Tournament hosts Switzerland began promisingly but were ultimately toppled by Norway, while Finland narrowly overcame 10-player Iceland, as the Women’s Euro 2025 got underway on Wednesday.
Nadine Riesen got the host nation off to a flying start in Group A when she found the net on 28-minutes against the finalists from 2005 and 2013, sparking jubilant scenes inside St. Jakob-Park in Basel.
The Norwegians, managed by Gemma Grainger, the only English manager at the tournament, drew level shortly after the break courtesy of a 50th international goal from captain Ada Hegerberg.
50 mål for Norge 🇳🇴🔥 pic.twitter.com/D07r0we5mi
— Fotballandslaget (@nff_landslag) July 2, 2025
Julia Stierli’s own goal four minutes later completed the comeback for Grainger’s team before Hegerberg missed the opportunity to extend the lead when she dragged a penalty wide.
Switzerland were then awarded a spot-kick of their own just seconds later but the decision was swiftly overturned by VAR.
An end-to-end last half hour yielded no further goals. Norway, the Group A favourites, held on to claim three points and put themselves in a strong position to progress to the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, the Swiss showed enough quality to suggest they could still make the knockout phase on home soil.
Earlier in the day, Finland’s Katariina Kosola nabbed the first goal of the tournament with a fine right-footed strike as Marko Saloranta’s side began their campaign with a 1-0 win.
The goal came 12 minutes after Hildur Antonsdottir was sent off for Iceland for a second bookable offence.
Thursday sees the start of Group B and a first look at world champions Spain.
Montse Tome’s team are one of the favourites to take the crown from competition holders England and begin their campaign against Portugal in Bern.
They may, however, be without two-time Ballon d’Or winner and 2023 World Cup Golden Ball recipient Aitana Bonmati for the game after she was treated for viral meningitis.
In other Group B fixture, Belgium take on Italy in Sion.
