England Women U20s squad named amid boycott threat
August 21, 2026 15:00
England's under-20 women's manager Lydia Bedford announced a 21-player squad for the upcoming FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in Poland, while the tournament remains under threat of a boycott by some European federations. Bedford said the team has continued preparations and that leadership's instruction has been to carry on with normal training and match plans.
The squad includes players based in the UK, the United States and Sweden, and features North Carolina Courage midfielder Erica Meg Parkinson, who was previously called into the senior England squad in March. England warmed up with a victory in Portugal ahead of the tournament.
KEY CONTEXT
The boycott threat stems from controversy over FIFA's Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, which would have created a new company to handle commercial and ticketing rights for FIFA competitions and sold a 21% stake to a private investment firm. That proposal was withdrawn after strong criticism from several confederations, led by UEFA, and there have been public calls for FIFA president Gianni Infantino to step down.
The U20 Women's World Cup in Poland (5–27 September) is the next FIFA event scheduled and is the first tournament identified as being at risk if European federations follow through with their boycott threats. Six European nations are entered in the 24-team tournament: England, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and hosts Poland.
WHY IT MATTERS
A boycott by European federations could directly affect teams, tournament logistics and commercial arrangements for a global FIFA event; this is why federations' positions and any resulting actions are closely watched. For England specifically, continued preparations and squad selection proceed while the wider governance dispute remains unresolved, meaning players and staff face uncertainty beyond the usual tournament pressures.
On the sporting side, England have been drawn in Group B with Brazil, Tanzania and Canada; progression rules mean the top two in each group advance automatically, and the four best third-placed teams also qualify for the last 16, so group results will determine their path.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
- Whether UEFA and other European federations move from threat to formal boycott remains unresolved.
- Italy, Portugal and Poland are expected to name their U20 squads next week; France has not yet announced a date for theirs.
- England's group-stage schedule: vs Canada (5 Sep, 17:00 BST), vs Tanzania (8 Sep, 17:00 BST), vs Brazil (11 Sep, 14:00 BST) — the opener against Canada will be the team's first competitive test in Poland.
KEY FACTS
- Tournament: FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in Poland, 5–27 September.
- England manager: Lydia Bedford; squad size: 21 players.
- England group (Group B): Brazil, Tanzania, Canada; England face Canada first on 5 September.
- Notable squad member: Erica Meg Parkinson (North Carolina Courage), previously called up to the senior squad in March.
- Controversy: FIFA's FFE proposal (creating a new commercial entity and selling 21% to private investors) was withdrawn after criticism led by UEFA; UEFA has threatened a boycott of FIFA competitions.