FA chief offers guarantee over Sarina Wiegman's future ahead of Euro 2025
The Football Association wants Sarina Wiegman to lead England into the 2027 World Cup, regardless of how the Lionesses perform at the upcoming Euro 2025, chief executive Mark Bullingham has said.
Defending champions England are among the favourites ahead of the Euros, and will be aiming to retain their title, but have been drawn in a tough group alongside fellow contenders France and the Netherlands as well as Wales.
Bullingham believes England are capable of defending their European crown and maintains that Wiegman is the best possible coach to lead the Lionesses in Switzerland, having won the past two tournaments with the Netherlands in 2017 and England in 2022.
England's build up has been more complicated this time, with vice-captain Millie Bright ruling herself out of selection and goalkeeper Mary Earps announcing her retirement, leaving Wiegman to laugh off the suggestion that the Lionesses were in crisis going into Euro 2025.
Wiegman is under contract with England through to the end of the 2027 World Cup, having signed an extension after reaching the previous World Cup final in 2023, and Bullingham made clear that she has the FA's support even if the Lionesses fall to an early exit in Switzerland.
"We're delighted that Sarina's in place until 2027 and I don't see any scenario changing that,' Bullingham said.
Bullingham also offered reassurances over England's preparations for the tournament and said that the Lionesses are in a 'good place' ahead of the Euros, with Lauren James set to be fit and joining Lauren Hemp, Georgia Stanway and Alex Greenwood in recovering from injuries to make the squad.
'Obviously there are a number of players returning from injuries and we are delighted we have them back now,' he said. 'In a perfect world, we would rather have had them playing for at least half a season but that is not a reality. I think we're really confident in the squad we've got going to the Euros.'
While Bullingham said it is 'too early' to open talks with Wiegman about extending her stay with England beyond the 2027 World Cup, he did confirm that the 55-year-old coach was involved in the appointment of the FA Women's technical director following the departure of Kay Cossington later this year.
'We think she's a fantastic coach and has done a brilliant job for us,' he said. 'We are delighted she's with us until at least 2027. We haven't looked beyond that timescale yet or engaged in those conversations.
'We feel we have us locked into this tournament and the next and that feels very good for us. That's not to say we wouldn't have a conversation at some point in the future but it's too early for that really.'
Wiegman will also welcome two new additions to her coaching staff in September, with Janneke Bijl and Arvid Smit replacing assistant Arjan Veurink, who will be taking charge of the Netherlands after Euro 2025, but Bullingham also said a succession plan is in place - as there is for any senior position within the FA.
'She's the most successful coach in women's international football today, with two Euros wins and two World Cup runners-up medals,' Bullingham added.
'It's worth pointing out that no other coach in the men's or women's game has won a Euro or World Cup with two different nations, so she's got a unique achievement in that.'
'We're aiming to win, but we know just how hard that is,' Bullingham said on England's expectations heading into Euro 2025.
'We've only won one tournament since 1966, but we do believe we're one of a number of teams who are capable of winning and we'll be doing everything to try and make that a reality.'
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