Taylor Hinds has withdrawn from the England squad due to an ankle injury sustained last week, adding to Sarina Wiegman’s mounting injury problems ahead of critical World Cup qualifying matches against Spain and Ukraine.

The Arsenal defender will not recover in time for the international window, forcing the Lionesses to manage without one of their important defensive options.

Wiegman decided against calling up a replacement, choosing instead to work with the remaining 24 players in camp at St George’s Park. It is a gamble that suggests she has faith in the squad depth available, but it also signals that England are stretched for defensive resources heading into matches they genuinely need to win.

The injury list is growing problematic. Goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck is already ruled out. Captain Leah Williamson was unable to report for duty. Goalkeeper Khiara Keating is operating under concussion protocols and will miss at least one fixture.

That is three significant absences in crucial positions. Hinds’ withdrawal adds a fourth to that list, creating a defensive vulnerability that England cannot afford against quality opposition.

The Qualifying Picture Remains Favourable

England sit top of their group after four matches and will secure automatic qualification for Brazil 2027 if they maintain that position. Both fixtures are winnable. Spain in Palma is a tough test, but not insurmountable. Ukraine at Everton should be manageable. But with injuries mounting, there is no room for complacency.

Wiegman’s Dilemma

The decision not to call a replacement suggests the coach believes her remaining defenders can handle what is coming. It also suggests she is confident England will not need emergency cover. That confidence might prove well-founded, but it is a risk nonetheless.

England needs to navigate this without slipping up. The path to Brazil remains clear, but the injuries are making it more treacherous.

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Arsenal Women have six players heading into international duty this summer, with Chloe Kelly, Taylor Hinds, Beth Mead, Alessia Russo, Leah Williamson and Lotte Wubben-Moy all named in Sarina Wiegman’s England squad for the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers.

The Lionesses face Spain on June 5 before hosting Ukraine on June 9 at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium, two fixtures that could effectively seal England’s place at the 2027 World Cup in Brazil without the need for a play-off. Wiegman’s side sit top of Group C with maximum points from their first four games, and two more wins would confirm automatic qualification.

England are well on course and these six Arsenal players will want to be part of the moment it becomes official.

The Arsenal Contingent in the Squad

Six representatives from a single club is a statement about the quality Arsenal have built under Renee Slegers this season. Russo and Mead lead the attacking options from north London, while Williamson and Wubben-Moy offer experience and leadership in defence.

Hinds provides attacking width from full back and Kelly brings the kind of directness and unpredictability that international defences hate dealing with. A strong group.

What the Qualifiers Mean for England

Wiegman has this squad exactly where she wants them heading into the summer.

Top of the group, unbeaten, and with the destiny of automatic qualification entirely in their own hands. Winning both of these games would be the perfect preparation ahead of Brazil 2027, and there is no reason to think England cannot do exactly that.

Arsenal’s Season Ends on a High

The international call-ups round off what has been a genuinely positive campaign for Arsenal Women. A second-place WSL finish, a Champions Cup triumph and now six players in the England squad. Slegers is building something real at this club.

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For football fans of all colours up and down the country we are well into the business end of the 2025/26 campaign, and even for those fans who follow the Women’s Super League (WSL) more closely, the shenanigans that are taking place in the domestic Premier League cannot have passed them by.

Arsenal’s title capitulation for another season allied to Tottenham Hotspur’s serious risk of relegation has had neutrals bouncing with anticipation…but whilst that may still dominate the headlines the ever growing Women’s side of the game and solid WSL scores continues to make strides of its own.

On Saturday evening, Sarina Wiegman’s England’s squad took yet another victory on their continuing upward trophy curve in more recent years as they look to again qualify for the upcoming World Cup. With Arsenal striker Alessia Russo’s first half winner over Iceland to return a 1-0 victory, the squad have maintained their 100% record so far as they eye the 2027 global tournament. That is not to say they were not made to work for the win, they were, but they again held out strong.

However, when it comes to the headlines of the weekend, that should not be what is front and centre as to much less fanfare and mainstream media acknowledgment, on Friday evening the England Women’s Under 23 side tasted success of their own.

With goals coming from London City Lionesses striker Isobel Goodwin, Birmingham City defender Hannah Silcock and Leicester City’s Olivia McLoughlin, the young Lionesses took a largely comfortable 3-0 victory over Sweden in the European Competition friendly finals to add silverware to their own collections and add further anticipation to the minds of fans when it comes to what the next generation of talent could achieve on the European and World stage for the country.

The European Competition is only in its second year of being and is a season long tournament contested by the 12 leading teams on the continent, so when you add the age cap restrictions into place, it is not really the sort of friendly tournament the name implies and is a very good testing ground for the hopeful household names of the future.

England certainly did not have it all their own way either, they opened the competition with a 5-0 thrashing by Germany and could only manage a draw against Portugal, however four strong and defensive minded straight victories showed lessons had been learned, and their attacking qualities came to the fore in the Final as they scored twice in the opening nine minutes to stamp their authority and control on the game.

It was the perfect start for former Leicester City head coach Lydia Bedford, as she was only handed the role of coach last month and she will be hoping for far more success as the future months tick by. With continued success going Wiegman’s way having already picked up back to back European Championships, the Dutch 56 year old with an unhealthy obsession with Burna Boy, will be delighted that the next crop down are already beginning to knock on her door and make her think about future options.