England WU23s squad named for first fixtures of 2025-26

England women's under-23s head coach Emma Coates has selected a 23-player squad for matches against Germany and Portugal.

The Young Lionesses are back in action and will begin the 2025-26 season with two fixtures in the WU23 European competition.

Coates’ side will first travel away to play Germany on Thursday 23 October (5.15pm BST), before welcoming Portugal to the Sixfields Stadium, home of Northampton Town, on Monday 27 October (7pm GMT).

Tickets for the first home match, which is in the half-term week, can be purchased via this link, placed at £5 for adults, £3 for concessions and £1 for under-14s.

The October international window presents familiar opposition for the Young Lionesses, who last played Germany in February, when Michelle Agyemang netted a brace in a 3-2 defeat in Walsall. The WU23s also played last season’s opening home match against Portugal, when Agyemang was again on the scoresheet in a 1-0 victory in Shrewsbury.

During the 2025-26 campaign, Coates’ Young Lionesses will again be competing in the WU23 European competition, which was created to help bridge the gap between the end of the development pathway and senior international football. England are in Group A, alongside Portugal, France, Germany and Norway.

Coates said: “I’m really looking forward to the start of the new season and to bring the staff and players back together, as well as welcome some new faces into the squad. We want to start strongly, and we have two tough fixtures that will challenge us in different ways.

“There’s a real sense of excitement around the England pathway at the moment. We saw several young players who have come through the pathway play their part in the summer’s incredible EUROs victory, and Katie Reid and Lucia Kendall have just received their first senior call-ups as well. The question I'll be asking the WU23s squad is, 'who's next?' It's going to be another really exciting season, and we can't wait to get started.”

The Squad

Goalkeepers: Katie Cox (Aberdeen, on loan from Chelsea), Faye Kirby (Liverpool), Natalia Negri (Ipswich Town)

Defenders: Cerys Brown (London City Lionesses), Anouk Denton (West Ham), Naomi Layzell (Manchester City), Gracie Prior (Manchester City), Evie Rabjohn (Sunderland, on loan from Manchester United), Hannah Silcock (Liverpool), Jess Simpson (Southampton, on loan from Manchester United), Mari Ward (Bristol City)

Midfielders: Sarah Brasero (West Ham), Laila Harbert (Portland Thorns, on loan from Arsenal), Ruby Mace (Everton), Olivia McLoughlin (Leicester City), Lexi Potter (Chelsea), Maisie Symonds (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Forwards: Keira Barry (Sunderland, on loan from Manchester United), Mia Enderby (Liverpool), Freya Godfrey (London City Lionesses), Isobel Goodwin (London City Lionesses), Lenna Gunning-Williams (Tottenham Hotspur), Georgia Mullett (Aston Villa)