England handed tough group for Women's Euro 2025 qualifying

England have been drawn alongside France, Sweden and the Republic of Ireland in their group for Women's Euro 2025 qualifying.

The Lionesses enter qualifying as the reigning champions of Europe having won Euro 2022 on home soil nearly two years ago.

England will have to be at their best to secure their spot at the next finals in Switzerland having been drawn with France and Sweden, who were the semi-finalists at Euro 2022, as well as rivals Ireland in Group A3.

Qualifying will begin in April and conclude in July, while play-offs will take place from October to December.

European nations were split into three leagues — League A, League B and League C — based on their UEFA ranking following the 2023/24 Nations League.

Teams were then divided into four pots of four in Leagues A and B, while there were three pots of five and one of four in League C.

The top two teams from each group in League A will secure direct qualification to Euro 2025, with third place heading to the play-offs as a seeded team. The fourth-placed sides will also be seeded for the play-offs but will be relegated to League B.

In League B, the top three teams of each group will all secure qualification to the play-offs, with first place in each group also securing promotion to League A. The nations finishing third may also be relegated to League C alongside the teams that finish fourth.

The teams in League B also compete in a convoluted league system in which the four group winners and two best runners-up secure seeded status in the play-offs, while the two worst runners-up and four third-placed sides advance as the unseeded sides. The four fourth-placed teams and the worst third-place outfit will be relegated to League C.

Hosts Switzerland have been drawn into a