logo
The Swiss castle from where the Lionesses will plot a route to Euros glory

The Swiss castle from where the Lionesses will plot a route to Euros glory

ITV Newsa day ago
The FA looked at 23 base camp options, before settling on a luxury hotel in Zurich. ITV News Midlands Correspondent Stacey Foster and Reporter Chloe Keedy have the story
The turreted hotel that the Lionesses will call home, as they prepare to defend their European title, is certainly more swanky than previous England basecamps.
When Manager Sarina Wiegman and her squad check into The Dolder Grand in Zurich on Monday, their names will be added in its guest book to those of Winston Churchill, the Rolling Stones and King Charles.
The five-star resort, which stands on the wooded Adlisberg mountain overlooking Lake Zurich, and where rooms usually costs around £800 a night, is certainly a cut above the anonymous chain hotel selected by the FA during the last major tournament.
Two years ago, before England lost to Spain in the final of the 2023 World Cup, the Lionesses had been sequestered on a quiet stretch of Australia's sunshine coast, in the town of Terrigal (population 12,000), where the players could stroll unbothered down the beach, notwithstanding the odd TV crew.
Not that England are likely to have to put up with much in the way of unwanted attention in Zurich.
When ITV News contacted The Dolder Grand asking for an interview with the manager, the hotel publicist quickly said ''yes'', which changed quicker still to a ''no'', due to ''confidentiality commitments during this particularly sensitive period".
This is Switzerland after all.
''We're very confident we have found another basecamp that will meet all our needs,'' said Sarina Wiegman, when the Lionesses confirmed their hotel pick back in January - and it's not hard to see why.
The FA recced 23 base camp options, before settling on the Dolder Grand, with its 4,000 square meter spa complex, Michelin star dining, and palatial rooms, for the 55 players and staff.
England will train at the nearby Sportanlage Au, a less grandiose set-up, run by the local authority.
Crucially, this sports club is just a 20 minute drive from the hotel.
And with the Lionesses playing their first two Euro 2025 fixtures at Zurich's Stadion Letzigrund, and their last group stage tie against Wales just 50 miles along the road in St Gallen, there will be no need for the onerous flights the men's team took between their golf resort in central Germany and their matches at last year's Euros.
Fittingly, the Lionesses' temporary home was rebuilt in 2004 by Norman Foster, the legendary British architect responsible for Wembley Stadium.
Can their sumptuous Swiss surroundings help Wiegman's team replicate the triumph they achieved under that famous arch, three years ago?
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Europe's heat wave creates dangerous conditions, shutters Eiffel Tower
Europe's heat wave creates dangerous conditions, shutters Eiffel Tower

The Herald Scotland

time14 minutes ago

  • The Herald Scotland

Europe's heat wave creates dangerous conditions, shutters Eiffel Tower

The blistering temperatures caused one of the world's most popular tourist attractions, the Eiffel Tower, to close its top floor, shorten its hours and turn away visitors who don't have advanced tickets. In Belgium, where temperatures reached the high 90s, officials closed the Atomium attraction, a model of an iron molecule built for the 1959 Brussels World's Fair. It is only the second time the model changed hours because of heat. The first was in 2019. Italy, meanwhile, issued heat wave red alerts across 17 cities, including Milan and Rome. Several regions of the Mediterranean country banned outdoor work during the hottest hours of the day. The extreme heat across the western Europe is the result of a heat dome. That's a common summer weather pattern that produces high pressure and acts as a cap, locking heat in underneath, France's weather service said. Parts of Europe set heat records The scorching temperatures come as Spain, Portugal and England recorded their hottest June last month. The average temperature in Spain was 78 degrees Fahrenheit in June. On June 30, it rose to about 100 degrees, according to the country's weather service. Those highs are "exceptional" the World Meteorological Organization said in an online forecast. Europe typically experiences its hottest temperatures of the year in July. The organization cites human-induced climate change as a reason for the extreme heat. More than two thirds of the continent's most severe heatwaves since 1950 have occurred in the last 25 years, according to the World Meteorological Organization. By 2050, it expects "half of the European population may be exposed to high or very high risk of heat stress during summer." The agency said the punishing temperatures could cause severe, potentially life threatening, effects on human health. And many people can't seek shelter from the heat at home: As of 2019, only 20% of households in Europe had air conditioning installed, according to the European Environment Agency. Western US sees scorching temps Parts of the United States are also being gripped by higher-than-normal temperatures. The National Weather Service issued an extreme heat warning for parts of southwest Arizona and southeast California until 8 p.m. on July 1. Afternoon highs could reach between 110 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit in these regions, according to the agency Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Nevada and Utah are all expected to see temperatures around 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The weather service issued heat advisories through the evening of July 2 for much of those states, warning people to take extra precautions when outside. The agency also issued a red flag warning for much of northern California and north-central Nevada, meaning that "critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly." These can include a "combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior." "Heat will build over the Intermountain West and the Southwest the next couple of days," the National Weather Service said in an online forecast on June 30. "Lightning from dry thunderstorms can create new fire starts and combined with gusty winds may cause a fire to rapidly grow in Oregon and northern California." Contributing: Doyle Rice, USA TODAY; Reuters

World Cup 2026, Trump immigration policies concerning for ACLU, NAACP
World Cup 2026, Trump immigration policies concerning for ACLU, NAACP

The Herald Scotland

time15 minutes ago

  • The Herald Scotland

World Cup 2026, Trump immigration policies concerning for ACLU, NAACP

"If FIFA continues to stay silent, not only will millions be placed at risk, but the FIFA brand will also be used as a public relations tool to whitewash the reputation of an increasingly authoritarian government," the civil rights and labor groups wrote. Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP were among the most prominent national organizations to sign the letter, which was also endorsed by eight fan clubs of soccer teams. The United States is currently hosting the FIFA Club World Cup for men's soccer. FIFA did not immediately reply to an e-mail seeking comment on the letter. The organization and its president, Gianni Infantino, have repeatedly said foreign spectators and teams will have no issues entering the country next summer. "The world is welcome in America," Infantino told reporters on May 15. "Of course, the players, of course, everyone involved, all of us, but definitely also all the fans." The Trump administration has echoed that sentiment, albeit with the caveat that fans will not be allowed to overstay their visas or otherwise remain in the country following the tournament. "I know we'll have visitors probably from close to 100 countries," Vice President J.D. Vance said in May. "We want them to come, we want them to celebrate, we want them to watch the game(s). But when the time is up, they'll have to go home, otherwise they will have to talk to (U.S. Homeland Security) Secretary (Kristi) Noem." FIFA also faced questions and criticism from human rights advocacy organizations ahead of the last men's World Cup, in Qatar. The 2026 edition of the event, which will be co-hosted by Canada and Mexico, begins June 11. Contact Tom Schad at tschad@ or on social media @

FAW creates murals to celebrate Cymru women's football team
FAW creates murals to celebrate Cymru women's football team

South Wales Argus

time3 hours ago

  • South Wales Argus

FAW creates murals to celebrate Cymru women's football team

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) has launched the scheme to celebrate the achievements of the Cymru women's national team. The murals are part of a campaign celebrating the team's first-ever qualification for a major international tournament, the UEFA Women's EURO 2025. Created by local artists and installed at schools and football clubs across Wales, each mural honours a player from the squad and the communities that shaped them. Louise Burgess, FAW Euro 2025 project lead, said: "We want our history-making players to be celebrated and become household names, not just in the football world, but in the places that made them who they are. "These murals are about the importance of legacy and a celebration of Welsh creativity, culture and community. "They highlight the power of place and the vital importance of visibility for women in sport and society." The project is funded by the Welsh Government's Euro 2025 Partner Support Fund. Murals have begun appearing since late June, with more installations planned throughout the summer. A headteacher at one of the mural locations, Sarah Jane Jones, said: "Women in sport should be celebrated, and we are proud to be a part of this campaign."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store