Iceland v Finland: Women’s Euro 2025 opener – live

The opening match of the Women's Euro 2025 tournament features a clash between Iceland and Finland, marking the commencement of the competition for the 16 participating teams. Although neither team is heavily favored to progress far in the tournament, a victory in this match could provide a significant boost for either side. The match is set to take place at Arena Thun, with Iceland entering the contest as the favorites under the management of Thorsteinn Halldórsson. Finland, on the other hand, is managed by Marko Saloranta and holds the distinction of being the lowest-ranked team in their group, which also includes higher-ranked teams such as Norway and Switzerland, the host nation.

Finland's path to this tournament was marked by a playoff victory where they overcame both Montenegro and Scotland to secure their spot. In contrast, Iceland demonstrated a strong performance during the qualification phase, finishing second in their group behind Germany. They achieved four wins and one draw in their six qualifying matches, which contributed to their current ranking of 14th in the world. This positions them significantly ahead of Finland, which is ranked 26th. As the match approaches, scheduled for 5 PM BST, anticipation builds not only for the team line-ups but also for the implications of this early encounter in the tournament. A win could set the tone for Iceland's campaign, while Finland will be eager to defy expectations and make their mark in this prestigious competition.