Iceland face Finland in UEFA Women's EURO opener
Still to come
2025-07-02T15:04:27Z
In the Iceland corner...
2025-07-02T15:02:03Z
Team news from the first game of the tournament is in!
Here's how Finland line up this afternoon...
2025-07-02T15:00:52Z
Advertisement
Good afternoon!
Welcome to the first live blog of the 2025 UEFA Women's EURO in Switzerland!
First up today, it's a battle between two Nordic countries as Iceland take on Finland in the tournament opener.
Later this evening, hosts Switzerland will face Norway in Basel.
Stay tuned!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
AJ Dybantsa, the potential No. 1 NBA pick in 2026, leads U.S. to gold: Takeaways
Team USA entered the FIBA U19 World Cup in Switzerland as the gold medal favorite, and the Americans lived up to the hype, capturing the title with a dominant 109-76 victory over previously unbeaten Germany in Sunday's championship game. Both teams were 6-0 heading into the final, but the Americans' depth and firepower proved too much for a German squad led by Texas Tech standout and All-Big 12 freshman Christian Anderson Jr. Advertisement Incoming BYU star freshman AJ Dybantsa capped off an impressive tournament run by achieving his goal — bringing home the gold with Team USA and taking home MVP honors with averages of 14.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Throughout the tournament, Dybantsa showed why he is such a highly touted prospect and presumed by many to be the No. 1 pick in next year's draft. Dybantsa can impact both ends of the floor at a high level and has the potential to be a two-way star at the next level. He didn't shoot well from 3 in this tournament (11.1 percent), but he should benefit by playing in BYU's offense, a system that will give him wide-open opportunities. What Dybantsa can do with the ball in his hands is reminiscent of Paul George. He is a big-shot creator with an excellent feel for the game, who can get downhill to either score or make plays for others. He also has a great motor; you don't typically see kids ranked this high play this hard so consistently. He had a steal in every game but one (France), but his length and activity were always a problem for opposing teams. AJ Dybantsa 🇺🇸 (@AJ_Dybantsa) Was named 'MVP' of the FIBA U19 World Cup. The BYU Cougars (@BYUMBB) freshman averaged:20 Minutes14.3 Points (50% FG | 84% FT)4.1 Rebounds 2.3 Assists1.1 Steals42 free throws made (1st) — Hoops HQ (@hhqsports) July 6, 2025 Dybantsa is one of the favorites to go No. 1 in the 2026 NBA Draft, and for good reason. But the 2026 class isn't as clear-cut as Cooper Flagg's 2025 class. This class has four prospects capable of going first, including Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson (Kansas), Cameron Boozer (Duke) and Mikel Brown Jr. (Louisville). Several prospects boosted their draft stock during the World Cup, including Brown and Anderson. Advertisement Brown, in particular, made a major statement — firmly inserting himself into the conversation as a potential No. 1 overall pick. He led Team USA in scoring (14.9 points) and assists (6.1) on 46/47/82 shooting splits. He also led the team in efficiency and made 3s (20). His combination of skill and feel as a lead guard will have plenty of NBA teams lined up wanting him to run the show. Louisville's Mikel Brown Jr again put together another elite offensive performance vs Cameroon this time. Mikel had: 24 points 2 rebounds 8 assists 9-12 FG5-6 3PT19 minutes Mikel has been firmly making his case as a top 5 prospect in the 2026 draft class — Arman Jovic (@PDTScouting) July 1, 2025 As for Anderson, he will be in the running to be Big 12 Player of the Year and first-team All-Big 12, alongside teammate JT Toppin, as the Red Raiders look to make another deep tournament run. Anderson averaged 17.3 points (10th in the tournament), 4.9 rebounds and 6.6 assists (second in the tournament), including two games in which he scored 27 and 29 points. He was arguably the best guard in the tournament, displaying similarities in his game to NBA veteran Dennis Schröder. Anderson will be on the German National Team for the 2028 Olympics. The 2025-26 season is set to be a landmark year for the Big 12, with the league welcoming its most loaded freshman class ever. Ten of the top 24 prospects — and 16 of the top 100, including Baylor's Koa Peat — are set to bring their talents to the conference. In Team USA's win, Peat became the first player to win three World Cup titles in FIBA youth competitions. Peat was one of the more consistent players throughout the tournament, averaging 12.6 points and 6.9 rebounds. There were 54 college players in this tournament, which speaks to the depth of talent in the sport, especially as more international players come over. Advertisement Eric Reibe (Germany) and Jacob Furphy (Australia) make UConn deeper and more dangerous. Foreign prospects like Dash Daniels (Australia) get most of the headlines, but Furphy may be the best pro of all the international prospects in this tournament. The Washington Huskies are also in great shape moving forward, with JJ Mandaquit (Team USA) and Hannes Steinbach (Germany).
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
England's Lionesses find a home from home at Zurich's fairy-tale 'castle'
The Dolder Grand Hotel in Zurich, Switzerland is pictured on Wednesday, July 17, 2013. (Gaetan Bally/Keystone via AP) FILE - Members of the FIFA board, from left, Keith Cooper, Ken Naganuma, Mong-Joon Chung, Guillermo Canedo, Joao Havelange, Sepp Blatter, Lennart Johansson and Antonio Matarrese are seen in Zurich on May 31, 1996. (Christoph Ruckstuhl/Keystone via AP) The Dolder Grand Hotel in Zurich, Switzerland is pictured on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2014. (Steffen Schmidt/Keystone via AP) The Dolder Grand Hotel in Zurich, Switzerland is pictured on Wednesday, July 17, 2013. (Gaetan Bally/Keystone via AP) The Dolder Grand Hotel in Zurich, Switzerland is pictured on Wednesday, July 17, 2013. (Gaetan Bally/Keystone via AP) The Dolder Grand Hotel in Zurich, Switzerland is pictured on Wednesday, July 17, 2013. (Gaetan Bally/Keystone via AP) FILE - Members of the FIFA board, from left, Keith Cooper, Ken Naganuma, Mong-Joon Chung, Guillermo Canedo, Joao Havelange, Sepp Blatter, Lennart Johansson and Antonio Matarrese are seen in Zurich on May 31, 1996. (Christoph Ruckstuhl/Keystone via AP) The Dolder Grand Hotel in Zurich, Switzerland is pictured on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2014. (Steffen Schmidt/Keystone via AP) The Dolder Grand Hotel in Zurich, Switzerland is pictured on Wednesday, July 17, 2013. (Gaetan Bally/Keystone via AP) ZURICH (AP) — England's hotel at the Women's European Championship is a 'home from home,' although it is likely a step above the players' normal abodes. Nestled in the woods on top of a hill overlooking Zurich and flaunting an array of spires and cupolas, the iconic Dolder Grand looks like a castle that has jumped straight out of a book of fairy tales. Advertisement Inside, old-world grandeur with chandeliers and sweeping staircases meets sleek modernity, as well as panoramic views over Lake Zurich and the Alps. 'My first 24 hours here I was just going 'Whoa, whoa!' the whole time,' said England defender Esme Morgan, who plays for Washington Spirit in the United States. 'We feel very lucky with how well we've been taken care of and its sort of the perfect base for us to go on through the tournament and where everyone can just relax and get together to watch the other games.' The players can also relax by perusing the Dolder Grand's art collection with more than 100 works by artists including Salvador Dalí and actor Sylvester Stallone. Advertisement The hotel has a 4,000 square-meter spa, that includes an infinity hot tub with stunning views — an ideal place for the Lionesses to recover after a match. England began its title defense by losing to France 2-1 on Saturday and next plays on Wednesday against the Netherlands in Group D. 'We feel super welcome' Rooms at the Dolder Grand start at 740 Swiss Francs ($930) a night for a double to around 14,500 Swiss Francs ($18,300) for the two-floor Presidential Suite — which, like some of the other suites, includes a butler service. The Dolder Grand — which featured in the movie 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' — was chosen after a year-long search by the English Football Association, with staff having the perhaps enviable job of visiting 23 facilities, tasked with finding the team a home from home. Advertisement 'About a year ago, for the first time, I stepped into the door of the Dolder and we could just feel the excitement of the hotel staff,' said the team's general manager, Anja van Ginhoven. 'One of the first things they said to us, similar to The Lensbury (on the outskirts of London where the Lionesses stayed in 2022), they said 'We want to be part of this.' 'We feel super welcome and very supported. All they want to do is give us a great home away from home.' The Lionesses arrived on their team bus, shortly after flying into Zurich, and were greeted by beaming hotel staff. Guests normally arrive by car — often very nice ones — or by a short journey up on the rack-and-pinion railway, which has its terminus adjacent to the hotel. Advertisement The hotel dates back to 1899 although it underwent an extensive renovation at the start of the century, led by Norman Foster. Dignitaries and film stars Apart from the reigning European champions, the Dolder Grand has hosted a plethora of celebrities, from Hollywood stars such as Elizabeth Taylor and Leonardo DiCaprio, to the Rolling Stones, as well as royalty and dignitaries including Winston Churchill, the Shah of Persia and King Charles, when he was a bachelor prince. The Dolder Grand also had a cameo role in FIFA business and soccer conferences during the presidency of Sepp Blatter that ended in 2015. Advertisement During the now-notorious World Cup bidding contests for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, scandal implicated two FIFA executive committee members weeks before they were due to vote. FIFA vice president Reynald Temarii was staying at the Dolder Grand the night before he was due for a dressing-down meeting with Blatter at FIFA headquarters. In 1996, the hotel is also where FIFA — with Blatter as secretary general — formally sealed the diplomatic deal to have World Cup co-hosts for the first time, awarding the 2002 edition to Japan and South Korea. Uncertain stay Just how long England will be able to enjoy the grande dame of Zurich hotels remains to be seen. Sarina Wiegman's team also faces the Netherlands and Wales in Group D. Advertisement Football may or not be 'coming home' — as England's team anthem goes — but the Lionesses might not want to. ___ AP Sports Writer Graham Dunbar contributed to this report ___ AP soccer:
Washington Post
3 hours ago
- Washington Post
England's Lionesses find a home from home at Zurich's fairy-tale 'castle'
ZURICH — England's hotel at the Women's European Championship is a 'home from home,' although it is likely a step above the players' normal abodes. Nestled in the woods on top of a hill overlooking Zurich and flaunting an array of spires and cupolas, the iconic Dolder Grand looks like a castle that has jumped straight out of a book of fairy tales.
