Switzerland’s dream start crumbles in Basel opener, but fans and coach vow to fight on

Switzerland’s hopes of opening Euro 2025 with a historic win were dashed in Basel on Wednesday night, but coach Pia Sundhage insists the dream is far from over.

The hosts suffered a 2-1 defeat to Norway at a sold-out St Jakob-Park, despite taking an early lead and enjoying a wave of support from thousands of home fans. Defender Julia Stierli’s own goal proved the heartbreaking difference as the Swiss became the first Women’s Euros host nation to lose their tournament opener.

Yet Sundhage, one of the most experienced coaches in women’s football, is already looking ahead.

“This is once in a lifetime. It will never come back,” she had warned before kick-off, urging her players to embrace the pressure. And while the result stung, she saw enough in the performance to believe in redemption.

“Oh yeah, we embraced it,” said Sundhage after the match. “We were prepared. The locker room, the hotel – the players used their voices, and that matters. We still have a chance at the quarter-finals.”

Switzerland struck first, with Nadine Riesen sending the home crowd into a frenzy. But just minutes later, Norway’s Ada Hegerberg levelled, and then disaster struck as Stierli inadvertently deflected a cross into her own net.

There was no flashy opening ceremony—just an elegant display of silver tubes and flags forming a giant Women’s Euros trophy. But the real celebration unfolded in the streets, where thousands of fans marched 45 minutes from Munsterplatz to the stadium, decked in red and ringing cowbells in a loud show of national pride.

The fans brought the energy and optimism. The team, for large stretches, matched it—especially in a dominant first half. But football can be cruel, and for all the cheers and cowbells, the scoreboard told a different story.

Sundhage, 65, was hired in 2024 to bring her wealth of experience—drawn from leading Sweden, the US, and Brazil—to a team in need of direction. Her record in charge of Switzerland stands at seven wins from 18, but her calm authority and big-stage pedigree have earned her the trust of fans and federation alike.

Her focus now shifts to Sunday’s clash with Iceland in Bern. Win that, and Switzerland’s path to the knockout stages is wide open.

For the Swiss fans, the tournament is about more than results. Hosting Euro 2025 is a moment of national pride and a chance to ignite lasting change in women’s football.

Attendance at Wednesday’s opener reached 34,063—a landmark figure in a country where the women’s domestic league remains semi-professional. Earlier this year, Young Boys set a league attendance record of 10,647, but the average crowd across the season was just 569.

“The league is severely underfunded. Most teams don’t play in real stadiums,” said Swiss journalist Helene Altgelt. “This is unacceptable for women’s football in 2025. But the federation now sees the opportunity to change that.”

Indeed, the Swiss Football Association has launched an ambitious legacy programme, aiming to double the number of girls and women playing football from 40,000 to 80,000. Coaching numbers are set to rise, and by 2027, they hope league attendances will have doubled too.

UEFA’s Nadine Kessler called Switzerland “underdogs” in the bidding process, but challenged the country to “make something out of it.” The signs are that they will.

As Sundhage reminded her players, this moment won’t come again. But for women’s football in Switzerland, it could be the start of something far bigger.