Switzerland has won the right to host the 2025 Women’s European Championship, beating off a strong challenge from Poland, France and a joint bid from the Nordic countries – Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway.
The announcement was made by UEFA on Tuesday (4 April 2023) following a meeting of the executive committee.
Switzerland last hosted a major soccer tournament in 2008 – staging that year’s edition of the men’s Euros along with neighbours Austria.
The Swiss take over from England who hosted and won the 2022 edition of the tournament after beating Germany in the finals at Wembley – played a year later due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Switzerland failed to get out of the group in the previous event.
The 2025 competition is scheduled to take place over four weeks in June and July. There will be eight host cities: Basel, Bern, Geneva, Zurich, St Gallen, Sion, Lucerne and Thun.
The hosts will qualify automatically, while the qualification process for other nations start in February next year.
“This is a historic day for Switzerland, the ASF (Swiss Football Association) and women’s football. This big step will mark the development of women’s football at all levels. I would like to thank all the people who made this project possible, and especially the leaders of the Confederation, the cantons and the host cities, who supported us from the beginning,” said Swiss FA President Dominique Blanc in a statement.
Marion Daube, ASF women’s football director and responsible for the application project, highlights the sustainability of a women’s European championship in Switzerland:
“The ASF has made the promotion of women’s football an important element of its strategy for the future and is extremely happy to be able to organize a high-visibility tournament in our country to support its strategy. We are proud that our application has been chosen and want to show that football is accessible to all. Our tournament must be a four-week party for all of Switzerland and, thanks to our location in the heart of Europe, for the surrounding countries.”
Switzerland has never hosted a Europeans Women’s Championship, with previous hosts including England in 2022, the Netherlands in 2017, Sweden in 2013 and Finland in 2009.
The Swiss have been drawn in Group A at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup alongside the Philippines, Norway and co-hosts New Zealand, with the tournament scheduled to run from 20 July to 20 August 2023.
They will be making their second appearance after featuring in the 2015 edition in Canada, but missed out on the 2019 tournament in France.
By Matlhomola Morake
