Lexi Potter earns first England call as Sarina Wiegman omits Kelly and Toone

Lexi Potter received her first senior England call-up on 29 September 2026 when head coach Sarina Wiegman named her squad for the Women's World Cup qualifying playoff against Greece, while Ella Toone and Chloe Kelly were omitted.

The selection precedes a two-legged playoff with the first match in Heraklion and the return in Leicester. Potter is a midfielder at Chelsea and had been widely discussed for inclusion during the season.

Calls for Potter’s inclusion had grown significantly this term after strong form for Chelsea. That momentum intensified following her starring role in Sunday's 1-0 victory over Arsenal. The club performances contributed to her first senior call-up.

England's head coach confirmed the decision to leave out the two forwards and addressed their form. Wiegman said of Toone and Kelly: "The main reason is the levels weren’t quite what I expected from them on the pitch." The comment accompanied the publication of the squad for the playoff.

Wiegman also named the uncapped 18-year-old midfielder Erica Meg Parkinson and the London City Lionesses winger Freya Godfrey in the squad. There is a return after injury for the captain Leah Williamson. Those selections expanded the group available for the tie with Greece.

The Lionesses face Greece in the first leg at the Pankritio Stadium in Heraklion, Crete, on Friday 9 October. The return fixture is at Leicester’s King Power Stadium the following Tuesday. England need victory over the two legs to reach December’s second round of the playoffs.

Goalkeepers: Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), Khiara Keating (Liverpool), Anna Moorhouse (Manchester City on loan from Orlando Pride).

Defenders: Lucy Bronze (Chelsea), Jess Carter (Gotham), Niamh Charles (Manchester City), Grace Fisk (Liverpool), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Maya Le Tissier (Manchester United), Esme Morgan (Washington Spirit), Leah Williamson (Arsenal).

Midfielders: Laura Blindkilde Brown (Manchester City), Lucia Kendall (Aston Villa), Erica Meg Parkinson (North Carolina Courage), Lexi Potter (Chelsea), Georgia Stanway (Arsenal), Keira Walsh (Chelsea); Forwards: Freya Godfrey (London City Lionesses), Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Beth Mead (Manchester City), Jess Park (Manchester United), Alessia Russo (Arsenal).

Wiegman said: "We have great respect for Greece, but our expectations of ourselves are clear." She added: "We are here to win these two games, deliver strong performances, and move one step closer to securing our place at the World Cup." She also said: "It’s always exciting to reconnect as a group and we are looking forward to getting back together. The players will arrive motivated and ready for the next steps."