For the third time, under Sarina Wiegman, Australia and the Netherlands have met, with both teams winning one game apiece, as they head into the decider.
The first time they played just before the World Cup in 2023, England lost 2-0 to Australia, their first defeat under Wiegman as manager, with the goals coming from Sam Kerr and Charlotte Grant.
But England got their revenge when it mattered in the World Cup semi-final in Sydney, Australia, winning 3-1. They reached their first World Cup final after coming close previously, with goals from Ella Toone, Lauren Hemp, and Alessia Russo after going one goal behind from Sam Kerr.
The game is a sell-out with 33,500 fans set to attend the game at Pride Park in Derby. This is the first women’s international game at the stadium, which has previously been rescheduled due to poor pitch quality after it lost the League Cup final last year.
England hopes to rebound after a 2-1 defeat to Brazil, as they fell behind once again—a recurring pattern in their recent matches—but this time they were unable to overturn the deficit.
Sarina Wiegman on Australia: "With Joe Montemurro, they have a new coach since the summer, they've played a couple of friendlies. What he has expressed and what we have seen - Australia are a top team, mighty. They're playing more directly; they're also starting to play more in the buildup. That's what we're expecting tomorrow. We'll see how we can challenge them."
Sarina Wiegman on the sell-out at Pride Park: "It's really nice, the fans have shown so much support for us. Going around the country gives people a chance to come to our games; we don't take a sell-out for granted on a Tuesday evening. We appreciate and will enjoy it."
Ella Toone on facing Australia: For Australia, we broke a lot of their hearts out there at the World Cup, so, for them, it'll feel like a revenge game. We want to go out there and put on a big performance. We know it's going to be difficult, but we want to perform for the fans who will be watching us.
We're England, we want to win every game. These games are friendlies - but there are no friendlies in football."
Australia won their game against Wales 2-1, goals coming from Courtney Nevin and Caitlin Foord at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Joe Montemurro, Australia's manager, on playing England:
"Playing England in this October window is another key moment for the team as we continue to build toward the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026. England is one of the top teams in the world, and facing a team of their quality is a valuable opportunity for us to challenge ourselves. We must use these international windows to push our limits, develop deeper connections within the group, and continue setting the standards that will define our performance moving forward."
Montemurro only became Australia’s manager in June 2025, but this game will be a big test ahead of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 at the beginning of next year.
Aussie defender Steph Catley, who knows the Lionesses well since playing for Arsenal in the WSL, admitted the World Cup semi-final loss to England was the "most heartbreaking" of her career.
Jada Whyman, initially named in the squad, has been ruled out due to injury and replaced by uncapped goalkeeper Morgan Aquino. Key defenders expected to start include Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Ellie Carpenter, and Alanna Kennedy, bringing a mix of WSL and European club experience. In midfield and attack, Katrina Gorry returns after missing previous games, while Sam Kerr is back for the Matildas for the first time in 725 days after her long ACL recovery. Hayley Raso comes into this game after earning her 100th cap. Squad additions Michelle Heyman and Holly McNamara complete the 24-player team.
England has a full 25-player squad, with everyone available and no significant injuries. However, they do not want to take the risk with some players still building fitness, such as Lucy Bronze and Niamh Charles.
Hannah Hampton is heading in the right direction to be available. She has ticked all the boxes so far, but with one training session to go, it looks good. If that session goes well, she will be available for the match.
The FA confirmed West Ham defender Anouk Denton has joined the senior squad from the U23S setup ahead of the Australia fixture.
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