rewrite this title Portugal vs England LIVE: Lionesses team news and updates

Grace Clinton replaces Georgia Stanway in midfield, while Lauren James and Niamh Charles return to the line-up.

Mary Earps starts in goal ahead of Hannah Hapton and left back Charles returns to join Lucy Bronze, Leah Williamson and Millie Bright in the defence.

Clinton partners Keira Walsh in midfield, with Ella Toone selected as No 10.

Alessia Russo starts as striker and James makes her first England appearance this April last year, with Jess Park also named in the forward line.

England XI: Earps; Bronze, Williamson, Bright, Charles; Clinton, Walsh; Park, Toone, James; Russo

Subs: Hampton, Moorhouse, Morgan, Le Tissier, Turner, Carter, Kelly, Naz, Beever-Jones, Parris, Mace, Blindkilde Brown

England’s match against Portugal will be followed by a rematch of the Women’s World Cup final against Spain at Wembley, in their first home fixture of the Nations League campaign.

In April, England will play a double-header against Belgium, before another Wembley date against Portugal on May 30. The Lionesses then play Spain away from home to close out the campaign.

“It’s very exciting to start 2025 at home in this way,” Wiegman said. “We always want to perform against the best and there’s no doubt that Spain as world champions and Nations League holders are one of the biggest challenges we can face. That’s how we will continue to develop and grow in a big year for us.

England are likely to be without Georgia Stanway for their Nations League campaign in a major blow for the Lionesses. The midfielder has started 16 of England’s last 18 matches and played pivotal roles in England’s Euros victory and run to the World Cup final.

Wiegman said she is “hopeful” that Stanway can be fit for England’s opening game against France on 5 July, after Bayern Munich said she suffered “a lateral collateral ligament tear in her right knee” during training and is set to be out for “several months”.

“Georgia has a plan and she’s very committed and very motivated to be back,” Wiegman earlier this month. “She’s in a good place now. It’s first about her health and then coming back, but she knows where she wants to go and where she wants to be at a certain moment. Let’s hope that goes that way.”

England head into Euro 2025 as reigning champions as the Lionesses seek to win a second consecutive European crown. Sarina Wiegman’s side will have to be sharp from their first match in Switzerland, after being drawn alongside France, the Netherlands and Wales in Group D of the July tournament.

England won the Euros on home soil three years ago and then reached the World Cup final the following year, so come into the competition with plenty of major tournament experience. A number of star players from England’s historic triumph will return but there are plenty of new faces competing for their places, too, as well as a couple of major injury concerns.

While there is still plenty of time before England have to name their squad for the Euros, here’s a look at how Wiegman’s plans are shaping up ahead of their opening match against France in Zurich on Saturday 5 July.

The art of mastering the role of the box-to-box midfielder is often down to timing. With Georgia Stanway set to be sidelined for England’s Nations League campaign, and facing a race to be fit for the opening game of the Euros in July, a place in Sarina Wiegman’s starting lineup is up for grabs for the foreseeable future.

Crashing the penalty area with a late run ahead of the Euros appears to be Grace Clinton, who has started games for the Lionesses in front of Stanway and Keira Walsh as a No 10 but now looks to be an ideal candidate to feature in central midfield. Wiegman likes Clinton’s versatility and believes the 21-year-old can play as an eight as well as 10.

The absence of Beth Mead and Lotte Wubben-Moy this month adds to injuries to Lauren Hemp, Georgia Stanway, Alex Greenwood and Fran Kirby from the squad.

Forward Hemp remains unavailable but is nearing a return for Manchester City after a knee injury. Midfielder Stanway and defender Greenwood are longer-term absentees after undergoing knee surgeries, with Stanway sidelined for “several months” and facing a race to be fit for the Euros in July.

Chelsea’s Hannah Hampton will likely compete with two-time Fifa ‘Best’ Award-winner Mary Earps for the starting spot in goal, while Lucy Bronze, Millie Bright and Leah Williamson could all feature in defence as Wiegman begins to mould her side ahead of Euro 2025 this summer. Niamh Charles and Jess Carter are competing for a place at left back.

Midfielders Laura Blindkilde Brown and Ruby Mace have kept places in the squad after making their debuts in December, with Grace Clinton, Jess Park and Ella Toone competing for spots alongside Keira Walsh in midfield.

In attack, there may be chances for Aggie Beever-Jones, Kelly and Jessica Naz if Wiegman decides to rest James and Alessia Russo ahead of the match against world champions Spain next week.

Sarina Wiegman is able to call upon Lauren James and Niamh Charles for the first time since the Euros qualifying campaign last year, while Nikita Parris has been included in the squad for the first time since 2022.

Arsenal’s Chloe Kelly and Aston Villa’s Lucy Parker have replaced the injured Arsenal duo of Beth Mead and Lotte Wubben-Moy from the squad named last month by Sarina Wiegman.

The match kicks off at 7.45pm GMT on Friday, 21 February at the Estádio Municipal de Portimao in Portimao, Portugal.

Viewers in the UK can watch the game live for free on ITV 1, while subscribers can also watch online via ITVX. Coverage will begin at 7.30pm.