England boss Sarina Wiegman is “surprised” at Arsenal’s plan to play an exhibition match in Melbourne on May 24 – a trip she feels is “not good” for players.
The Gunners last week announced their women’s team will head out to Australia to face an ‘A League Allstars’ side in the end-of-season fixture.
England are set to play Euro 2025 qualifiers against France at St James’ Park on May 31 and then away on June 3.
Arsenal Women in Australia
We will be playing a post-season fixture against the A League Allstars in May
See you soon, Melbourne
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) March 18, 2024
Wiegman told a press conference on Tuesday: “I was surprised about that trip. I think for all the players, with an already complicated calendar, it’s not good for them to go to the other side of the world.
“It’s very short term, not having the time to adapt and play a game and come back and go for us. I would say for every European player that goes into the qualifiers, that’s a thing that will be hard for them to take, and to perform at the highest level.”
Wiegman – whose European champions open their qualifying campaign by playing Sweden at Wembley a week on Friday, then the Republic of I
