England v Nigeria
FIFA Women's World Cup
Round of 16
8.30am BST, Monday 7 August 2023
Brisbane Football Stadium, Brisbane, Australia

Influential midfielder Keira Walsh is in contention to make a return for England against Nigeria, Sarina Wiegman has confirmed.

The 26-year-old was stretchered off the pitch during the Lionesses’ 1-0 win over Denmark on July 28 but it was confirmed a week ago that she had not suffered an ACL injury as some had speculated.

Walsh returned to training earlier this week and today was back with the rest of the England squad as part of full training.

Wiegman said: “She is doing well. She started her rehab straight after we knew what was going on.

“She has been on the pitch, she has been training today. Now we will wait to see how she recovers from that training session and if she does well then she is available tomorrow.”

When asked what the specific injury was, Wiegman replied: “I can only say that there wasn’t a [anterior cruciate] ligament injury.

“Of course, in that moment in that game against Denmark, that was a very hard moment, but after the assessments and we knew what was going on and we also said don’t make any assumptions. Just wait until a proper assessment has been done. That’s what we did and then we got the green light to just get her rehab started.

“Everybody is going on about injuries all the time, but the day after we noticed things were much better.”

Sarina Wiegman gave an update on squad availability and @keira_walsh in her pre-Nigeria media conference... pic.twitter.com/EvdQbfZBPB

— Lionesses (@Lionesses) August 6, 2023

When Walsh went off injured against Denmark, she was replaced in the side by Manchester City’s Laura Coombs, with Georgia Stanway dropping into a deeper position

Then against China, Katie Zelem came into the starting XI as England changed formation and the Manchester United captain impressed during the 6-1 win.

With the likes of Ella Toone and Jordan Nobbs also in the squad, Wiegman was keen to highlight the Lionesses have a number of options in the midfield area.

"Of course we want every player to be fit and available,” Wiegman said.

"Keira wasn't available for the last match and we know what options we have in that position.

"Katie did really well against China and now Keira is back, so that's really nice for the team. We know we have other options too. Keira is exceptional but other players can solve that [midfield position too]."

Wiegman was joined in her pre-match press conference by defender Alex Greenwood and she talked about the positive attitude Walsh has continued to show since suffering her injury on July 28.

Greenwood said: "We obviously spent a few days apart when we played but she's Keira and was focused on her rehab.

"She always had a smile on her face and we just supported her as team-mates as best we could."

Wiegman was asked whether England would stick with the formation used against China, which included a back three, with Lucy Bronze and Rachel Daly playing as attacking wing-backs.

As usual, the England head coach was giving nothing away tactically and Greenwood was also keeping her cards close to her chest, whilst highlighting the team feel comfortable utilising different systems.

Greenwood said: "In both formations, we're able to express ourselves. I think for the game and the challenge that was ahead [against China], the back three worked. We proved that in the game.

"Whatever formation we play, we're strong in all areas and we'll prepare for anything. But no, sorry, I'm not going to give you the answer [on what formation we will use against Nigeria]."

Media conference time 🎙

Let's go live to hear from @AlexGreenwood and Sarina Wiegman ahead of tomorrow's Round of 16 game against Nigeria! https://t.co/Hws6jKQTqU

— Lionesses (@Lionesses) August 6, 2023

On Monday Nigeria will be looking to become the first African team to win a knockout game at a Women’s World Cup, having progressed from the group stage for the third time (see below).

Goalless draws against the Republic of Ireland and Canada, either side of a 3-2 win against co-host Australia, saw Nigeria qualify at the expense of the reigning Olympic champions Canada.

With the likes of five-time African Women's Footballer of the Year Asisat Oshoala, who plays for Barcelona, and Racing Louisville forward Uchenna Kanu among their ranks, Nigeria carry a real threat

And Wiegman said: “Nigeria did really well in the group stage. In the counter-attack they are dangerous, they are quick and they are pretty physical. We will have to be aware of those things.”

Wiegman was speaking during the USA versus Sweden game which saw the reigning World champions exit the tournament on penalties.

With the world number one and two teams USA and Germany exiting the tournament already, alongside fellow top ten sides Canada (seven) and Brazil (eight), Wiegman was asked if England were the team to beat now.

She replied: “Everyone who plays against us wants to beat us. That is not something new. What we have seen in this tournament is that the game is developing really quickly, and we have seen that in these games.

“The games are very competitive, and no one can be complacent because it would be inappropriate to be complacent because the games are very tight.”

Stats: England vs Nigeria

- England and Nigeria have met each other once before in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, it was in the group stage in 1995 with a win 3-2 for England.

- Nigeria have won just one of their 14 FIFA Women's World Cup matches against European opponents (D3 L10), beating Denmark 2-0 in 1999. Meanwhile, England have won both of their matches against African nations in the competition, netting three goals in each match.

- England have managed to qualify for the knockout stage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the sixth time in as many appearances in the tournament; they've won each of their two round of 16 games in the competition, 2-1 against Norway in 2015 and 3-0 against Cameroon in 2019.

- Exactly three goals have been scored in nine of England’s 11 games during the knockout stage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, including in three games at the 2019 campaign.

- England have scored in their last 16 games in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, a new record in the competition (previously level with Norway, 15 between 1991 and 1999). They have also found the back of the net in each of their last nine games in the knockout stage of the competition.

- Nigeria have qualified for the knockout stage of a FIFA Women's World Cup for the third time, after 1999 and 2019, but are the first African team to qualify for those stages in consecutive editions. No African team has managed to win a game in the knockout stage of the competition before this year.

- Before 2023, Nigeria are the only African team to have scored a goal in the knockout stage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, it was during their 4-3 defeat against Brazil in 1999; they have conceded 3-plus goals in each of their previous two games at that stage however.

- Two of Nigeria's games at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup have finished 0-0, having not had a single goalless draw in their first 26 games in the competition. Their two clean sheets in three games this year is just one fewer than they'd managed in those first 26 games.

- Against China PR, England’s Lauren James (2 goals, 3 assists) became just the third player since 2011 to be directly involved in five goals in a single FIFA Women’s World Cup game after Anja Mittag for Germany vs Côte d'Ivoire in 2015 (3 goals, 2 assists) and Alex Morgan for USA vs Thailand in 2019 (5 goals, 3 assists). She is the only English player to have scored in multiple games in the competition this year.

- Christy Ucheibe has made 18 tackles in this FIFA Women’s World cup 2023, more than any other player during the group stage and at least twice as much as any other Nigerian player. She is also the player to have created the most chances (5) and blocked the most shots (4) for Nigeria in this tournament.

Nigeria in profile

Head to head

England's first meeting with Nigeria ironically came in the FIFA Women's World Cup of 1995, when the nations met in a group stage game in Karlstad, Sweden which ended in a 3-2 win.

Since then, England have hosted Nigeria in friendly internationals on home soil, losing both.

You can find details of our last three games below...

England 0-3 Nigeria
22 April 2004
Madejski Stadium, Reading FC

The scoreline certainly flattered the Super Falcons on this occasion, as a first-half goal from Rita Nwadike against the run of play gave them the lead before a brace from the impressive Perpetual Nkwocha after the break condemned Hope Powell's team to defeat in front of over 4000 fans in Reading.

England 0-1 Nigeria
23 July 2002
Carrow Road, Norwich City FC

A summer friendly in Norwich saw Nigeria run out as narrow winners in 2002, with Florence Omagbemi scoring the winner for the Super Falcons.

England 3-2 Nigeria
10 June 1995 
Karlstad, Sweden

It was a brace from Karen Farley and a goal from Karen Walker which secured victory for the Lionesses in their first-ever Women's World Cup campaign in 1995, when the teams met in their final group game in Sweden.

England Squad News

Ticket Information

How to watch or stream

We'll have the team line-ups, live stats and text updates from the game from around 75 minutes before kick-off

Keira Walsh has returned to England's starting line-up for their 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup round of 16 match with Nigeria.

Walsh left the field on a stretcher during the Lionesses' 1-0 win over Denmark on July 28, leading to speculation her tournament might have been over.

However, she returned to full training this week and comes into the side in place of Katie Zelem, in what is England's only change to the side who beat China 6-1 in their final group game.

England: 1 Mary Earps (Manchester United), 2 Lucy Bronze (Barcelona), 4 Keira Walsh (Barcelona), 5 Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), 6 Millie Bright (Chelsea) ©, 7 Lauren James (Chelsea), 8 Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), 9 Rachel Daly (Aston Villa), 11 Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), 16 Jess Carter (Chelsea), 23 Alessia Russo (Arsenal)

Substitutes: 3 Niamh Charles (Chelsea), 10 Ella Toone (Manchester United), 12 Jordan Nobbs (Aston Villa), 13 Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), 14 Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal), 15 Esme Morgan (Manchester City), 17 Laura Coombs (Manchester City), 18 Chloe Kelly (Manchester City), 19 Bethany England (Tottenham Hotspur), 20 Katie Zelem (Manchester United), 21 Ellie Roebuck (Manchester City), 22 Katie Robinson (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Chloe Kelly scored the winning penalty as England edged past Nigeria in a dramatic shootout to reach the quarter-final of the Women’s World Cup.

In a goalless 90 minutes, it was Nigeria who perhaps had the better chances, with the crossbar and some crucial saves from Mary Earps preventing the Lionesses from conceding.

And Sarina Wiegman’s side were dealt a major challenge when, with three minutes left of normal time, Lauren James was sent off.

With neither side able to break the deadlock in extra time a penalty shootout ensued, and after two Nigerian misses it was Man City star Kelly who sealed a 4-2 triumph in the shootout.

Earps was the first ‘keeper called into action, forced into a good save by Rasheedat Ajibade in the tenth minute.

The Super Falcons continued to press, with Michelle Alozie’s header cleared by Alessia Russo before Ashleigh Plumptre came close twice in less than a minute.

The former Leicester defender saw a fierce volley kiss the crossbar and bounce back into play, and after the Lionesses failed to clear, it took a stunning stop from Earps to stop Plumptre netting from 12 yards.

It was Russo who had the Lionesses' first real chance 23 minutes in, profiting from a defensive mistake before firing a fizzing strike into the palms of Chiamaka Nnadozie.

Daly then came close as Nnadozie did well to stop her volley from Alex Greenwood’s corner and shortly afterwards she thought she had won a penalty, only for the decision to be overturned by VAR.

The Super Falcons again came close towards the end of the half, Uchenna Kanu’s shot blocked by Millie Bright before Jess Carter prevented Christy Ucheibe from creating anything from the rebound.

Nigeria continued their first-half momentum early in the second, with a looping header from Kanu bouncing off the crossbar before she failed to get onto a teasing low cross minutes later.

England created some chances, with Russo nodding just wide from Greenwood’s freekick and Daly bundling wide from Georgia Stanway’s cross.

Hemp also came close, an angled strike from 12 yards well blocked to force a corner - though nothing came of the resulting delivery with just under 25 minutes of normal time left.

With just under a quarter of an hour remaining, Daly nearly put the Lionesses ahead, only for her header to be stopped by a stunning save from Nnadozie.

Though with the game in the balance England were dealt a massive blow when James was sent off after a VAR check, after stepping on Alozie. 

When extra time ensued, it was Alozie who arguably had the best chance of the first 15 minutes, finding herself in good space in the box but only able to scuff her tired effort into the side netting.

Both sides had opportunities in the second period, Asisat Oshoala’s effort was well gathered by Earps before Bright failed to reach Beth England’s flick, but a shootout ultimately ensued with the match goalless. 

And it was a nervous start to the shootout, with Georgia Stanway and Desire Oparanozie both going wide with the opening spot-kicks.

But, after Beth England got the Lionesses off the mark, Alozie hit her spotkick over the bar to give England the advantage.

And following scores from Daly and Greenwood, Kelly sent her kick into the top corner to send England into the last eight.

England: 1 Mary Earps (Manchester United), 2 Lucy Bronze (Barcelona), 4 Keira Walsh (Barcelona), 5 Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), 6 Millie Bright (Chelsea) ©, 7 Lauren James (Chelsea), 8 Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), 9 Rachel Daly (Aston Villa), 11 Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), 16 Jess Carter (Chelsea), 23 Alessia Russo (Arsenal)

Substitutes: 18 Chloe Kelly (Manchester City) for Russo 88’, 19 Bethany England (Tottenham Hotspur) for Hemp 105’, 20 Katie Zelem (Manchester United) for Walsh 120’

Substitutes not used: 3 Niamh Charles (Chelsea), 10 Ella Toone (Manchester United), 12 Jordan Nobbs (Aston Villa), 13 Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), 14 Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal), 15 Esme Morgan (Manchester City), 17 Laura Coombs (Manchester City), 21 Ellie Roebuck (Manchester City), 22 Katie Robinson (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Red cards: James 87’

Nigeria: 16. Chiamaka Nnadozie; 2 Ashleigh Plumptre, 14. Oluwatosin Demehin, 3. Osinachi Ohale, 22. Michelle Alozie; 18. Halimatu Ayinde, 10. Christy Ucheibe, 6. Ifeoma Onumonu, 7. Toni Payne, 15. Rasheedat Ajibade; 12. Uchenna Kanu

Substitutes: 8. Asisat Oshoala for Onumonu 59’, 17. Francisca Ordega for Kanu 81’, 19. Jennifer Echegini for Ayinde 91’, 9. Desire Oparanozie for Payne 114’

Substitutes not used: 1. Tochukwu Oluehi,  4. Glory Ogbonna, 5. Onome Ebi, 11. Gift Monday, 20. Rofiat Imuran, 21. Esther Okoronkwo, 23. Yewande Balogun