France vs England: How to watch the Lionesses’ Euro 2025 curtain raiser
Kick-off time, broadcaster and key team news
England kick off their Euro 2025 title defence on Saturday (5 July), with a blockbuster clash against France.
The group stage bout will mark the 28th meeting between the two sides, with history favouring the French in the pair’s head-to-head record.
Of the 27 previous clashes, England have won just five, while France dominates with 13 victories, with a total of nine draws contested.
Their last encounter in this competition, qualifications not included, came in 2017. Against all the odds, the Lionesses earned a hard-fought 1-0 quarter-final victory to register their first win over the French in 43 years.
Under current head coach Sarina Wiegman, this tie has only been played out twice, with each side picking up a win on the road to qualifying for Euro 2025.
Both nations have vastly different histories in this competition, yet each achieved their best finishes in the 2022 edition. Where France reached a first-ever semi-final and England went on to win it all, earning their first piece of major silverware.
Wiegman’s side have had to revamp their approach in the wake of Mary Earps’s shock retirement, while senior defender Millie Bright made herself unavailable for selection altogether.
French coach Laurent Bonadei is without stalwarts Wendie Renard and Eugénie Le Sommer – a decision taken by the manager himself, citing a desire to try something new for a nation that is known to underperform their potential on the big stage.
This weekend will present a chance for the players of now and the future to make their name in this storied fixture between two European giants.
Read more: Euro 2025 team guides: England
Read more: Euro 2025 team guides: France
Saturday 5 July
France vs England (20:00 KO BST)
The game will be broadcast live on ITV1 in the UK & Ireland, with the action also available through the channel’s dedicated streaming platform, ITVX.