Herfootball.org

The Ballon d’Or is back, with familiar faces nominated and some of the most notable missing: Aitana Bonmatí, the three-time winner who has won it for the last three seasons, was not mentioned because she was off the pitch, injured, from November 2025 to May. So, for the first time since 2021, we will have a different winner.

Something so uncommon it's hard to believe it even happened. Where one would have hoped the Women's game would have grown, this situation shows exactly what is still to come. Crystal Palace won their opening WSL victory against Everton 1-0, but they are now under investigation for breaching the league's substitution rules. This isn't because they made too many subs, but because of a rule that isn't spoken about much: they made too many opportunities to sub. They had four windows, while the wsl only allows a maximum of three, though changes made at half-time are treated differently and do not count as one of the three active-play windows allowed.

If women's football fans thought Katie McCabe's move from Arsenal to direct rivals Chelsea would be the biggest shock, this move will have you stunned in more ways than one.

In the last 24 hours, Brighton women's world turned upside down and back around, starting with the sudden departure of their manager, Dario Vidosic, at the beginning of the day and ending with a new manager already signed.

Manchester United announced their new manager, Eva Olid, but will she face the same issues as Marc Skinner and Casey Toney before her? The Spanish coach was the former Hearts manager, where she won Hearts' first Scottish Women's Premier League title. She is considered to have a reputation for developing players, especially young talents and building teams. Sources at the club had said one of the key requirements for Skinner's replacement is a coach with a history of developing players. But with a month to go to their opening match against London City Lionesses, she has a lot of work to do.

For months, there has been speculation over Sam Kerr's future. There were rumours she would join Lindsey Heaps at the Denver summit, but she denied them. The latest report is that she is returning to the NWSL to join the current champions, NJ/NY Gotham FC, on a free transfer after leaving Chelsea for a six-and-a-half-year spell in the WSL, which was royally derailed by her 20-month absence due to an ACL injury.

You would have to go back nearly 25 years to the last time the lionesses failed to top their World Cup qualifying group. But with the introduction of the Nations League, playing off against teams of a high standard, and UEFA placing the European and world champions in the same group, it is not surprising.

After two years away from the WSL, Mary Earps is back, following an underwhelming time at PSG, where she hoped to win the Champions League but last season bowed out early, finishing second from last with no wins. She has returned no longer as England's number one or a lioness, as she signs a two-year contract with London City Lionesses.

In a move that surprised no one, Beth Mead has joined Manchester City after hinting during the international break that everyone would find out next week. Her wishing Jill Scott good luck on her Sports Relief challenge from the Manchester City training ground is not a shock, as it has been announced that she has signed a three-year contract. This is even less of a surprise, knowing her partner, Vivianne Miedema, is currently at the club too. 

This season is definitely Kimi Antonelli's season. He has made and broken history so far in the first few races. Since claiming his maiden victory at the Chinese GP in his second season in the car back in March, he has continued to prove the doubters wrong. That he deserved the Mercedes seat at such a young age, and living up to the legacy and expectations left by Lewis Hamilton, he has since gone on an extraordinary winning streak that has placed him among the sport’s greatest champions. 

The European automatic qualification slots have been filled on the road to the FIFA World Cup in Brazil next year on the final matchday. Denmark, France and reigning champions Spain joined Germany.

In a shocking turn of events, England have missed out on automatic qualification for the World Cup and will now take the longer play-off route to Brazil next year.