England head coach Sarina Wiegman has announced the 23‑player roster that will travel for next month’s World Cup qualifying play‑off against Greece, and the list notably excludes two of the Lionesses’ most high‑profile attackers, Ella Toone and Chloe Kelly. Kelly’s situation at Arsenal has been a cause for concern. She has not yet completed a full 90‑minute spell for the club this season and, in fact, has not started a single match. The last occasion she was left out of an England call‑up dates back to February 2025, making her omission this time a significant talking point.
Toone, who has been a regular starter for Manchester United in the Women’s Super League, also finds herself on the outside. She started three of United’s league games this term, but she was absent from the 1‑1 draw with Arsenal on 19 September. Despite her involvement earlier in the campaign, Wiegman felt her recent performances did not meet the standards required for the crucial play‑off fixtures. “The main reason is that I think the levels weren’t what I expect from them on the pitch,” Wiegman explained when questioned about the decision.
“I have had a conversation with them and there is big competition going on and that is basically what it is.” She added that the choice was painful for both players. “It has been a really hard decision for both of them. I really believe in them and we follow them really well and we expect a bit more and know they can bring more.
I hope they can step up and show what they can do because I’m convinced they can do better. They took the feedback well, in a positive way, but it is also hard to take.
It is not a nice message. I hope they respond on it really well.
I hope they come back even better than they were before.” Wiegman continued, “I had the conversation with Chloe and it was just about what I saw on the pitch. I kept with football with her [and Toone].” The rest of the squad features a blend of experienced internationals and emerging talent. Goalkeepers named are Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), Khiara Keating (Liverpool) and Anna Moorhouse (Manchester City, on loan from Orlando Pride).
The defensive line includes Lucy Bronze (Chelsea), Jess Carter (Gotham), Niamh Charles (Manchester City), Grace Fisk (Liverpool), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Maya Le Tissier (Manchester United), Esme Morgan (Washington Spirit) and captain Leah Williamson (Arsenal). In midfield, selections are Laura Blindkilde Brown (Manchester City), Lucia Kendall (Aston Villa), Erica Meg Parkinson (North Carolina Courage), Lexi Potter (Chelsea), Georgia Stanway (Arsenal) and Keira Walsh (Chelsea).
Up front, the forwards are Freya Godfrey (London City Lionesses), Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Beth Mead (Manchester City), Jess Park (Manchester United) and Alessia Russo (Arsenal). In addition to Toone and Kelly, a few other names did not make the cut: Chelsea’s young striker Aggie Beever‑Jones, Arsenal’s Lotte Wubben‑Moy and Taylor Hinds were also omitted. However, the squad does see the return of captain Leah Williamson, 29, who missed the June 4‑0 loss to Spain and the 3‑0 win over Ukraine due to a hamstring problem. A bright spot for the team is the inclusion of 20‑year‑old Chelsea midfielder Lexi Potter, who earns her first senior call‑up.
Potter has started three of her side’s first four league games and even found the net in a 2‑0 victory over Birmingham earlier in the month. Wiegman praised her development, saying, “I think she’s grown a lot. Last season we kept a close eye on her because she was already getting into the squad but I think she has started this season really well. Her performances have really impressed us, so she really deserves this call‑up.
She’s shown at Chelsea she can start against any team. What I’ve seen from her is she comes out on the pitch and just plays, she is comfortable, so I hope to see that next week.” The roster also welcomes back Liverpool defender Grace Fisk and uncapped North Carolina Courage midfielder Erica Meg Parkinson, who made her debut in April. Manchester City full‑back Niamh Charles returns after recovering from an injury, having appeared as a substitute in the WSL champions’ 1‑0 win over Charlton Athletic on Saturday.
England will contest a two‑legged tie against Greece, with the first match scheduled for October 9 at the Pankritio Stadium in Crete and the return fixture on October 13 at Leicester City’s King Power Stadium. Should the Lionesses prevail, they will move on to the next round of the World Cup play‑offs, where they could face either Slovakia or Ukraine over two legs in the November‑December international window.
The victor of that tie will secure a place at the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. Wiegman summed up the team’s mindset: “We have great respect for Greece but our expectations of ourselves are clear. We are here to win these two games, deliver strong performances, and move one step closer to securing our place at the World Cup. It’s always exciting to reconnect as a group and we are looking forward to getting back together.
The players will arrive motivated and ready for the next steps. We are looking forward to travelling to Crete and playing Greece for the first time ever. We will then return to Leicester, where we’ve enjoyed some good moments together in the past.
We know our supporters will get behind the team again, and it will be great to play in front of them after a few months away.” Wiegman’s contract runs until the end of the upcoming World Cup, and negotiations for an extension beyond 2027 remain unresolved. When asked about a new deal, she emphasized her focus on the imminent Greece matches, stating, “We have regular conversations together and talk about the future at moments, but at this moment I’m just focusing on Greece and want to get through and qualify for the World Cup.
I always speak. Of course I talk to Mark [Bullingham, FA chief executive officer] every two weeks, and we talk about what is happening now and the future, but there is nothing new, we are focusing on Greece and then hopefully the World Cup.” Analyst Anton Toloui of Sky Sports noted that while Wiegman would have preferred to keep Toone and Kelly, the statistics did not support their inclusion. He pointed out that Toone has struggled under Manchester United’s new head coach Eva Olid, with several key midfield metrics trending downward, and that Kelly’s limited starts for Arsenal have diminished her impact. Both players will now have to prove themselves in club football to earn a recall for future England assignments.