England’s home Women’s World Cup qualifier against Ukraine in June will take place at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The Football Association’s decision to take the Lionesses to Everton’s 52,700-capacity ground demonstrates its growing confidence in the appeal of Sarina Wiegman’s side as they attempt to back up their double European Championship-winning heroics by winning the World Cup for the first time in 2027.
England’s campaign begins against Ukraine in Antalya next Tuesday before they host Iceland at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground four days later in a difficult group that also includes Spain, the Lionesses’ opponents in last year’s European Championship final and the 2023 World Cup final.
The world champions will visit Wembley in a marquee fixture on 14 April before England play in Iceland four days later. England’s qualifying campaign concludes with a visit to Spain on 5 June before their final game against Ukraine on 9 June.
England’s recent non-Wembley home games have been held at smaller grounds such as Southampton’s St Mary’s Stadium and Derby County’s Pride Park so a first visit to Everton’s new home represents a significant step up in size.
Everton Women have been based at Goodison Park this season, attracting the third-highest average attendance figure in the Women’s Super League after Arsenal and Chelsea.
Everton have been active in hiring out Hill Dickinson Stadium since it opened last summer. England’s rugby league side played an Ashes Test against Australia there last November, a Nations Championship rugby union international between Fiji and England has been scheduled for July, and Scotland will face Côte d’Ivoire in a World Cup warm-up game next month.
The stadium has also been put forward as a potential venue as part of the UK’s 2035 Women’s World Cup bid.
The FA and Everton declined to comment.
