Iceland v Finland: Women’s Euro 2025 opener – live

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The view from Switzerland: Enthusiasm is palpable in a country where fans are buying in to a tournament where progress should be made on and off the pitch, writes Nick Ames in Nyon.

The opening ceremony: While this contest between Iceland and Finland may be the first game of the tournament, the official opening ceremony won’t take place until just before Switzerland’s match against Norway in Basel later this evening.

It says here that the three-act cermony will feature 185 cast members, 16 flag banners, 40 inflatable props and 29,000 Tifo cards distributed to fans in the stadium, and will be followed by Swiss popster Beatrice Egli and her Norwegian counterpart Astrid S singing their countries’ national anthems. In the meantime, here’s a nice land art painting by Saype to keep you culturally nourished …

A land art painting titled “Le terrain des possibles” created by Swiss French artist Saype in the parc La Grange, Geneva.

Iceland: Thorsteinn Halldórsson’s side will be tough to beat but can they turn tightly contested games into victories? Words: Víðir Sigurðsson.

Finland: A poor Nations League and an injury troubled buildup has taken the shine off Marko Saloranta’s side after an impressive qualifying campaign, writes Ari Virtanen.

The Euro 2025 wall chart showing all the fixtures and an illustration by the genius that is David Squires.

A peek inside the Finland dressing-room ahead of kick-off.

The Iceland match pennant hangs from the dressing-room peg of team captain Glodis Perla Viggosdottir.

Iceland v Finland line-ups

Iceland: Runarsdottir, Arnadottir, Viggosdottir, Sigurdardottir, Arnardottir, Johannsdottir, Vilhjalmsdottir, Antonsdottir, Eiriksdottir, Jessen, Jonsdottir.

Subs: Ivarsdottir, Birkisdottir, Agustsdottir, Heidarsdottir, Zomers, Brynjarsdottir, Anasi, Tryggvadottir, Albertsdottir, Gunnlaugsdottir, Halldorsdottir, Andradottir.

Finland: Koivunen, Emma Koivisto, Kuikka, Nystrom, Tynnila, Kosola, Oling, Summanen, Oona Siren, Sallstrom, Franssi.

Subs: Tamminen, Korpela, Vilma Koivisto, Ahtinen, Emmi Siren, Heroum, Kollanen, Lehtola, Roth, Sevenius, Rantala.

Guardian's Women's Football Weekly

Pre-tournament listening: Faye Carruthers is joined by Suzanne Wrack, Tom Garry and Marva Kreel for a full preview of Euro 2025, with the tournament kicking off today in Thun. Faye and the Guardian panel will be recording regularly throughout the tournament, so please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Today’s match officials

Referee: Katalin Anna Kulcsár (Hungary)
Referee’s assistants: Anita Vad and Irina Pozdejeva
Fourth Official: Catarina Isabel Ferreira de Campos
Video Assistant Referee: Tamás Bognár

Prediction time: Spain are expected to win the tournament but England have a Golden Boot contender in Alessia Russo. Our writers, including the USA manager Emma Hayes, make their tournament predictions ahead of kickoff in Switzerland …

England’s Alessia Russo is among the favourites to be top scorer at the Euros.

Group A: Iceland v Finland

Iceland and Finland are the first of the 16 teams participating in this summer’s Euros to get a run out and while neither side is fancied to go too deep into the competition, a win at the Arena Thun this evening will get either off to a flyer.

Thorsteinn Halldórsson’s Iceland side go into this game as favourites against a Finland team managed by Marko Saloranta and who are the lowest ranked team in a group also containing Norway and the hosts, Switzerland.

Finland qualified for this tournamnet via the playoffs, seeing off Montenegro and Scotland in the process, while Iceland qualified in second place in their group behind Germany, winning four and drawing one of their six qualifiers. They are ranked 14th in the world, compared to Finland’s 26th. Kick-off in Thun is at 5pm (BST) but stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.

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