The battle to reach next summer’s major tournament in Switzerland continues, as the second round of European qualifiers commence on Friday May 31 with the other matches of this camp being played on Tuesday June 4.

England, the reigning European champions, have six Blues in their ranks: Hannah Hampton, Millie Bright, Jess Carter, Niamh Charles, Lauren James and Aggie Beever-Jones - who will be eager to win her first senior cap.

Beever-Jones has previously featured on the bench for Sarina Weigman’s side following a joint training camp with the U23s, but this is her first official senior call-up. It is just reward for a season where the forward netted 13 goals in all competitions, with 11 of those coming in our title-winning WSL campaign.

Bright is set to feature for the Lionesses for the first time since last October, following a lengthy spell out with injury. Our captain returned to action for the Blues in our Champions League semi-final second-leg against Barcelona, having been sidelined since November, before starting our last four WSL games.

Second-placed England face France – who sit at the top of Group A3 with six points after two games - at Newcastle United’s St James Park, before taking on the same opponent in Saint-Etienne. Les Bleus have also named a Chelsea player in their squad, with Eve Perisset called up by Herve Renard.

Elsewhere in Group A3, goalkeeper Zecira Musovic, defender Nathalie Bjorn and winger Johanna Rytting Kaneryd are all in line to feature for Sweden, who sit third with one point, as they take on the Republic of Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin and then again in Stockholm.

Guro Reiten’s Norway face Italy twice, with the first match being played in Oslo before the reverse being hosted in Ferrera in the tightly contested Group A1. All four teams, with the Netherlands and Finland being the two others, sit on three points after two games played.

Blues battle in League B

In Group B2, Erin Cuthbert has been selected for Scotland’s squad for their matches against Israel. Both games – at Hampden in Glasgow and in the neutral away venue Budaors, Hungary - are set to be played behind closed doors.

Scotland are second in the group going into this round of fixtures, level on four points with Serbia who have a one-goal advantage at the top of the table.

Quintet in friendly action

There is also non-competitive action to enjoy during this international break, with five Blues set to be involved.

The United States, who will be led by our former manager Emma Hayes for the first time, play South Korea in a friendly double-header on June 1 (22.00BST) in Colorado and in Minnesota on June 5 (01.00BST) with forward Catarina Macario named in the squad.

Ashley Lawrence and Kadeisha Buchanan have been included in the Canada squad for their two friendly matches against Mexico. The first of which takes place on June 1 (19.00BST) in Montreal, before the second on June 5 (00.30BST) in Toronto.

Fresh off the back of putting in a stellar performance on the final day of the season, scoring two goals and assisting two others, Mayra Ramirez has been called up to Colombia’s squad for their friendlies away to Venezuela. They are set to take place on May 31 (00:00 BST) and June 2 (22:00 BST).

Maika Hamano is in Japan’s squad for their friendlies against New Zealand which are being hosted by the Estadio Nueva Condomina in Murcia, Spain on May 31 (15.00BST) and June 3 (15.00BST).