The 2025 UEFA Women’s Nations League semi-finals, now over two legs, begin on Friday as holders Spain take on Sweden and Germany renew their rivalry with France.
We preview the action, with the second legs on Tuesday 28 October and the final and third-place play-offs, for which the draw is already made, on 28 November and 2 December. All four teams qualified by topping their league stage groups earlier this year.
Women’s Nations League finals bracket
Semi-finals
First legs: Friday 24 October
Germany vs France (17:45, Düsseldorf)
Spain vs Sweden (20:00, Málaga)
Second legs; Tuesday 28 October
Sweden vs Spain (19:00, Gothenburg)
France ve Germany (21:10, Caen)
Final & third-place play-off (28 November & 2 December)
Germany / France vs Spain / Sweden
All times CET
Meet the finalists: All the stats
There has been no shortage of big games between these teams in recent time, indeed only in July they played out an epic UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 quarter-final in which an injury-hit Germany beat France on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Germany also knocked France out in the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 semi-finals but it was Les Bleues who came out on top when they met in February 2024 in the last four of the first UEFA Women’s Nations League, Les Bleues winning a one-off tie 2-1 in Décines before falling to Spain in the decider.
Now both teams return to action for the first time since the EURO. Germany – who more than a week before the game sold 33,000 tickets for the home opening leg as they seek their first major title since the 2016 Olympics – welcome back captain Giulia Gwinn, who was ruled out early in the finals in Switzerland. However, Lena Oberdorf’s hopes of an international comeback have been dashed by another ACL tear while goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger (hero of the EURO quarter-final), defenders Rebecca Knaak and Sophia Kleinherne and forward Giovanna Hoffmann are all also injured, with uncapped Laura Dick, Camilla Küver and Shekiera Martinez all coming in.
The inaugural Nations League was France’s first major senior women’s final appearance and as they seek that elusive first title, coach Laurent Bonadei has turned to eight players under the age of 23 in his squad of 26, with stalwart midfielders Sandie Toletti and Amel Majri having both announced their international retirements. Wassa Sangaré, part of a talented crop that won the 2023 Women’s U17 EURO and reached the 2025 WU19 EURO final, and Kysha Sylla both come in for the first time while there are recalls after lengthy absences for Laurina Fazer and Inès Benyahia.
Christian Wück, Germany coach: “Both matches are a major challenge from a sporting perspective. We had to make some changes to the squad due to injuries, which also offers new players the chance to prove themselves at the highest level. Some players are not quite as ready as we had perhaps hoped after their injuries, and this was also something we had to take into account when selecting the squad.
“We will have to pool all our strengths against France. It is all the more pleasing that we can count on an outstanding crowd and the support of our fans in Düsseldorf.”
Laurent Bonadei, France coach: “We shouldn’t pick young players for the sake of taking young players. If they’re here, it’s because I think they have the level to be in the French team.”
Spain followed their 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup triumph by winning the first UEFA Women’s Nations League but missed out on the triple crown with their penalty shoot-out defeat by England in the Women’s EURO 2025 final. After that coach Montse Tomé departed to be replaced by former international Sonia Bermúdez, who having moved up the youth ranks takes charge of her first senior game on Friday.
Bermúdez’s first squad includes the recall of Mapi León and all-time leading scorer Jenni Hermoso. Patri Guijarro’s injury in the week means a call for Clara Serrajordi, one of three uncapped players selected along with Eunate Astralaga and Lucía Corrales, while there is aso a return for in-form Fiamma and Laia Aleixandri is set for a midfield role according to Bermúdez.
Sweden are the only one of the four finalists not to have also reached this stage in 2023/24, having on that occasion lost home and away to Spain in their group, not long after losing a dramatic tie 2-1 in the FIFA Women’s World Cup semi-finals. They also have a new coach in Tony Gustavsson, Peter Gerhardsson’s last game of his eight-year reign being Sweden’s own Women’s EURO penalty shoot-out loss to England, in their case in the quarter-finals.
Gustavsson spent his first months as coach on scouting missions around Europe meeting potential squad members face to face, and has included Linda Sembrant and Kosovare Asllani, who had both seemed potentially set for international retirement. On the other hand, the new coach has brought back Anna Sandberg, Felicia Schröder, Rosa Kafaji, Monica Jusu Bah, and Evelyn Ijeh, who did not go to Women’s EURO, along with uncapped goalkeeper Moa Ohman and defender Elma Junttila Nelhage, though Magdalena Eriksson has withdrawn from the squad.
Sonia Bermúdez, Spain coach: “I like the pressure and I like debuting in a semi-final. We’re going to be in a spectacular stadium. We need the fans behind us to beat Sweden.”
Tony Gustavsson, Sweden coach: “It has been a pleasant challenge to put the squad together. There are an incredible number of good players who are for the women’s national team. This squad has been selected precisely to be able to face an offensive and skilful Spain.”
