England squad ladder: Ranking Sarina Wiegman’s players from 1-35
England are one step closer to qualifying for the 2027 World Cup after a resounding aggregate 8-1 first-round play-off win against Greece.
The Lionesses’ 5-0 rout on Tuesday was much improved from their sluggish 3-1 away first-leg win against the side ranked 54 places below them. Alessia Russo and Lauren James looked full of confidence as they both grabbed a brace while Georgia Stanway, England’s top goalscorer, made it 11 goals in 11 appearances.
Head coach Sarina Wiegman handed a full debut to 20-year-old Lexi Potter while Freya Godfrey came off the bench to play her first minutes in an England shirt. Potter was one of two changes to the starting XI compared to Friday as Jess Carter came in for Esme Morgan at centre-back.
The Dutch coach used a different midfield formation to increase England’s goalscoring chances and is still tinkering ahead of next summer’s World Cup. England must beat Ukraine over two legs in the second round to secure qualification, but Wiegman is gradually assembling her squad.
The Athletic has listed 35 players most likely, as it stands, to make the cut for next summer’s tournament in Brazil.
This is an educated guess, and it’s important not to get too bogged down in the numbers. These rankings are not strict, and the names will change as the year progresses — though it’s safe to say the players towards the top are England’s safest bets.
1. Hannah Hampton
England’s clear No 1. There’s little else to say since the Earps v Hampton debate has finally been put to bed. Hampton is the most in-form English goalkeeper competing at the highest level. Her distribution is pivotal to England’s attack while her shot-stopping is strong. She’ll be disappointed not to have kept two clean sheets against Greece, but we’re nitpicking.
2. Alessia Russo
No debate about England’s No 9 despite a stuttering start with Arsenal. She has recovered form, scoring in both legs, bringing her season tally up to five in four games. There is little competition upfront, as shown when Wiegman did not call up another striker, knowing that she could play Lauren Hemp or Beth Mead in the No 9 role.
3. Keira Walsh
For the first time in years, probably not England’s most undroppable player. That’s not a reflection of her performances, which have been strong for club and country at the start of 2026-27. But England now have less competition than two years ago both in goal and up top, and find themselves with more midfield options. Walsh will always start if fit.
4. Georgia Stanway
A difficult start at Arsenal, and the emergence of other midfielders, means Stanway has more competition for her place than at any point since before Euro 2022. But she remains difficult to drop.
5. Lucy Bronze
Forced to stay home for the World Cup play-off matches due to a “minor injury” sustained during Chelsea’s 3-0 WSL win against West Ham. The fact that Wiegman chose to call up midfielder Ella Toone in her place, then play centre-back Maya Le Tissier in the first leg against Greece, points to two truths: Wiegman has no intention of auditioning Bronze’s spot ahead of Brazil and England have no natural backup. Bronze will be 35 next summer. The lack of an heir is not a new concern.
6. Leah Williamson
When injury-free, she is a sure starter under Wiegman, who is loyal to her captain even when her recent club form has been patchy. She seems undroppable, whereas Wiegman will rotate her centre-back partners as was the case in Tuesday’s second leg when Morgan dropped out of the back line. “I am absolutely not concerned about her form,” said Wiegman after the first leg. “I think she’s in great form.”
7. Lauren Hemp
Clearly Wiegman’s first-choice winger; she’s never left out of England’s starting XI. She’s occasionally played as the central attacker when others are unavailable, and given the lack of backups for Russo at No 9, might be needed there at some point.
8. Lauren James
There’s no other player at Wiegman’s disposal as effortlessly dangerous as James. We might not have gotten her sumptuous chipped finish in the first leg, but we got a perfectly weighted assist for Russo’s opener and two sensational goals within 20 minutes of each other. James was utilised again centrally, a sign of Wiegman’s trust in her defensive diligence and James’ ever-firming grasp on the No 10 position. What havoc this system can wreak there against stronger midfields remains to be seen. But the rule of thumb is this: if England want to win in Brazil, make space for James.
9. Alex Greenwood
Greenwood offers one of Wiegman’s key characteristics: versatility. Started both games ahead of Niamh Charles at left-back and that is clearly where Wiegman sees her, as opposed to her usual position of centre-back for Manchester City. Offers much-needed balance in the backline as the only natural left-footed player.
10. Esme Morgan
After a long period as a backup, Morgan has now emerged as Wiegman’s go-to partner for Williamson. Her move to Washington Spirit in the NWSL has taken her game to another level, and is helped by the fact that Wiegman is fond of using Greenwood as a left-back rather than a centre-back.
11. Beth Mead
Mead has been deployed with increasing regularity in the No 10 position for Manchester City this season, with mixed results. But the practice might benefit England. Wiegman’s replacement of midfielder Laura Blindkilde Brown in the first leg, then James in the second with Mead was a nod to Wiegman’s faith in her ability to play more centrally while maintaining a goal-scoring threat. Mead remains a steady presence in this England side. Where exactly she most impacts could depend on her adaptation at City.
12. Jess Carter
Perhaps a surprise starter for the second leg, coming in for Morgan at centre-back. Prior to Tuesday’s game, the Gotham defender had only started one of the last five fixtures, a 3-0 win over Ukraine in June. Wiegman evidently trusts the 28-year-old, though as demonstrated in the Euro 2025 final.
13. Jess Park
An enigma of the Wiegman era. Park remains Manchester United’s heartbeat on the ball and one of their most tenacious off it. But the carte blanche supplied at United is something that, with James, Russo and other attacking threats, doesn’t work under Wiegman. Park was handed 30 minutes against Greece with the second leg already wrapped up but struggled to make a lasting impression.
14. Lexi Potter
The biggest winner since the previous camp. After only getting a handful of starts for Chelsea last season, Potter has been excellent in 2026-27, playing alongside Walsh as a commanding presence deep in midfield. She was outstanding in Chelsea’s recent 1-0 win over Arsenal. Her calmness and intelligence in possession are exactly what England have lacked when Walsh is marked out of matches. For all the speculation about who England play in the No 10 role, it’s conceivable that Wiegman uses the system she deployed in the second leg: Potter as the deepest midfielder alongside Walsh, who had more freedom to push forward, with Stanway playing the most advanced role.
15. Maya Le Tissier
A very good week for the Manchester United captain. Wiegman has been open about considering Le Tissier, a centre-back at club level, purely as a backup to Lucy Bronze at right-back. This has always been a slightly odd situation, but with Bronze absent through injury, Le Tissier stepped up in an attack-minded role, thumped in an excellent goal away in Greece, and should have netted in the home leg too.
16. Niamh Charles
Picked up an injury during new club City’s pre-season, which delayed her start to the domestic campaign but gradually accrued
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