England's push for glory at the FIFA Women's World Cup will be roared on by millions of Lionesses fans in Australia and back home ahead of the final on August 20.
Sarina Wiegman's side have reached their first final on the world stage after battling past rivals Australia in the semifinals to set up a clash with Spain in Sydney.
As part of the huge swell of support for Wiegman and her players back in England, there will be a special connection for the James family, with Chelsea star Lauren tipped to play a key role for the defending European champions.
The 21-year-old is back in contention following a two-game suspension and her three goals in the tournament make England's joint-highest scorer Down Under.
But what is her connection to Reece James of Chelsea? The Sporting News takes a look.
MORE: Have England ever won the Women's World Cup? Results and overall record
Is Lauren James related to Reece James?
Lauren James has become one of the most recognisable names in Wiegman's squad based on her impressive performances for club and country across the past 12 months.
After returning to Chelsea from Manchester United in 2021, she has won back-to-back Women's Super League and Women's FA Cup titles with Emma Hayes' side, alongside a strong start to life as a full England international.
She is also the youngest sister of Chelsea men's team star Reece, who was named as club captain by Mauricio Pochettino at the start of the 2023/24 season. The pair are the first brother and sister to represent England at senior level.
Proud. pic.twitter.com/xaVKsoN1Zc
— Reece James (@ReeceJames) July 28, 2023
The duo have been key public supporters of each other's career, with Reece claiming his sister is of the same technical standard as many Premier League players based on his experience at Stamford Bridge.
Lauren James England career
James was brought into the England squad after their triumph at the European Championship in 2022 and scored her first goal for Wiegman's team in the 4-0 Arnold Clark Cup win over South Korea in February.
She turned in a star performance in the 6-1 thrashing of China at the Women's World Cup, scoring twice and setting up a further three goals. That showing saw her retain her starting spot for the Round of 16 match against Nigeria, although a frustrating outing was compounded when she was sent off and subsequently hit with a two-game ban for standing on the back of Michelle Alozie.
James served her ban across the quarterfinal and semifinal and is now clear to return to action for the Lionesses. Ahead of the final, she has scored four goals in 15 appearances for England.
When is Spain vs England in Women's World Cup final 2023?
The Women's World Cup final will take place on Sunday, August 20, 2023 at Stadium Australia in Sydney.
It is the first Women's World Cup final not to take place in July since the 2007 match, which was played in September.
Fans in the U.S. will need to set an early alarm clock as the 8 p.m. local kickoff time in Australia equates to 6 a.m. ET and 3 a.m. PT.
| Country | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Sun, August 20 | 8 p.m. AEST |
| New Zealand | Sun, August 20 | 10 p.m. NZT |
| UK | Sun, August 20 | 11 a.m. BST |
| Hong Kong | Sun, August 20 | 6 p.m. HKT |
| India | Sun, August 20 | 3:30 p.m. IST |
| Malaysia | Sun, August 20 | 6 p.m. MYT |
| Singapore | Sun, August 20 | 6 p.m. SGT |
| USA | Sun, August 20 | 6 a.m. ET |
| Canada | Sun, August 20 | 6 a.m. ET |
Spain vs England Women's World Cup final 2023 live stream, TV channel
| TV Channel | Streaming | |
|---|---|---|
| USA | FOX | Fubo, Fox Sports site/app, Peacock, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo |
| UK | BBC One, RTE 2, ITV 1 | BBC iPlayer, RTE Player, BBC Sport Web, ITVX |
| Australia | Optus Sport, Channel Seven | Optus Sport, 7Plus |
| Canada | TSN1, TSN5, RDS, CTV | TSN+, RDS app, CTV App, Noovo |
| India | — | FanCode |
| New Zealand | Sky Sport 1 NZ, Prime TV | Sky Sport NOW, Prime TV |
| Singapore | FIFA WWC CH01 | meWATCH |
| Hong Kong | Now Sports Prime | Now Player |
| Malaysia | — | FIFA+ |
Fans in select regions of the world can stream the Women's World Cup live on FIFA+, including in Japan, Brazil, Indonesia and Thailand.
