Euro 2022: Biggest women's sporting event in European history kicks off

68,871 people watched England's opening game in the European Women's Championship. It is the first of 31 matches across 25 days which are being shown live on the BBC. Half a million tickets have been sold for the tournament. The final will be played at Wembley on 31 July.

The Women's European Championship will be held in 2021. It was postponed from 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Venues in the North West will host the games, but no venues in Midlands or North East.

Uefa have made 700,000-plus tickets available for the Euro 2017. The previous edition in the Netherlands was watched by 240,045 fans. Tickets range from £5 to £50. A family of four can watch a match for as little as £30. Iceland's team will play two of their three group games at the home of Manchester City's women's side.

Six of the world's top 10 are taking part in the tournament. Germany are the most successful team in tournament's history with eight wins. Sweden, France, Netherlands, Germany, Spain and England are also big contenders. The 16 teams are divided into four groups of four. Top two go through to the quarter-finals.

Ada Hegerberg quit the Norwegian national team in 2017 in protest at a perceived lack of respect for female players. She returned to the international scene in April and is looking to make her mark at Euro 2022.

Vivianne Miedema helped the Netherlands win Euro 2017.

Pernille Harder is Denmark's all-time leading scorer and captained them to the Euro 2017 final.

Lauren Hemp was named the Women's Super League's young player of the year for a record-breaking fourth season in a row.

Wendie Renard is a Lyon defender who has won a record 14 French league titles and eight European Cups.

England are preparing for the biggest women's sporting event in Europe ever. They are looking to win their first European crown. Arsenal's Leah Williamson will captain the Lionesses. They finished runners-up to Sweden in the inaugural Women's Euros in 1984 and in 2009.

Northern Ireland are playing in Euro 2022. Kenny Shiels' team is the lowest-ranked in the competition. The team was formed in 2004 after being disbanded at the turn of the century. 22 domestic-based players entered a seven-month full-time professional programme.

BBC will give audiences 24/7 access to all of the action, analysis and insight during the tournament. Every England and Northern Ireland game will be broadcast live on BBC One. All 31 matches will also be available on the BBC iPlayer. Alex Scott and Ian Wright are among the pundits.