England captain Leah Williamson says she would “never rule out” strike action if players feel they are not being heard about the busy match schedule.
The 28-year-old, who missed five months after knee surgery following England’s Euro 2025 win, recently returned to action with Arsenal and is back in the squad for the World Cup qualifiers. She is among several players still regaining full fitness after a packed calendar.
Williamson said players are not complaining “for fun” and that the more successful a team is, the less rest they get, which increases the risk of injury. She stressed that players want to play but also need proper recovery time.
While she said there have been no talks about striking right now, Williamson added she would not completely rule it out if players continue to feel ignored. For now, she believes there is still room for discussion and cooperation with governing bodies.
She also said players have shared training load and female health data with stakeholders, insisting they are not asking for a holiday but for better rest periods to protect their health and performance.
