Hampton and Kelly in list for MBE honours following their contributions in England’s victorious EURO campaign.
Hampton and Kelly lined up for MBEs after starring in Lionesses’ Euro 2025 victory.
Following their historic European Championship success, England’s Lionesses are poised to receive a plethora of nominations in the new year’s honours list, including MBEs for Chloe Kelly and Hannah Hampton.
After winning the European championship for the first time three years ago, Sarina Wiegman’s team was widely celebrated. Lucy Bronze, Beth Mead, and Ellen White were awarded MBEs, while captain Leah Williamson was made an OBE. After England advanced to the World Cup final a year later, Mary Earps and Lauren Hemp received MBEs, while stand-in captain Millie Bright received an OBE.
Despite scoring England’s game-winning goal in their extra-time victory over Germany in the final and creating the tournament’s iconic moment with her celebration, Kelly was left out of the 2022 honour roll. Downing Street is anticipated to fix this omission in the upcoming honour list. The Cabinet Office oversees the honours nomination process, and Kelly and Hampton are considered a lock because of how they have delighted a country that has spent a large portion of the summer riveted to the Euros, with tens of millions of viewers on the BBC and ITV.
Even more crucial to England’s victory in Switzerland was Kelly. In Sunday’s final against Spain, the 27-year-old came off the bench once more to turn the tide of the match by setting up Alessia Russo’s equaliser with a cross and then converting the game-winning penalty in the shootout. The Arsenal winger netted the game-winning penalty rebound in the final minute of extra time in the semi-final matchup with Italy.
In addition, goalie Hampton will likely receive an MBE alongside former teammate Earps in recognition of her exploits during the shootout. The 24-year-old Chelsea goalie, who previously made two stops in England’s thrilling quarterfinal shootout victory over Sweden, stopped two penalties against Spain.
In addition, Williamson’s OBE can be changed to a CBE in honour of the Arsenal defender becoming the first player to lead England to back-to-back major championships and the first captain to win a major prize overseas. Three months prior to the 2023 World Cup, the 28-year-old had an anterior cruciate ligament injury, which prevented him from competing.
After England’s first European Championship victory, Wiegman, a Dutch national, received an honorary CBE, which is currently anticipated to be increased to an honorary damehood. The 55-year-old has two years remaining on her FA contract, and since she has already committed to captaining England to the 2027 World Cup in Brazil, there are currently no plans to negotiate an extension.