Opening ceremony, tournament stars, and everything you need to know about Euro 2025
From the very first moments, the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025, which has just kicked off in picturesque Switzerland, promises an incredible dose of sporting emotions. The tournament opened with a spectacular ceremony entitled “The Summit of Emotions”, evoking the Alpine landscape of Switzerland and the thrilling highs and lows that always accompany great football.
A spectacular opening – mountains, music, and football
The event began on July 2, 2025, at St. Jakob-Park in Basel, where the hosts — Switzerland — faced Norway. Fans at the stadium and millions watching on TV experienced an extraordinary artistic show. Popular Swiss singer Beatrice Egli performed the Swiss national anthem, evoking great emotion and reminding everyone of the values of unity, perseverance, and passion. Meanwhile, Astrid S, the well-known Norwegian artist, beautifully sang her country’s anthem, completing the festive mood. The special soundtrack for the ceremony was composed by Ludovico Clemente.
Who will fight for the title? Meet the teams and the tournament rules
Sixteen of the best teams from across Europe are competing. The hosts, Switzerland, are in Group A alongside Norway, Iceland, and Finland. The opening match against the Scandinavians already delivered plenty of excitement.
Here is the full group breakdown:
- Group A: Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Finland
- Group B: Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Italy
- Group C: Germany, Poland, Denmark, Sweden
- Group D (the “group of death”): France, England (2022 European champions), Wales, Netherlands
The tournament follows the classic format: after the group stage, the top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage (quarterfinals, semifinals, and the gold medal match). In case of a draw, extra time and possibly penalties are provided for — which always raises the drama.
Stadiums – women’s football takes over Switzerland!
Matches will be played in no fewer than eight stadiums. This kind of sporting festival has never before come to this part of Europe!
- Basel: St. Jakob-Park (opening match and final)
- Bern: Stadion Wankdorf
- Geneva: Stade de Genève (semifinal)
- Zurich: Letzigrund Stadium
- St. Gallen: Arena St. Gallen
- Lucerne: Allmend Stadion Luzern
- Sion: Stade de Tourbillon
- Thun: Arena Thun
Initially, the final was to take place in Bern, but the organizers decided to move the event to Basel — to the opening arena St. Jakob-Park, underscoring the venue’s significance to the entire tournament.
Tournament favorites – will England defend their title?
Bookmakers and football experts alike point to three particularly strong teams:
- Germany: with eight Euro wins in their history, their record speaks for itself — they are heavily favored, although analysis puts their chances of a ninth title at around 14%. Odds for their success are currently 9/2.
- Spain: reigning world champions, featuring the unmatched duo — Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí.
- England: defending champions, though the team has undergone a generational shift recently and lost some of its leading players.
Dark horses – who could surprise?
We can expect surprises, especially as the history of women’s football is full of unexpected results:
- Norway: on paper, not favored by bookmakers, but seen as a candidate to win Group A and a team that could shake up the knockout stage.
- Denmark: carries more uncertainty, especially having landed in a demanding group with Germany and Sweden. However, they have an invaluable leader — Pernille Harder, one of the best strikers in the world.
Stars you can’t miss!
The biggest tournaments always have their heroines. Who will the cameras focus on this time?
- Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands): the queen of Dutch goalscoring, ready to lead her team to the highest goals after returning from injury.
- Pernille Harder (Denmark): the aforementioned Danish captain. Record holder for most goals for the national team — her form could decide Denmark’s fate.
- Alexia Putellas (Spain): current Ballon d’Or winner, one of the greatest players of our time.
A month of football emotions – don’t miss it!
From July 2 to 27, women’s football fans will live and breathe UEFA Women’s Euro 2025. The opening ceremony is behind us, but the best is yet to come — fierce battles, new stars emerging on the horizon, and historic moments.
Switzerland impressed at the inauguration, women’s football is showing its strength, and fans from all over the world are heading to the Alpine paradise to experience true football emotions. Euro 2025 is underway — join us at the stadium or in front of your screens, because this is an event we’ll remember for years to come!
