Leah Williamson and Beth Mead were included in the latest England squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Iceland, while 17-year-old Erica Meg Parkinson received her first senior call-up.
Meade missed February camp due to injury, but Lionesses captain Williamson has been given time to prove his fitness.
Williamson has been called up with two weeks until the first game of the international break against Spain, although she has missed Arsenal’s last three games with a hamstring injury.
Asked if she would be ready for the match at Wembley, Wiegmann said: “We’re hoping for that. Lea was injured after the Euros but she’s coming back. She had some small setbacks but overall she’s doing well.”
“When she’s playing, she’s playing really well. We’ve been keeping an eye on her and Arsenal are there too and she’s part of it too. I think she’ll be successful. That’s why we added her to the team.”
Leah Williamson called up to England’s latest camp
Parkinson, an uncapped 17-year-old, also becomes the first player from England’s youth ranks to receive a senior call-up.
Born in Singapore to a British father and Japanese mother, she plays for Balladares Gaia in Portugal’s first division. She is eligible to play for England, Japan, Portugal and Singapore.
“She was surprised,” Wigman said. “She was speechless, but she said she was so happy and excited.
“We’ve brought her in because we’re a bit lacking in midfield depth with Ella (Toon) and Grace (Clinton) injured and then we’ll look at who’s next.
“What we are looking at now is the quality she brings, what she has done for club and country and what we need from the team.
“We need an attacking midfielder and she has arrived. Everything else will come later, but first we will see what she shows on the pitch. It is a big step to go from the Under-23s and the Portuguese league to the top level, but she has the opportunity to show where she stands.”
Beth Meade recalled after missing February with injury
“She’s ready to come in. Naturally for a young player coming into our environment for the first time, there’s some apprehension. It’s a team that has played at a very high level, so it’s a step up for any team.”
“We’re not going to force anything. She’s going to show (herself) and hopefully she’ll enjoy it. I don’t expect her to be in the starting lineup right away.
“It will be a learning experience for her, but we hope she can quickly adapt to the level required in a senior environment.”
However, Aggie Beaver-Jones, Grace Clinton and Ella Thune were not called up for the April game due to injury.
The Lionesses will face Spain for the first time since the Euro 2025 final on April 14 before traveling to Reykjavik to face Iceland on April 18.
England currently lead Group A3 on goal difference, ahead of Spain. Only the top finishers will automatically qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
One player’s mistake is another player’s opportunity.
Analysis from Sky Sports News’ Anton Troi at St George’s Park:
Wiegman knows what an influx of youth can do to an established team looking for a way to beat the best teams in the world.
Last summer, it was teenage forward Michel Agyeman. His fearlessness and impressive nous led England from the Euros to continental champions.
The England manager is currently looking to rejuvenate his side by calling up 17-year-old Parkinson.
The midfielder had long been considered one of the country’s most promising players, but her call-up surprised everyone, including Parkinson himself.
She has only made 15 league appearances for Portugal’s Valadares Gaia, but her rise has been so rapid that she doesn’t even have a player profile on the club’s website.
Ella Thun will not play in 2026 due to injury
Wiegman insists the early call-up has nothing to do with other countries sniffing out the prodigious talent.
Parkinson is unlikely to feature, but England may need surprise packages against Spain and Iceland. She will undergo four training sessions before the match against Spain to prove that she can be that player.
Wiegman was also honest about the “lack of depth” that led to his Parkinson’s call-up.
England’s preferred center midfield trio of Keira Walsh, Georgia Stanway and Toon is one of the best in international football, but the latter is sidelined through injury.
Grace Clinton, who has been fighting for a place in the starting eleven for three years, will also be absent, leaving Laura Blindkilde-Brown and Lucia Kendall as other options.
One player’s mistake is another player’s opportunity – that’s how Parkinson sees it.
The teenager has impressed with England’s U17, U19 and U23 squads, but proving she belongs at all the highest levels will be one of the biggest and most exciting challenges of her young career.
Michel Agyemang is another English teenager who has caused some surprises. Will Erica Meg Parkinson be able to follow in her footsteps?
What is Parkinson’s disease at 17 years old?
It has been a very hectic few months for Parkinson’s disease. It was in December that she was called up to England’s Under-23 squad at just 17 years old.
In 2024, she was part of the team that reached the U17 Euro finals and the U17 World Cup semi-finals. Last summer she played in the U19 Euros under Lauren Smith.
Wiegmann said of the teenager: “She’s a dynamic, attacking midfielder who wants to get forward. She’s also very attacking and has quite a bit of technique.”
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Sportswriter Anton Troi reveals all about England’s latest addition to the first team, Erica Meg Parkinson.
In addition to his good running ability, Parkinson has also contributed a considerable number of goals. She can also play on the wing if needed, giving Wiegman options.
Parkinson and his family moved to Portugal from Singapore after his older brother Dennis, who played for Japan at youth level, was scouted to play at Porto’s academy.
She told the FA: “We moved for those reasons, but also for my family. We wanted to be closer to Europe. There was more of a soccer culture, we were closer to England, and my father’s family is here. There were many reasons, but mainly for the soccer.”
The midfielder signed his first professional contract with Valladares Gaia in May 2024 and has played alongside the likes of Aegeimangu and Katie Reid at youth level, both of whom have recently been called up to Wiegman’s first team.
But why did Parkinson choose England over Portugal and Japan over Singapore?
She told Girls on the Ball: “They were the first country to approach me and invite me to start with NTC.
“Once I came here and started my journey, I really liked the culture. All the players I meet are very kind, but they are also very ambitious.
“I really enjoyed the way England played, the training, the games, how we wanted to play. That resonated with me.”
Asked if Parkinson’s range of playing options would influence her call-up, Wiegmann said: “It depends on who she wants to play. What we looked at was what she showed on the pitch.”
We may not be able to see her in action during this international break. Even England’s manager said it would be a “surprise” for the 17-year-old to feature against Spain, which has one of the best midfields in the world. Iceland is a more realistic prospect.
But Wiegman also added that he likes surprises. We’ve seen teenagers do surprises for England in the not too distant past.
Parkinson has a bright future ahead of her and could potentially spend the better part of the next two decades as a Lioness. This camp will be a good learning curve for her and an indicator of what stage she is at now and what more she has to do to reach the same level.
There are also youth tournaments scheduled for later this year, which she will definitely be taking part in. But pay attention to the name. This is for the future.
