England Prepares for Under-20 Women’s World Cup Amid Selection and Injury Concerns
Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images
The Under-20 Women’s World Cup is set to take place in Poland from September 5 to 27, with uncertainty lingering over UEFA’s potential boycott amid ongoing disputes with FIFA. The BBC has confirmed that the French Football Federation (FFF) will participate in the tournament, but the stance of The FA remains unclear as the England squad gears up for their friendly match against Portugal Under-20s this week.
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Notably, the tournament does not fall within the FIFA international calendar, meaning clubs have the right to withhold their players’ participation. Emma Hayes, in an exclusive interview with ESPN, emphasized the tournament’s significance for young talent. “I consider the Under-20 event the biggest platform for young players to play in,” she stated, highlighting the importance of this stage for athletes progressing from the Under-17 level.
France manager Philippe Joly echoed this sentiment, mentioning the potential discrepancies between his desired squad and club allowances. He plans to compile a provisional list of 55 players and consult their clubs about participation. “It’s a crucial stage for knowing whether or not we’ll have all our greatest assets at our disposal,” he said.
The tournament is open to players born between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2010. Among Arsenal’s current players under professional contracts, Michelle Agyemang, Katie Reid, Jessie Gale, Cecily Wellesley-Smith, Vivienne Lia, Maddie Earl, and Sophie Harwood are eligible. Additionally, former Arsenal player Laila Harbert, who has departed the club, also captains the England Under-20 side.
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Given the five matches England Under-20s competed in during 2026, Wellesley-Smith appears likely to be a key player in the tournament. She recently returned from a year-long loan at Rosengård in Sweden. Gale and Lia also have strong prospects for the squad, offering valuable options from the bench. Harwood, having received her first Under-20 call-up, needs to perform well during the Portugal camp to solidify her spot. In contrast, Earl’s absence from recent squads makes her participation unlikely.
Additionally, two players, Agyemang and Reid, would likely start if fully fit, but both are currently recovering from ACL injuries. Neither has shown readiness to return to competitive play, as recovery from such injuries is a lengthy process.
The recent return of Megan Finnigan, Everton’s captain, after 18 months post-injury highlights the challenge ahead. Agyemang and Reid suffered their injuries in late 2025 and are currently about 10 months into their rehabilitation, having participated in a training camp in La Manga, Spain.
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Both players have strong familiarity with the England Under-20 squad, having previously played together at Under-17 and Under-19 levels. If they were fit, their selection would be straightforward. However, current training footage suggests that the timing of the tournament may not favor their return. It appears unlikely they will be ready for competitive matches before Lydia Bedford announces her 21-player squad.
Consequently, it seems probable that Wellesley-Smith, Gale, and Lia will be chosen for the tournament alongside Harbert.
England’s preparations are under way, but injuries, selection battles and club decisions could shape Arsenal’s representation in Poland.
Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images
The Under-20 Women’s World Cup will take place in Poland from 5 to 27 September. We are still waiting to see whether UEFA will boycott the tournament as part of the ongoing dispute between UEFA and FIFA. The BBC has confirmed that the French Football Federation (FFF) will take part. There has been no indication from The FA, although the England squad is preparing for the tournament with a friendly away to Portugal Under-20s this week.
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As a reminder, the tournament is not part of the FIFA international calendar. That means there is no compulsory release of players, so clubs can prevent their players from attending. Emma Hayes recently hinted at the issue in relation to the United States youth national teams.
“I consider the Under-20 event the biggest platform for young players to play in,” Hayes said in an exclusive interview with ESPN. “I keep thinking about so many of our players that, whether they miss the Under-17, how critical it is for them to come through the Under-20s.”
France manager Philippe Joly made a similar point. “I’ve already picked my squad in my head, I’ve already decided in my head, but there may be a slight difference between what I want to do and what the clubs will allow me to do. First, we will draw up a provisional squad of 55 players and talk to their clubs to see if they would be willing to let their players take part. It’s a crucial stage for knowing whether or not we’ll have all our greatest assets at our disposal.”
The tournament is open to players born between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2010. Among Arsenal’s current players on professional contracts, the following are eligible: Michelle Agyemang, Katie Reid, Jessie Gale, Cecily Wellesley-Smith, Vivienne Lia, Maddie Earl and Sophie Harwood. Former Arsenal player Laila Harbert, who recently left the club, has also captained the England Under-20 side.
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Looking at the five matches England Under-20s have played in 2026, Wellesley-Smith appears to be a certainty for the tournament and should be a starter. She has spent the past year on loan at various clubs and is currently with Rosengård in Sweden.
Lia and Gale also have a strong chance of making the squad and could provide useful options from the bench. Harwood has an outside chance after receiving her first Under-20 call-up and will need to impress during the Portugal camp to secure one of the remaining places. Earl has not featured in recent Under-20 squads, so her chances appear limited.
Then there are two players who, in my view, would be starters for England Under-20s if fully fit, Agyemang and Reid, both of whom are recovering from ACL injuries. There is no indication that either is yet ready to return to competitive football. Recovering from that type of injury takes time.
We recently saw Megan Finnigan, Everton’s captain, make her first appearance 18 months after suffering the same injury. Reid was injured in early November 2025 and Agyemang at the end of October 2025. They are now around 10 months into their rehabilitation and were both part of Arsenal’s training camp in La Manga, Spain.
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Both players know the majority of the England Under-20 squad well from playing together at Under-17 and Under-19 level, so integrating them into the squad would present no difficulty. If they were fully fit, I believe they would be selected. However, based on the training photographs and videos released by Arsenal, that does not appear to be the case. The tournament looks as though it has come around about a month too early for them, as neither is likely to have played a competitive match for Arsenal by the time Lydia Bedford names her 21-player squad.
My expectation, therefore, is that three current Arsenal players, Wellesley-Smith, Gale and Lia, will be selected, alongside former Gunner Harbert.
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