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Sunday, April 12, 2026

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England to celebrate 500th international

England women will honour a landmark milestone in their storied history when they play their 500th international against Iceland on Saturday 18 April [KO 17.30 BST].

A week of celebrations will begin at game 499, the highly anticipated FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifier with Spain at Wembley Stadium connected by EE on Tuesday 14 April. More than 50 former Lionesses from across the decades will be in attendance. The majority will form a guard of honour as both teams walk out onto the pitch. Additionally representatives from Lynda Hale’s family, the former Lioness who scored in the first-ever official England women’s fixture in 1972 and who recently passed away, will also be present for the occasion.

Notable branding and celebratory touches will appear across Wembley Stadium, nodding to the Lionesses’ history and honouring those who have shaped the team across five decades.

Events will continue with The FA unveiling a commemorative plaque in Nuneaton in the West Midlands on Thursday 16 April, permanently recognising the location of the England women’s first home fixture. The meeting with Scotland, one of the cornerstone moments in the team’s history, took place on 23 June 1973 with England triumphing 8-0. Members of the squad will be attendance in an afternoon of celebrations.

To mark the milestone in Reykjavik, the team will wear a bespoke Lionesses Nike Limited Edition 500th Anniversary Game Pre-Match Top. Inspired by the original Women’s FA logo in tribute to the team’s early pioneers, the commemorative top will be worn during the warm-up against Iceland. A limited number of the designs in black and white will be available for supporters to purchase at the Wembley Stadium store on Tuesday 14 April, before being released via the online England store from Wednesday 15 April.

Across the next 10 days fans can look forward to dedicated content across England channels, sharing stories and personal reflections from players past and present.

Speaking of the significance of the landmark, captain Leah Williamson said: “As we reach the 500th game it feels more important than ever to honour every former Lioness and those who had to play in the shadows prior. We are the lucky ones, we get to play with opportunities they could only dream of. The trailblazers who played with passion and determination broke boundaries and built the foundations we stand on today. We’re custodians of the game now, and it’s our responsibility to keep pushing it forward for the next generation, just as they did for us. This milestone belongs to every single one of them.”

As announced last week supporters heading to Wembley Stadium for England’s match against Spain will also have the opportunity to recognise the outstanding international career of Mary Earps, who retired from international football in 2025 after earning 53 caps for her country. A key figure in the UEFA EURO 2022 triumph and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup run to the Final, she will be honoured with a presentation pitch side before kick off.

At half time there will be a special moment to recognise the achievements of the England women’s blind team. Members of the squad who claimed a silver medal finish at the 2025 World Championship in India last October will be presented to the crowd. Supporters will have the chance to celebrate the recent success of the England women’s deaf squad at an upcoming home international, after they were crowned European Futsal champions last month.