late—Beth Mead added a fifth, Aggie Beever‑Jones capped it with her first goal at a major tournament—while Wales’ Hannah Cain grabbed a consolation goal.
• England’s second place means they’ll face Group C winners Sweden.

Check the match report.

• France defeated the Netherlands 5–2, clinching top spot in Group D and securing a quarter-final matchup against Germany.
• Despite a promising start, the Netherlands were overtaken in midfield and defence, their exit confirmed by heavy defeats earlier in the tournament.
• Sandie Toletti opened the scoring for France in the 22nd minute, but Victoria Pelova quickly equalised and an own goal by Selma Bacha put the Dutch ahead at halftime.
• France blitzed back. Marie-Antoinette Katoto levelled in the 61st minute, followed by a brace from Delphine Cascarino—including a stunning long-range strike.

See the match report.

• After earning Player of the Match with three assists against the Netherlands, Russo faced online slurs accusing her of benefiting from media hype (“PRusso”).
• Russo disproved criticism about her goal tally by showcasing her versatility: she holds up play, tracks back aggressively, and creates chances—her trio of assists marked the first three-assist game at any Euros.

Read the full Suzanne Wrack's article on The Guardian.

There are only two spots left in the quarterfinals, but there are three teams in Group D that want to fight their way into it. Even Wales, whose chances of advancing are slim, is not giving up and will want to bow out of the tournament with dignity. All teams will give their all on the pitch today. Which players to watch?

England - Alessia Russo

Last season's top WSL scorer Alessia Russo has had some bad luck in front of goal at Euro so far. She has scored two goals, one in each game, but neither was counted due to offside.   Even so, she earned the title of player of the match in the last game when she managed to assist three times. Today, she can break her bad luck and add a goal to her assists.

Wales - Jess Fishlock

The scorer of Wales' first ever goal in an international tournament. But that's not the only title Fishlock can boast – she is also Wales' all-time leading scorer. It would be a nice way to bid farewell to the tournament if she could improve on that scoring record, as this is likely to be her last major tournament.

The Netherlands - Jill Roord

One of the biggest stars of the Dutch national team has not yet made her mark, but she has hit the crossbar several times. After two seasons at Manchester City, she is returning to the club where she developed most as a player, Twente. The fact that the Dutch club has a very valuable reinforcement in her may be confirmed by her improved scoring record.

France - Grace Geyoro

She made history at the last Euro in 2022 when she became the first player ever to score a hattrick. And she did it in the first half. It was a match against Italy, which France won 5-1. Geyoro has also had a decent season at PSG, scoring six times in twenty games. She is definitely a player that the Dutch defense needs to watch out for.

Group C has also secured its order. Today marks the end of the group stage for Group D. There are only two spots in the quarterfinals, but three teams are vying for them. We can look forward to an exciting battle for a place in the knockout stage. Neither England, the Netherlands, nor France has secured a spot yet.

England vs. Wales

• 21:00 (Central European time)
• Kybunpark (St. Gallen)
• Capacity: 20 660

Netherlands vs. France

• 21:00 (Central European time)
• St. Jakob-Park (Basel)
• Capacity: 38 512