SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 16: Alessia Russo of England celebrates after scoring her team's third goal during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Semi Final match between Australia and England at Stadium Australia on August 16, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Two Arsenal players called up for the Lionesses

Sep 14, 2023

Sarina Wiegman has named her squad for the first-ever Women’s Nations League games, with Lotte Wubben-Moy and Alessia Russo both involved.

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - APRIL 11: Sarina Wiegman, Manager of England (R) and Leah Williamson of England look on during a press conference ahead of their 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifier match against Northern Ireland at Windsor Park on April 11, 2022 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - APRIL 11: Sarina Wiegman, Manager of England (R) and Leah Williamson of England look on during a press conference ahead of their 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifier match against Northern Ireland at Windsor Park on April 11, 2022 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) — BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND: Sarina Wiegman, Manager of England (R) and Leah Williamson of England look on during a press conference ahead of their 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifier match against Northern Ireland at Windsor Park on April 11, 2022. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

The England manager has kept faith in the players who ended up as World Cup runners-up.

That’s with the exception of the injured Keira Walsh and Bethany England, who are replaced by the World Cup stand-bys Lucy Staniforth and Maya Le Tissier, as well as Jess Park, who was on the original long list before withdrawing through injury.

Full England squad

TEDDINGTON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 04: Lotte Wubben-Moy of England looks on during an England Women Training Session at The Lensbury on October 04, 2022 in Teddington, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) — TEDDINGTON, ENGLAND: Lotte Wubben-Moy of England looks on during an England Women Training Session at The Lensbury on October 04, 2022. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Goalkeepers: Mary Earps (Manchester United), Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), Ellie Roebuck (Manchester City)

Defenders: Millie Bright (Chelsea), Lucy Bronze (Barcelona), Jess Carter (Chelsea), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Esme Morgan (Manchester City), Maya Le Tissier (Manchester United), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal)

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Midfielders: Laura Coombs (Manchester City), Jordan Nobbs (Aston Villa), Jess Park (Manchester City), Lucy Staniforth (Aston Villa), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Ella Toone (Manchester United), Katie Zelem (Manchester United)

Forwards: Rachel Daly (Aston Villa), Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Chloe Kelly (Manchester City), Katie Robinson (Brighton & Hove Albion), Alessia Russo (Arsenal)

What is the Nations League?

MILTON KEYNES, ENGLAND - JULY 01: Alessia Russo of England looks on during the Women's International Friendly match between England and Portugal at Stadium mk on July 01, 2023 in Milton Keynes, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images) — MILTON KEYNES, ENGLAND: Alessia Russo of England looks on during the Women’s International Friendly match between England and Portugal at Stadium MK on July 01, 2023. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

The Nations League has replaced the old qualifier format for the Euros and World Cup. It is a yearly tournament with three Leagues A, B, and C with promotion and relegation between those.

This season will see the Nations League Group A act as the Paris 2024 Olympics qualifier. Next season will see all 3 Groups qualify teams for the Switzerland 2025 Euros.

Regarding the Olympic qualification system, England will act as the Team that can qualify on behalf of Team GB. The two teams reaching the Nations League finals will qualify as second and third UEFA teams. Hosts France have automatically qualified.

Scotland and Wales, who are in League A, are not eligible to qualify Team GB. Should they make the Nations League final, the team finishing third would make it to the Olympics.

England have been drawn with Belgium, the Netherlands and Scotland. The group winners qualify for the Nations League semi-finals.

It is a strange situation as Scottish players like Caroline Weir and Erin Cuthbert alongside Welsh players like Sophie Ingle or Angharad James could potentially be eliminating themselves from the Olympics by defeating England.

The same situation happened in 2019 at the WWC in France when England played Scotland in the group stage.

When are England in action?

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 16: Alessia Russo of England celebrates after scoring her team's third goal with teammates during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Semi Final match between Australia and England at Stadium Australia on August 16, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) — SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: Alessia Russo of England celebrates after scoring her team’s third goal with teammates during the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Semi Final match between Australia and England at Stadium Australia on August 16, 2023. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

England will be at home to Scotland on September 22nd and then away to the Netherlands on September 26th. It is certainly strange to play international games before the Women’s Super League has even started.

Why the FA decided to start the WSL in October does make sense though.

With the England players finishing their World Cup on August 20th, having a bit more than a month of preparation with their club is a bare minimum.

At the end of the day, FIFA messed up by organising the WWC so late in the Summer and the knock-on effect on the WSL and the Champions League is there for all to see.

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