Eleven senior West Ham United Women’s players have been called up by their countries for fixtures in the upcoming April international break.
A whole host of friendly matches are taking place, with this international window the last opportunity that managers will have to look at their squads before the 2022 FIFA Women’s World Cup rolls around, with the tournament taking place in Australia and New Zealand in July and August.
Mackenzie Arnold will link up with Australia for their training camp in London, whilst Lucy Parker has been called up by Sarina Wiegman for the second time this season, although it will be her first time at camp with the national side after she had to withdraw due to injury when first called up in October.
Elsewhere, Honoka Hayashi and Risa Shimizu will represent Japan, whilst Emma Snerle is back in the Denmark squad for their friendly fixtures.
Kirsty Smith will be looking to win cap number 50 for Scotland during the international break, whilst Viviane Asseyi and Hawa Cissoko have been named in new France Head Coach Hervé Renard’s first squad since taking charge at the end of March.
West Ham skipper, Dagný Brynjarsdóttir could also feature for Iceland in friendly fixtures, plus Mel Filis and Anouk Denton have been named in Mo Marley’s England U23s squad.
When and where are our Hammers in action?
All of the action begins on Thursday 6 April, when Parker (pictured, above) could make her England debut! The Three Lions face Brazil at Wembley at 7.45pm BST in the first edition of the Women's Finalissima, an intercontinental women's football match between the winners of the most recent European and South American Championships. Seleção were the winners of the 2022 Copa América Femenina.
Following on from the match at Wembley, Weigman’s side will face Australia at Brentford’s Gtech Stadium on Tuesday 11 April at 7.45pm BST, which could see Parker face off against her Club teammate Arnold.
Also on Thursday, Filis could be in action for England U23s, as they take Portugal in Mirinha Grande at 4pm BST. The young Lionesses will then take on Belgium in Genk on Monday 10 April at 3pm BST.
On Friday 7 April at 1.15pm BST, Arnold and Smith could face off against one another at the Cherry Red Records Stadium, home of AFC Wimbledon as the Matildas meet Scotland. Scotland’s second fixture of the international break sees them host Costa Rica at Hampden Park, a match in which Smith could win her 50th cap for her country, providing she also features in the preceding match against Australia.
Also on Friday, Snerle and Denmark take on Sweden at the Swedbank Stadion in Malmo at 2pm BST.
Shimizu and Hayashi could also be in action on Friday, as Japan take on Portugal at Estadio Dom Afonso Henriques in Guimarães at 5.30pm BST. Japan then head to Denmark on Tuesday 11 April where they could face off against Snerle in a friendly match at TRE-FOR Park in Odense at 5pm BST.
Brynjarsdóttir and Iceland will also begin the international break on Friday, when they take on New Zealand at the Maedan Sports Complex in Ankara, Turkey at 2pm BST. Then, they travel to Switzerland for a friendly match against the Swiss in Zurich on Tuesday at 6pm BST.
In the final set of fixtures on 7 April, Cissoko and Asseyi could feature in a friendly contest against Colombia at the Stade Gabriel-Montpied in Clermont-Ferrand. Then, Renard’s team host current Olympic champions Canada on Tuesday at MMArena in Le Mans.
Where can I watch the games?
England’s matches against Brazil and Australia are to be shown live on ITV1 and ITV4 respectively.
As it stands, no other matches will be available to broadcast live in the UK, but do check TV listings in your location.
Look out for round-ups on whufc.com throughout the international break. For all the latest on West Ham United Women, click here!
