England will face Brazil in the inaugural Women’s Finalissima at Wembley Stadium on Thursday night.
Here’s the rundown on the fixture:
What is the Finalissima?
The Finalissima is a new, one-off game, competed between the winners of the previous European Championship and the Copa America. Last year, Argentina defeated Italy 3-0 in the men’s game, while England v Brazil is the first edition of the women’s fixture.
England beat Germany in a dramatic Women’s Euro 2022 final last summer, while Brazil triumphed 1-0 over Colombia in the Women’s Copa America.
What time is England v Brazil Women kick-off?
England's Lionesses will kick off against Brazil Women at 7.45pm on Thursday, April 6, at Wembley Stadium, London. The match is sold out.
What TV channel is the England v Brazil Women on?
England v Brazil Women will be broadcast on free-to-air TV in the UK on ITV1. Coverage starts from 7.30pm. The game will also be streamed online on ITVX.
What is the team news?
Sandy MacIver has withdrawn from the England squad due to injury. There will be no replacement called up, with Mary Earps, Ellie Roebuck and Hannah Hampton the goalkeeping options. England will also be without the injured Millie Bright, with Lotte Wubben-Moy called up in her place.
What have the managers said?
England’s Sarina Wiegman: "It's the first Finalissima. That's really nice and it will be a great occasion. We're going to be playing in front of 90,000 people and it's set to be a very exciting environment and evening. These are two teams who want to play football.
"Although Brazil have a young team, this is a very good football team. They're powerful, have athleticism and are very tight on the ball. They're very technical and play with a good structure, so we're excited to see where we're at against them.
"We expect to be challenged more in defence, so that will give us more information about our team and where players are at this moment moving forward in our preparation for the World Cup."
Brazil’s Pia Sundhage: "This is part of the journey to the World Cup and I'm really appreciative and happy to play against one of the best teams and one of the best coaches in the world. We have a bit of an inexperienced team. If you look at our squad we don't have many players who played in the World Cup.
"This will be fantastic. We'll get to see how they play in front of huge crowds. Thursday night is a teacher and we have the chance to learn something. We'll get some answers after this game and I'm grateful for the opportunity."
Who is the England Women v Brazil referee?
The game will be refereed by Stephanie Frappart from France. Frappart has made history by becoming the first woman to referee a men’s UEFA Super Cup (2019), Champions League match (2020), and FIFA World Cup match (2022).
What are the latest betting odds?
England 4/9
Draw 7/2
Brazil 5/1
To lift the trophy
England 1/4
Brazil 11/4
All odds are correct from at time of writing
