Euro 2025 Daily: Switzerland swelters as tournament begins

The 2025 Women's European Championship is off and running. Let's catch you up on what's happening, what you've missed and what's still to come.

We will update this file throughout each matchday with the latest reporting, analysis and fun from the competition.

The lead: Switzerland swelters as Euro 2025 begins

BASEL, Switzerland -- If you're travelling to Euro 2025, you'll need sunblock and a fan; because the heat has been blistering.

While temperatures at the men's Club World Cup in America have made headlines, Europe is also in the midst of a heat wave ... just in time for the continent's top international women's tournament. And though soaking up the sun has been a nice change from the usual gloomy skies of England, the forecasted 97 degrees Fahrenheit (36 Celsius) has made the early stages an incredibly sweaty affair.

Yet it hasn't deterred fans from showing up in their masses. A record 600,000 tickets have already been sold for the tournament -- beating the numbers from Euro 2022 before the first game even began -- with 22 of the 31 games sold out.

People were cooling off and floating in the crystal clear waters of the Limmat River as we journeyed from Zurich to Basel. And it looked a tough trip for anyone without air conditioning in their cars as traffic was at a standstill on the way to St. Jakob-Park for hosts Switzerland's opener against Norway.

In Basel's fan park, anticipation was palpable as plenty of Swiss fans -- and a few Norway fans -- gathered to watch Euro 2025's opening game, Iceland vs. Finland (also in Group A), though much of the hustle and bustle was likely due to the air-conditioned indoor area. Some even ventured inside the stadium four hours before kickoff.

UEFA has issued guidance to fans amid the heat wave, encouraging them to bring reusable bottles into the stadium and make use of shaded areas. To combat the heat for players on the pitch, it has also implemented cooling breaks, one per half, if the temperature exceeds 89 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) at the end of the team warmups. If the temperature falls below the threshold, drink breaks will be at the discretion of the referee.

Before the game, Switzerland captain Lia Wälti stressed the importance of familiarizing yourself with the heat. "For me, water is really important," she said at a news conference. "Shading, putting your feet up before the game, but still going out once a day to get used to the temperature, because otherwise it almost hits you. It's something you can't influence, [but] we are already preparing for playing at these temperatures."

Thankfully, it is supposed to cool down before the end of the week. That will be a welcome break for fans and players alike. -- Emily Keogh

Today's top Euro 2025 news

- FIFPRO on women's ACL tears: Fix pitch, travel
- Bonmati rejoins Spain squad after hospital discharge
- Mead: No 'football talk' with Miedema ahead of Euro 2025

Sights and sounds around Euro 2025

Iceland fans bring more thunder, but it's not enough

THUN, Switzerland -- There were 75 minutes on the clock at Arena Thun when a low rumble rang out around the stadium. With Switzerland in the midst of a heatwave, some adverse weather was always to be expected.

But, while there had been a brief thunderstorm (complete with lightning) earlier in Iceland's tournament opening 1-0 defeat against Finland, this time it was the Iceland fans who were making the stadium shake as they delivered their iconic "Thunderclap" chant.

It was a rousing show of support from the thousands of travelling supporters, with their team having been reduced to 10 players midway through the second half, following Hildur Antonsdottir's dismissal for a second yellow card. Things then went from bad to worse when Katariina Kosola scored a terrific goal to put Finland ahead just 12 minutes later.

Despite all that, the Iceland fans -- as they had been all afternoon -- were in full voice. Earlier in the day, supporters had gathered in Thun's Waisenhausplatz square in the center of the town, where a fan zone has been set up for the duration of the tournament. There was face painting, live music and even -- in keeping with local traditions -- a surfing contest, before some fans braved the heat to take part in a 30-minute march to the stadium.

While Finland were ultimately victorious (for their first Euros win in 16 years), the passion from the Iceland fans in the stands proved the highlight of this cagey contest. The supporters will now surely be hoping their team gives them something to shout about on the pitch when they face hosts Switzerland in Bern on Saturday. -- Beth Lindop

Basel turns heads

BASEL, Switzerland -- The city of Basel has had a Euro 2025 makeover as its green trams have been turned purple and sky blue (to match the tournament logo), while the pedestrian crossings have had the men in the green lights changed to women soccer players. Good luck avoiding the Euros this summer if you're not a football fan! -- Keogh

England's scouting hub

ZURICH -- Keep an eye out for anyone in the stands at Euro 2025 scribbling ferociously into a notebook as the matches unfold ... they might be wearing an England tracksuit underneath their trench coat.

As they have done at previous men's and women's tournaments, England are to launch their "scouting hub" -- a group of pathway coaches who have been deployed to Switzerland to aid the Lionesses' bid to reclaim their European Championship crown. The coaches are tasked with building intel on the other 15 teams, providing a condensed summary of a team's strengths and weaknesses, for future use.

Among the scouts will be England women's U23s head coach Emma Coates and her assistant Gemma Davies. Their role will have a dual purpose: They'll be providing key insights for the Lionesses' staff this tournament, but they'll also be watching Europe's top players firsthand and will use that experience to help develop England's most promising young players.

"Being on the ground at a senior tournament provides valuable insight into the current trends and demands of the game at that level," Coates said. "This will inform our work next season with the U23s, helping us to ensure our pathway players are ready for the step up to senior international football." -- Tom Hamilton

France's home comforts

ZURICH -- As always during a major tournament, the France HQ (which this year is located near St. Gallen, right by the Swiss border with Austria) is stacked with things to occupy the players during their spare time.

This time, as well as the PlayStation, table tennis table, board games and card games such as Uno, you can also find a library where the players can relax with a book to read. Among the options is a biography of France men's legend Zinedine Zidane, NBA legend Kobe Bryant's autobiography "Mamba Mentality," and a book about photographer Annie Leibovitz's career.

On a big table in the games room there are Polaroid cameras available to tell the story of their adventure. And on the wall is a massive message that reads: "Together, invincibles." France are ready to try and win their first-ever major tournament. -- Julien Laurens

Dutch delayed by storm

THUN, Switzerland -- The Netherlands team arrived in Switzerland yesterday; they have set up camp in the village of Spiez, but are training in Thun.

The first day was mainly about acclimatizing, although a heavy thunderstorm did cause a change in the program.

The team was supposed to train outside on the field for half an hour, but quickly went inside when it became too dangerous and completed an indoor program before returning to the field. -- Fresia Cousiño Arias

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Match previews, odds for Thursday

Belgium vs. Italy

Odds (via ESPN BET): Belgium (+333), Draw (+280), Italy (-130)

For their third Euros in a row, Belgium have aspirations of reaching the semifinals for the first time in their history. But it is a big task in a tough group with Spain, Portugal and Italy. With the experience of Tessa Wullaert, the team's leader and major star, Belgium will be confident of a win in their first game, but Italy's head coach Andrea Soncin has made his squad younger after the disappointment of a poor Euro 2022 and 2023 World Cup. Manuela Giugliano, Italy's best player, will lead by example and hope to at least get her side out of the group. -- Laurens

Spain vs. Portugal

Odds (via ESPN BET): Spain (-1200), Draw (+900), Portugal (+1700)

BERN, Switzerland -- World champions Spain kick off their campaign against Portugal targeting an elusive first-ever European Championship crown. They haven't even reached a semifinal since 1997, so they will be desperate to write more history this summer.

A 7-1 win over Portugal in the UEFA Nations League in April suggests they should have no problem starting with three points at Stadion Wankdorf, but there are also reasons to believe it won't be straightforward. Coach Montse Tomé has fitness doubts over Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmatí, who returned to training this week after being struck down by viral meningitis on Friday, and captain Irene Paredes is serving a ban for a red card picked up in a qualifier one year ago.

Portugal, meanwhile, will be stronger than they were in April, with Jéssica Silva returning from an eye problem and Barça midfielder Kika Nazareth pushing for minutes after making a speedy recovery from ankle ligament damage suffered in March. -- Sam Marsden