England Women’s World Cup LIVE: Sarina Wiegman confirms new Lionesses captain after announcing squad

Is Beth Mead fit enough after her ACL injury? Who comes in for absent captain Leah Williamson? These and more we’ll find out the answers to in less than an hour and they will have been some of the worries keeping the boss up at night of late.

Here are some of the biggest questions Wiegman has to answer as the England manager names her squad for Australia and New Zealand.

After the squad is revealed at 2pm, Sarina Wiegman will talk to the press to explain her decisions.

Former England goalkeeper Carly Telford believes the injuries that have struck the Lionesses can inspire Sarina Wiegman’s side at this summer’s Women’s World Cup.

England will head to Australia and New Zealand as one of the favourites, but their hopes have been hit by serious injuries that have ruled out captain Leah Williamson and Fran Kirby, while Beth Mead, Lucy Bronze, and Millie Bright also face a race against a time to be fit in time.

The loss of key players could derail many of Wiegman’s plans for the tournament but Telford believes it will bring together those who do make the trip.

“As much as they might be team-mates or enemies in the Super League, a lot of them are friends, and watching your friends get hurt, you know how short a football career is and how few tournaments you might get to go to,” Telford said.

“It is hurtful when you see team-mates go down but it can inspire them as they will want to play for the girls who are missing it, and they will use it as motivation.”

England forward Beth Mead says she is still hopeful of being fit for the World Cup and is “ahead of schedule” in her recovery from an ACL injury.

Mead ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament playing for Arsenal in November and Lionesses manager Sarina Wiegman said last month that it would be a “miracle” if she makes her squad for Australia and New Zealand.

But Mead has returned to light training with Arsenal ahead of the July tournament and said she is determined to give herself every chance of making the 23-player squad.

“The injury’s okay,” Mead told Sky Sports News as she picked up her MBE for her role in England’s Euro 2022 win last summer. “I’m a good five months in and back on the pitch and kicking a ball again, feeling good, ahead of schedule. That’s all I can do that’s in my control right now."

Ella Toone has stressed England are set to head into this summer’s World Cup still well-equipped to prosper despite the injury setbacks that have been “really difficult to take”.

Skipper Leah Williamson and Fran Kirby have been ruled out of the tournament in Australia and New Zealand by injuries, while Beth Mead, who claimed the Golden Boot and player of the tournament award when the team won the Euros last year, may also be missing.

Toone, scorer of the opener in the 2-1 victory over Germany after extra-time that clinched the trophy at Wembley, said: “The injuries are really difficult to take.

“No-one ever wants to see team-mates and other players have bad injuries like that. So it’s been difficult, and players that are a massive part of our squad.

“But we have to focus on what we have, and that is so much talent within the squad. We have young girls coming up now into the squad who have unbelievable talent."

England footballer Leah Williamson has spoken about the importance of sportswomen having another qualification in their “locker”, as she said the sport needs more women in positions of power.

It comes as the Lionesses and Arsenal defender has been ruled out of the women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand after suffering a knee injury and undergoing surgery.

Williamson, who has been training to be an accountant alongside her football career, said that pursuing a different qualification started off as an “insurance policy” for herself.

She told PA: “Originally, when I started it, women’s football wasn’t as secure as it is now.

“I started it as a bit of an insurance policy for me to take the pressure off football, so if it didn’t work out I have something else.”

Goalkeepers: Mary Earps, Ellie Roebuck, Hannah Hampton

Defenders: Lucy Bronze, Alex Greenwood, Millie Bright, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Jess Carter, Niamh Charles, Esme Morgan, Maya Le Tissier

Midfielders: Keira Walsh, Georgia Stanway, Ella Toone, Jordan Nobbs, Laura Coombs, Katie Zelem

Forwards: Chloe Kelly, Alessia Russo, Lauren Hemp, Lauren James, Katie Robinson, Rachel Daly

Laura Coombs says it would be “the stuff of dreams” if her England renaissance continues with a place in the squad for this summer’s World Cup.

The Manchester City midfielder, 32, returned to the international fold when she was called up by Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman in February.

That was her first involvement since a training camp in 2020 under Phil Neville, and she had not played for her country since winning the two caps she had to her name in 2015 under Mark Sampson.

Coombs subsequently played twice at the Arnold Clark Cup and was then included in Wiegman’s squad for April’s matches against Brazil and Australia, for which she was an unused substitute.

On the possibility of making the next squad, for the European champions’ World Cup campaign in Australia and New Zealand, Coombs said: “It would be the stuff of dreams to be honest."

England will reach a key point in their World Cup preparations as Sarina Wiegman names her 23-player squad for Australia and New Zealand today.

The Lionesses manager faces a number of big decisions after losing several key players in the build-up to the tournament, including captain Leah Williamson and Fran Kirby.

Wiegman must also decide whether to take a risk on the fitness of Euros golden boot winner Beth Mead, while senior players Millie Bright and Lucy Bronze are recovering from injuries as well.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of England’s World Cup announcement.

Ex-England international Fara Williams has picked her Lionesses squad for Australia and New Zealand.

The obvious name in her 23-player squad is Beth Mead, worth the risk?