Lionesses to be welcomed back to UK with Downing Street reception
The victorious Lionesses will be welcomed back to the UK with a reception at Downing Street on Monday after winning Euro 2025 in dramatic style.
England made history on Sunday as they retained their title against World Champions Spain after a tense penalty shootout in Basel, Switzerland.
Fans will be able to cheer the team on in person at a homecoming parade in central London on Tuesday, with an open-top bus tour culminating in a ceremony outside Buckingham Palace.
But there will be no bank holiday to mark the occasion, the BBC understands.
Monday's Downing Street reception will be hosted by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and sports minister Stephanie Peacock.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the team had "once again captured the hearts of the nation", while Rayner said it would be a "privilege to celebrate" with the team.
The government appears set to confirm that no bank holiday will take place, in line with what happened when England won the same tournament three years ago.
Calls for a bank holiday after a major football success are not new, but none were held when England's men's team won the World Cup in 1966, nor when the Lionesses won the Euros in 2022.
Sir Keir has previously suggested he would be open to giving people a day off work to celebrate an England win, saying at the time that the 2022 victory should be "marked with a proper day of celebration".
When the Lionesses reached the World Cup final against Spain in 2023, Sir Keir said "there should be a celebratory bank holiday if the Lionesses bring it home".
Downing Street will likely have an eye on the economic cost of announcing an extra bank holiday.
Government modelling has previously put the cost at £1.36bn, while accountancy firm PwC estimated the figure would be closer to £831m.
Sir Keir watched on from the stands as England clinched a win on penalties, after the two sides held each other at 1-1 after 90 minutes and extra time.
Spot kicks from Alex Greenwood, Niamh Charles and Chloe Kelly, as well as two huge saves from goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, were enough to see England emerge from the tense match victorious.
The prime minister described the team as "history makers" after the full-time whistle, adding: "You dug deep when it mattered most and you've made the nation proud."
BBC
