Keira Barry Gets First England Call-Up for World Cup Qualifiers
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- Keira Barry, 20, received her first senior England call-up for the World Cup qualifiers, moving up from England Under-23s after joining Bay FC in the NWSL from Manchester United in January.
- Freya Godfrey withdrew from the squad with a shoulder injury and will remain with London City Lionesses for treatment, creating the opening that brought Barry in.
- Niamh Charles returns to the squad after an ankle injury; the Chelsea defender featured in Chelsea's past three games and was part of the England squad that retained their European title in Switzerland last year.
- The squad has been expanded from 23 to 24 players to accommodate Charles's return alongside Barry's addition.
- England face Spain on 14 April at Wembley Stadium (19:00 GMT), then travel to Iceland on 18 April in Reykjavik (17:30 GMT), looking to maintain their winning start to 2027 World Cup qualifying.
Why it matters: Barry's pathway — leaving Manchester United for an NWSL side in January and earning a senior England nod within three months — illustrates how the expanded 24-player squad rewards in-form players, while Charles's return from an ankle injury reinforces a back line that retained England's European title in Switzerland last year.
