UEFA Women’s Euro 2025: Winner, Results & Highlights

For four years, England waited to prove that 2022 was no fluke. When the final whistle blew in Basel on 27 July 2025, the Lionesses had done exactly that—wrestling the UEFA Women’s Euro trophy back from the Spaniard wave that had threatened to drown them.

Host Nation: Switzerland · Defending Champions: England · Winner: England (penalties) · Edition: 14th · Participating Teams: 16

The following table consolidates the verified facts from the tournament.

Who is hosting the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025?

Switzerland was appointed by the UEFA Executive Committee as the sole host for the 14th edition of the tournament. This marked the first time Switzerland hosted a major women’s football event of this scale.

Stadiums and venues

Eight stadiums served as match venues across the country. The final took place at St. Jakob-Park in Basel, while other key venues included Stadion Wankdorf in Bern, Stade de Genève in Geneva, and Letzigrund in Zurich. Additional locations included Arena St. Gallen, Allmend Stadion Luzern, Arena Thun, and Stade de Tourbillon in Sion.

Host nation selection

The tournament marked Switzerland’s inaugural major women’s football hosting role. Following the 2022 edition held in England, UEFA returned to a four-year cycle after COVID-19 disrupted the schedule, with Switzerland stepping in as the designated host.

Who’s favourite to win women’s euros?

Pre-tournament analysis placed France and England among the frontrunners, with Spain also attracting significant backing. Data from sports analytics platforms reflected England and France as the two most consistently backed teams in betting markets heading into the group stage.

Pre-tournament odds

England entered as defending champions, having won the 2022 edition. France topped Group D during the tournament proper, defeating England 2-1 on Matchday 1 in Zurich on 5 July. Pre-tournament statistical models gave England approximately 22% win probability before the first kick.

Actual winner

England defied the early setback, navigating through Italy in the semi-finals and surviving a penalty shootout against Sweden in the quarter-finals before meeting Spain in the final. The defended title confirmed England’s status as the dominant force in European women’s football.

Have Lionesses ever won the Euros?

England have now won the UEFA Women’s European Championship twice in succession. The Lionesses first claimed the title in 2022, ending decades of near-misses for English women’s football. The 2025 victory cemented their place as the tournament’s most successful nation in recent cycles.

England’s records

The 2025 triumph made England the first nation to successfully defend the Women’s Euro title since Germany achieved back-to-back wins in 1995 and 1997. According to statistics compiled by UEFA, England became one of only four nations to win the tournament multiple times.

Title defense details

England’s path to the final included a dramatic quarter-final penalty shootout against Sweden on 17 July in Zurich. The 2-2 draw after extra time required spot kicks, which England won 3-2. A semi-final victory over Italy (2-1 aet on 22 July in Geneva) set up the final clash with Spain.

Have the Lionesses ever beaten Spain?

England faced Spain in the final on 27 July 2025 and won 3-1 in the penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw following extra time. This marked the first competitive encounter between the two nations in a Women’s Euro final.

Key matches history

Prior to 2025, England and Spain had met in several high-profile friendly matches and competitive fixtures, with England holding a positive record. However, their 2025 final encounter represented the most consequential meeting between the two nations in women’s football history.

2025 final outcome

The match, held at St. Jakob-Park in Basel, saw Spain dominate large portions of possession before England equalised late in the second half. After no further goals in extra time, England converted three of their four penalty kicks while Spain scored only one, handing England a historic victory.

Who is the best player in the women’s Euro?

Aitana Bonmati received multiple individual accolades following the tournament, building on her FIFA Best Women’s Player 2025 recognition. The Spanish midfielder consistently delivered decisive performances throughout the competition, controlling midfield battles against higher-ranked opponents.

Award winners

The official awards recognised players across different positions. Bonmati’s creative influence throughout Spain’s campaign, which included a semi-final victory over Germany, earned her the Player of the Tournament distinction.

Standout performers

Beyond Bonmati, several players distinguished themselves. Claudia Pina scored what many analysts called the tournament’s finest goal when she found the net against Switzerland in the quarter-final. England’s defensive unit also drew praise for their resilience under pressure in knockout matches.

The tournament’s legacy will be measured in more than records. Spain’s emergence as a genuine continental power—they beat Germany, the tournament’s most successful nation historically, in the semi-final—suggests the era of German dominance in women’s football may be ending. Germany exited in the quarter-finals following their penalty shootout loss to France, a result that surprised many analysts.

For England’s Lionesses, the immediate future involves World Cup 2026 qualifying. The defensive solidity that carried them through knockout ties against Sweden, Italy, and Spain will face stiffer tests from nations outside Europe. For Spanish football, the runner-up finish provides a blueprint: they have the talent, now they need the mental edge in decisive moments.

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England defended their UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 crown with a 3-1 penalty shootout win over Spain after 1-1, captured in the final match recap.

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