Emma Sanders
BBC Sport at Wembley

When I came down for breakfast this morning in my hotel next to Wembley, there were people already showing off their England shirts.

I saw a few Mary Earps tops among them and people have been taking pictures along Wembley Way all day.

Over 60,000 tickets have been sold so there should be a good atmosphere but it will take something to beat the noise we heard at Bramall Lane when these two teams met in the Euro 2022 semi-finals.

Videos of THAT backheel goal scored by Alessia Russo in the 4-0 win have been getting shared on social media all week.

Neither Sarina Wiegman or Lucy Bronze were getting drawn into questions about that occasion in their media conference though.

But Bronze did admit it will likely bring back happy memories for the fans at Wembley tonight.

Not only was that night an historic one for England, reaching a major final on home soil with the biggest ever semi-final victory in a women's Euros.

It was also the night Alessia Russo scored that audacious backheeled goal. It sent social media into a frenzy with pundits describing it as "outrageous" and "one of the best goals you'll ever see".

The goal was nominated for the prestigious Puskas award, given to the most beautiful goal scored that year.

What an absolute beauty it was.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

The last time England faced Sweden was in the semi-finals of the Euros in 2022. That night, the Lionesses thrashed them 4-0 at Bramall Lane to reach their first major final in 13 years.

England went on to face Germany in the final at Wembley and, as they say, the rest is history.

Tonight, Sarina Wiegman's side return to Wembley's hallowed turf to begin the defence of that title.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Scottish FA

As well as England, all four other home nations are also in action this evening.

Scotland played in the early kick-off and started their Euro 2025 qualification campaign with a lethargic 0-0 draw in Serbia.

Scotland, as top seeds, had hoped to record a first competitive win since October 2022 but will need to try again against Slovakia on Tuesday at Hampden on matchday two.

Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are also in action tonight. We'll have dedicated live pages for each of those and will keep you updated throughout the night.

The Euros begin next summer, just three years after England lifted the trophy in 2022 with that tournament delayed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The tournament will be hosted by Switzerland and run from 2 July with the final on 27 July.

The matches will be hosted in Basel, Bern, Geneva, Zurich, St Gallen, Lucerne, Thun and Sion.

Switzerland won the right to host ahead of Poland, France and a joint bid from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.

Right, let's get the formalities out of the way. Here's how it all works...

The qualifiers will see each team face the other teams in their group home and away.

Group winners and runners-up from each League A group automatically qualify, with the remaining seven places taken by the best-ranked sides from all three leagues.

All third and fourth-placed teams from League A will go through to the play-offs.

The top three teams in each League B group will also make the play-offs. If Switzerland finish in the top three of their group, then the best ranked fourth-placed team from League B will go into the play-offs.

From League C, the five group winners and three best-ranked runners-up will reach the play-offs.

The 28 teams making the play-offs will be whittled down to seven, with the first round being split into two paths.

The eight sides from League A will be drawn against the eight sides from League C. The six best teams from League B will face the six lowest-ranked teams from League B. Both sets of matches are two-legged.

In the second play-off round, the remaining 14 teams will be split via seedings. The seven nations with the best ranking will be drawn against the other seven teams. The winners of those fixtures will qualify for the finals.

While next summer's tournament in Switzerland feels like a long way off, England kick things off this evening with their bid to be at the tournament.

So, how does it all work?

England have been drawn in Group A3 with France, Sweden and the Republic of Ireland.

The top two teams from the League A groups will qualify automatically for the tournament, with the other two sides entering the play-offs.

The nations in Leagues B - which include Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - and C are competing to reach the play-offs.

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport at Wembley

Sarina Wiegman has named a strong England side with just one change from the 5-1 win over Italy.

That sees Lauren James come back into the team, replacing Chloe Kelly, who drops to the bench.

Leah Williamson is named among the substitutes and in the squad for the first time in a year, while Grace Clinton retains her place in midfield after her impressive debut in Spain.

England XI: Earps, Bronze, Greenwood, Wubben-Moy, Charles, Stanway, Walsh, Clinton, James, Russo, Hemp.

Subs: Carter, Hampton, Toone, Williamson, Kelly, Mead, Kirby, Daly, Park, Rendell, Morgan, Turner.

Image source, BBC Sport

There's plenty of familiar faces in the Sweden squad, including Arsenal striker Stina Blackstenius, who scored a dramatic extra-time winner in Sunday's Continental Cup final win over Chelsea.

Lucy Bronze will face her Barcelona team-mate and winger Fridolina Rolfo, while Chelsea's Johanna Rytting Kaneryd completes their attack.

Former Chelsea captain Magdalena Eriksson starts at centre-back.

Sweden XI: Falk, Lundkvist, Sembrant, Eriksson, Andersson, Angeldahl, Asllani, Zigiotti Olme, Kaneryd, Blackstenius, Rolfo.

Image source, BBC Sport

So, England begin their Euro 2025 qualifying campaign this evening at the scene where they won the whole lot just a couple of years ago - Wembley.

The Lionesses kick off their road to Switzerland against Sweden at 20:00 BST.

Let's get straight into it with some team news.

Euro 2025 might be more than a year away, but England's defence of their European Championship title begins tonight.

Image source, Getty Images