‘We thought there might not be enough people’ – 65,000 fans at Lionesses parade

England’s women’s football team returned to a hero’s welcome in London as 65,000 fans packed central streets for a Euro 2025 victory parade, completing their back-to-back European Championship win with celebrations outside Buckingham Palace.

The squad climbed aboard open-top buses along The Mall, capped off with a stage appearance at the Queen Victoria Memorial. The crowd included all ages and backgrounds, joined by members of the Royal Family, including Princess Beatrice.

Captain Leah Williamson, who skippered the team to both the 2022 and 2025 titles, was moved by the reception. “I’ve been crying all the way down The Mall,” she said. “This is unbelievable, probably one of the best things we’ve been a part of.”

The Arsenal defender continued, “We’re making history every single step. Stay with us, this story is not done yet.”

Chloe Kelly, responsible for delivering England’s winning penalty in the final against Spain—adding to her 2022 final goal glory—said the emotional ride through London capped a “special” campaign. “Pressure, what pressure?” the 27-year-old forward said. “It is so good to stand side by side with every single one of these girls throughout the whole tournament, and the staff that you don’t see behind the scenes. It’s incredible.”

Coach Sarina Wiegman, fresh from guiding the team to successive continental crowns, was caught off guard when Nigerian pop artist Burna Boy appeared onstage to perform “For My Hand”—a favourite of hers. Esme Morgan told BBC Radio 5 Live: “Yeah, Sarina’s got rhythm. She absolutely loves Burna Boy. I can’t believe it. Her face when they brought Burna Boy out was a picture.”

Defender Niamh Charles, who grew up in Merseyside, reflected on the scale of the celebrations. “If I think back to the younger me that came to visit Buckingham Palace, I never would have thought that I would be stood here now,” she said. “People from every different walk of life were just so happy to be there.”

Despite their stellar tournament in Switzerland, some players admitted they were unsure whether fans would turn up. “A few of us said the other day, ‘we hope the parade is not the full length of The Mall because there might not be enough people to fill it,’” Morgan said. “But it was absolutely packed.”

Football Association CEO Mark Bullingham added: “It was funny, the players kept asking us ‘do you think people will really come?’ We were really confident, but the British public are just incredible and really did us proud today.”

The team flew back through London Southend Airport before stopping for a reception at Number 10. To close the parade, singer Heather Small performed “Proud”—the same track that played in England’s dressing rooms before and after matches during their Euro 2025 campaign.

While the focus now turns toward the 2027 World Cup—where they’ll aim to go one better than their runner-up finish in 2023—the evening belonged to a squad whose parade wound past thousands and ended beneath a skyline lit by pyrotechnics.