Lionesses 'putting hands in pockets' for families

Midfielder Georgia Stanway said England players are "putting our hands in our pockets" to help their families cover the costs of following the team at the upcoming Euro 2025 in Switzerland.

Zurich, Lausanne and Geneva are the top three cities in the world for cost of living, external, with Switzerland having five of the top 10 most expensive cities.

Switzerland ranks second on the Cost of Living Index, external for 2025, behind the US Virgin Islands.

BBC Sport understands that all 23 players in Sarina Wiegman's squad will be given money from the Football Association to contribute to travel and accommodation for their loved ones in Switzerland.

Each player will receive the same amount and - while the exact figure is not known - it is comparable to the fee given for the 2023 Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and in line with what England's men's players receive.

Players are also allocated a small number of match tickets.

Compared to England's last major tournament in the Southern Hemisphere, Euro 2025 is much more accessible for family, friends and supporters.

But the high costs in the country means players are having to contribute on top of what they are given from the FA to help their loved ones follow the tournament.

"I'm aware that Switzerland is a very expensive country," Stanway, who transferred to Bayern Munich from Manchester City in 2022, said. "Even just for flights and hotels. The cost of living there is extremely high so we understand the demand on fans.

"That is difficult for us as well because we want to help and support as much as possible, even with our own families."

The 26-year-old added: "A lot of us are putting our hands in our pockets to make sure that our families can get over there. We would love to see as many fans as possible and we want to thank them in advance because we know it's not cheap."