Leah Williamson, Beth Mead and Erica Meg Parkinson included in England Women squad for World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Iceland
Sarina Wiegman has named a 23-player squad for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers; England face Spain on Tuesday April 14 and Iceland on Saturday April 18; uncapped 17-year-old Erica Meg Parkinson also receives her first senior call-up, having come through the youth groups
Tuesday 31 March 2026 14:01, UK
Leah Williamson and Beth Mead have been included in the latest England squad ahead of World Cup Qualifiers against Spain and Iceland, while 17-year-old Erica Meg Parkinson has received a first senior call-up.
Mead missed out on the February camp due to injury, while Lionesses captain Williamson is being given time to prove her own fitness.
She has been dealing with a hamstring injury that has kept her out of Arsenal's last three matches, but with two weeks until the first match of the international break against Spain, Williamson has been called up.
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When asked if she would be ready for the game at Wembley, Wiegman said: "We're expecting that. Leah had an injury after the Euros, then she's coming back. She had some small setbacks but overall, she's doing well.
"When she's playing, she's playing really well. We have been careful with her, and have Arsenal, and she is on that too. I think she's going to make it so that's why we put her in the squad."
Uncapped 17-year-old Parkinson also receives her first senior call-up, having come through England's youth pathways.
Born in Singapore to an English father and Japanese mother, she plays for Portuguese first division side Valadares Gaia. She is eligible to play for England, Japan, Portugal and Singapore.
"She was surprised," Wiegman said. "She was speechless, she said, but she was very happy and excited.
"We called her up because we're a little bit low in depth in midfield, with injuries to Ella [Toone] and Grace [Clinton], then we look at who's next.
"What we looked at now is the quality she brings and what she's done for club and country and what we needed in the squad.
"We need an attacking midfielder and she came up. Other things come later on, but first of all, we look at what does she show on the pitch. It's a big step to go from U23s and the Portuguese league to our senior level, but she gets the opportunity to show where she stands.
"She's ready to come in. For every young player that comes into our environment for the first time, of course there is some anxiety. It's a team that has played at such a high level so for every team, it's a step up.
"We're not going to force anything, she's going to show [herself] and hopefully she's going to enjoy it. I don't expect her to get into the starting line-up straight away.
"It's a learning thing for her, but I do hope she can adapt quickly to the level that's needed in the senior environment."
However, Aggie Beever-Jones, Grace Clinton and Ella Toone have not been called up for the April matches due to injury.
The Lionesses face Spain for the first time since the Euro 2025 final on April 14, before travelling to Reykjavik to take on Iceland on April 18.
England are currently top of Group A3 on goal difference ahead of Spain. Only the top spot automatically qualifies for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
One player's omission is another's opportunity
Analysis from Sky Sports News' Anton Toloui at St George's Park:
Wiegman knows what an influx of youth can do to an established side looking for a way to beat the world's best.
Last summer, it was teenage forward Michelle Agyemang, whose fearless attitude and striking nous took England from Euros elimination to continental champions.
Now the England boss is going even younger by calling up 17-year-old Parkinson.
The midfielder's long been seen as one of the country's brightest prospects but her call-up has caught everyone, including Parkinson herself, by surprise.
She's only made 15 league appearances for Valadares Gaia in Portugal - her rise has been so rapid she doesn't even have a player profile on the club's website.
Wiegman insists the early call-up has nothing to do with other countries sniffing around the prodigious talent.
Although Parkinson is unlikely to make an appearance, England may need a surprise package against Spain and Iceland. She has four training sessions before the Spain game to prove she can be that player.
Wiegman is also honest about the 'lack of depth' that's led to Parkinson's call-up.
England's preferred centre-midfield trio of Keira Walsh, Georgia Stanway and Toone is one of the best in international football, but the latter misses out through injury.
Grace Clinton, who's been fighting to break into the starting XI for three years, is also out, leaving Laura Blindkilde-Brown and Lucia Kendall as the other options.
One player's omission is another's opportunity - that's how Parkinson will see it.
The teenager's impressed for England's U17, U19 and U23s but proving she belongs at the highest level of all will be one of the biggest and most exciting challenges of her very young career.
Who is 17-year-old Parkinson?
It has been quite the whirlwind few months for Parkinson. It was only in December that she was called up for England's U23s at the age of just 17.
In 2024, she was part of the team that reached the final of the U17 Euros and the semi-final of the U17 World Cup. Last summer, she played at the U19 Euros under Lauren Smith.
Wiegman said of the teenager: "She's a dynamic, attacking midfielder, she wants to go forward. She's also very aggressive and pretty technical."
Parkinson also contributes with her fair share of goals too, coupled with the ability to make a good run. She can also play on the wing if needed, giving Wiegman options.
Parkinson and her family moved to Portugal from Singapore when her brother, Denis - who has played for Japan at youth level - was scouted to play for Porto's academy.
Speaking to the FA, she said: "We kind of moved because of that but also because of the family - we wanted to be closer to Europe. There's more of a football culture and it's also close to the UK and my dad's family is here. It was for numerous reasons but mainly for football."
The midfielder signed her first professional contract with Valadares Gaia in May 2024, and has played with the likes of Ageymang and Katie Reid at youth level - both who have recently been called up to Wiegman's senior squad.
But what made Parkinson chose England over Portugal, Japan on Singapore?
Speaking to Girls on the Ball, she said: "They were the first country that came up to me and invited me to start with the NTCs.
"Once I was here and I started going through the pathway, I really liked the culture. All the players that you come across are very kind but they're also very ambitious.
"I really enjoyed the way that England conducted themselves - the training, the games, how we want to play and I related to that."
When asked whether the range of options for Parkinson to play for has any bearing on her call-up, Wiegman replied: "It's up to the player who she wants to play for. What we looked at was what does she show on the pitch."
We may not see her in action during this international break - even the England boss said it was be a 'surprise' if the 17-year-old made an appearance against Spain, who have one of the best midfields in the world. Iceland is the more realistic prospect.
But Wiegman also added she likes surprises, and we have seen teenagers do so for England in the not-too-distant past.
Parkinson has a bright future ahead of her, and could be a Lionesses for the better part of the next 20 years. This camp will be a good learning curve for her, and a marker of where she is at and what more she has to do to reach the same level.
There are also youth tournaments coming up later this year that she will surely be a part of. Keep an eye on the name though - it's one for the future.
