Sarina Wiegman to lead Team GB at Paris Olympics if they qualify

The Lionesses manager will take charge should qualification be secured through the Nations League

England boss Sarina Wiegman is in line to manage Great Britain at next summer’s Olympics in Paris should qualification be secured, the Football Association has announced.

The women’s football tournament at the multi-sport showpiece will feature two European sides alongside hosts France, with those slots to be secured via the inaugural Women’s Nations League that is just about to get under way.

England have been nominated as the home nation with eligibility to obtain a spot for Great Britain, and thus also the employing and appointing body for Team GB staff.

Wiegman, who has overseen England win Euro 2022 and finish as runners-up at this year’s World Cup, said in a statement from the FA: “My full focus is on the Nations League campaign, but I would of course be very excited if the chance came to lead Team GB next summer. It would be an honour.

“There is still a long way to go, and I prefer to only focus on what we know for sure right now. We have to be at our best in the Nations League, where we will face three very strong teams in our group. We have full respect for all our opponents, as they will be doing all they can to win too.

“The Olympic Games is such a special sporting event and, for women’s football, one of the biggest stages to play.

“That is the goal, but we know it cannot happen if we don’t do our job in the Nations League. Until that is complete, it would not be right to talk any more about Team GB including speculation about players and any early preparations.”

England open their Nations League Group A1 fixtures by facing Scotland in Sunderland on Friday and then play Netherlands in Utrecht four days later, with Belgium also in the same pool.

Four group winners will advance to February’s Nations League finals, with the draw for the semi-finals to be made on December 11.

If France do not reach the Nations League final, the winners and runners-up will take the two other Olympic spots - if France are in the final, a spot would go to the third-placed team.

Great Britain have so far been in the women’s football tournament at the Olympics twice, at London 2012 and Tokyo 2021, being eliminated in the quarter-finals both times.