Emma Sanders
BBC Sport at Old Trafford

England are heavy favourites for tonight's match as well as one of the teams top of the list to win the tournament.

Austria will not be easy opponents. There are a few familiar faces from Arsenal - goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger and defender Laura Wienroither.

But England should have enough quality. They are on a 14-game unbeaten run and will want to kick-off this home Euros with a convincing win.

Harry Kane has sent a message to the Lionesses on behalf of Gareth Southgate's squad ahead of the tournament opener.

Neil Johnston
BBC Sport

"You can smell the football in the air," Peter Bonde, the then Denmark boss, said before the start of Euro 2005 - the last time England hosted the Women's European Championship.

Seventeen years ago the competition was a much smaller and less glitzy affair than the tournament about to unfold across the country this month.

Back then, all 15 games were played at venues in north-west England - including four at the new home of rugby league side Warrington Wolves.

That was because there was not enough interest from football clubs in hosting games, according to Alex Stone, England's media officer at Euro 2005.

Euro 2022, labelled the "biggest ever" by Uefa, promises to be an altogether slicker and shinier edition.

Read more here.

Euro 2022 marks a huge moment in the history of women's football in Northern Ireland. The national team only reformed in 2004 after being disbanded at the turn of the century.

Whatever happens this month, Northern Ireland have already defied the odds to reach one of the biggest stages in the sport as a team largely made up of part-time players.

In preparation for Euro 2022, 22 domestic-based players entered a seven-month full-time professional programme.

Kenny Shiels' side are the lowest-ranked team in the competition - 47th in the world.

In April, Shiels said "women are more emotional than men" when discussing his side's 5-0 defeat by England in a World Cup qualifier.

His remarks drew criticism and Shiels apologised saying: "I am proud to manage a group of players who are role models for so many girls, and boys, across the country."

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport at Old Trafford

Image source, BBC Sport

The media room was absolutely packed yesterday and England manager Sarina Wiegman said it was "incredible" when she looked out at everyone.

There were TV cameras everywhere you turned outside Old Trafford on the way in - Dutch, Austrian, German and English speaking among them.

If the sell-out crowd wasn't already an indication of the hype around this game in particular, then the buzz outside the ground hours before certainly was.

England want to get off to a good start and the majority of the fans in here will want a home win too. Can they do it?

There was a boost for England ahead of this opener when boss Wiegman declared she had a fully fit squad from which to choose, born out in her starting XI tonight.

Wiegman did also admit on Tuesday she had some "hard choices" to make.

"You can feel that everybody is ready so we're excited to go," added Wiegman.

"We started our preparation in September and we have just worked from week to week.

"We will just do the same things we always do and focus on our style of play as a team and as individuals. We also know the tournament starts tomorrow and we have been waiting for such a long time so it is an exciting moment.

"It would be strange if we weren't excited."

England have possibly never come into a tournament on such a wave of optimism, euphoria and backing as they do this summer.

Putting aside home advantage, they are in the finest of form. Since Sarina Wiegman's arrival in September, England remain unbeaten in all competitions, have consolidated their position at the top of their World Cup qualifying group, won the Arnold Clark Cup in February and have scored 84 goals, conceding just three.

The team have developed an identity under Wiegman of intense, free-flowing attacking play built from the back. Good performances have been reflected in England's results this year.

In Man City winger Lauren Hemp they have a defender's nightmare who was unstoppable in the WSL last season, Man Utd midfielder Ella Toone is a star in the making and the likes of Lucy Bronze, Jill Scott and captain Leah Williamson bring some wisdom and experience to proceedings.

Neil Johnston
BBC Sport at Old Trafford

Image source, BBC Sport

This is Eddie and Bella who have travelled with their parents from Derby to cheer on the Lionesses.

Bella, 7, plays for Derby County girls and Eddie, 10, is part of the junior set up at Burton Albion.

"Lucy Bronze," Bella says without a moment's hesitation when asked who her favourite player is.

England have twice come close before, finishing runners-up to Sweden in the inaugural Women's Euros in 1984 before getting to the final again in 2009 only to lose to Germany in Finland.

Since Wiegman became manager in September 2021, England are unbeaten in 14 matches and in February won the inaugural Arnold Clark Cup - a competition that featured Olympic champions Canada, Spain and two-time world champions Germany.

Arsenal's Leah Williamson will captain the Lionesses and is clearly pumped up for it.

"This is going to be the biggest women's event in Europe ever," Wiegman told BBC Sport.

"It's going to be really exciting but it can also cause a little stress. There are going to be expectations but we have to embrace it.

"This is a chance to make everyone proud."

Germany are by far the most successful side in the tournament's history with eight triumphs, including six in a row between 1995 and 2013. The other winners are Norway (1987, 1993), Sweden (1984) and the Netherlands (2017).

Six of the world's top 10 are taking part: Sweden (2nd in Fifa's rankings), France (3rd), Netherlands (4th), Germany (5th), Spain (7th) and England (8th).

Gracenote tip England to go all the way but also forecast a "wide open tournament" with Sweden, Germany, France and the Netherlands serious contenders.

"There is nearly 80% chance that this year's European champions will come from this quintet," they add.

And this is before we even get into darkhorses like Iceland and Italy or mention Northern Ireland - the other home nation competing.

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport at Old Trafford

Sarina Wiegman's first team of the Euros has captain Leah Williamson lining up as a centre-back.

Rachel Daly gets the nod ahead of Demi Stokes at left-back, while Georgia Stanway starts in midfield, with Fran Kirby as a number 10.

Lauren Hemp, Beth Mead and Ellen White all start in attack.

England XI: Earps, Bronze, Bright, Williamson, Daly, Walsh, Stanway, Kirby, Mead, Hemp, White.

Image source, BBC Sport

Expectations are high for England in the tournament, and it is not just the usual Three Lions hollow bluster this time.

The Lionesses are a proper team, full of world-class talent and managed by someone who has been there and done it before - Sarina Wiegman, who led her native Netherlands to the crown five years ago.

The hosts have been predicted to win by data analysts Nielsen's Gracenote. They have stiff competition, though.

England boss Sarina Wiegman said she had a full squad to pick from and she has gone understandably strong.

Lucy Bronze plays after missing the final warm-up match against Switzerland last week because of illness. Alex Greenwood is on the bench.

Ellen White leads an attack that also includes Lauren Hemp and Fran Kirby.

Anna Thompson
BBC Sport at Old Trafford

There aren't that many fans inside Old Trafford yet but there was still a loud cheer as the Lionesses came out to inspect the pitch and have a good look around before they get changed for the warm-up.

Plenty of Austria fans are here too, making a lot of noise with their vuvuzelas.

Image source, BBC Sport

This will be the most watched Women's Euros in history.

Uefa have made 700,000-plus tickets available. The previous edition staged in the Netherlands was watched by 240,045 fans.

Ticket prices have been kept low to attract families. They range from £5 to £50 , externalmeaning a family of four can watch a match for as little as £30.

Almost 100,000 international fans are expected to attend matches while a global television audience of 250 million-plus is expected to watch.

Tonight's opener between England and Austria will be watched by 70,000-plus inside Old Trafford. Nice.

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport at Old Trafford

Image source, BBC Sport

This photo was taken outside the fan park at 16:30 BST - that's three and a half hours before kick-off!

It's been buzzing outside Old Trafford for a while now and the Austria fans in particular have been lighting things up.