England set to play friendly match against Portugal in their home ground ahead of Women’s World Cup

England to Battle Portugal in Final Home Fixture before 2023 World Cup

The Lionesses are set to take on the reigning European champions, Portugal, in their last home fixture before heading off to Australia and New Zealand for the highly anticipated 2023 World Cup. The match is scheduled for July 1st at Milton Keynes Stadium.

The team had faced Brazil and Australia earlier this year which proved helpful as they prepare for their upcoming fixtures. England’s final game ahead of the tournament will be a closed-door encounter against Canada on July 14th.

Players’ Release Dates Confirmed by FA

The Football Association (FA) has confirmed that players will be released for international duty starting from June 19th. It was previously proposed by the European Clubs’ Association (ECA) that players should only be released ten days prior to the tournament; however, an agreement was reached between ECA and FA with player welfare being at its core.

Sarina Wiegman Speaks Ahead of Game

Manager Sarina Wiegman expressed her excitement about playing against Portugal, who were beaten by England during their last meeting back in 2019:

“I am really pleased to have a competitive game for our last home fixture,” said Wiegman. “We had two big games in April against Brazil and Australia where we learned so much. This will be another challenging match against a team that have performed well.”

Group D Match Schedule Released

In addition to facing Portugal, England has been drawn alongside China PR, Denmark, and Haiti in Group D. Meanwhile, Portugal faces defending champions United States along with Netherlands and Vietnam in Group E.