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With increasing pressure, especially in the WSL, where goalkeepers are taking liabilities for how long they take, the International Football Association Board has made some amendments to the law of the game for the next season, with the WSL putting itself forward for this change.

According to new research from the Women’s Sport Trust, 30% of consumers (16.4 million people in the UK) feel more favourable towards brands that sponsor women's sport. That means they shop or use branded products that might feature players on the front of packaging, sponsored social media content, or kit sponsors in women's sports. This support is greater for women's sports than for men's, with only 20% (10.7 million) feeling the same about a brand supporting men. 

Emma Hayes is a significant architect of modern women's football, having transformed Chelsea women from part-time to one of the elite professional powerhouses, setting new standards for the game.

With the rise of women's football in England and increased uptake, it is surprising that the proportion of England-qualified players in the WSL fell to just 30% last season, less than half the level of seven years ago.

It has long been speculated that the impacts of a woman's menstrual cycle and injuries in women's football, but nothing has been officially confirmed or can be proven. To date, there has been a lack of high-quality data to demonstrate how and when this occurs. New research published by the Barça Innovation Hub changes the conversation.

While Chelsea's season has not gone completely to plan, with poor results and controversies surrounding the club, this remains true. Their recruitment under Paul Green was impeccable. Most notable are their two summer signings, Alyssa Thompson and Ellie Carpenter, who have become key players for the team. Both players have saved Chelsea's season, and the teams have relied on their speed to make the difference on multiple occasions.

Chelsea 2026 has been one to forget, back-to-back losses in the WSL for the first time since 2015, and the first time Sonia Bompastor has experienced that in hermanageriall career. The WSL title slipped from your grasp, and you thought it was the lowest it could get. But the decline of the treble holders, who sit third in the WSL, nine points behind Manchester City, has got progressively worse. 

While Chelsea is now likely more concerned with a possible injury to Millie Bright, there is genuine discontent among the club captain with her actions this season, and it seems to have spread within the club.

Given the external noise surrounding the defending champions, this game carried added pressure for Chelsea. Dropping points in back-to-back games for the first time in 11 years meant this fixture carried greater significance than usual. It was also the first time Sonia Bompastor had lost consecutive matches in her managerial career, which spans more than 180 games across multiple competitions. Even with her contract extended through 2030, Chelsea needed a solid performance at Tottenham to convince supporters that she remains the right manager for the job.

Many believe Chelsea have not lived up to last season’s standards. According to Opta, Chelsea have underperformed their expected goals more than any other team in the WSL this season, scoring 24 goals from an expected 29. They have also managed just two shots on target across their games against Arsenal and Manchester City.

While women's football is very much at the centre of the world of sport, this has not always been the case; some interesting facts and stats sometimes go under the radar, or at least to me. Here are some facts I recently learned about women's football, but you might already know them.

With the January window closed, the clubs will look ahead to the summer. Clubs can also renew contracts with their current players between now and the end of the season. The summer of 2026 sees many WSL stars out of contract, and they can speak to other clubs from now until the end of the season and sign pre-season contracts ahead of the 2026/27 season. These are some of the players who could either stick or twist.

Plough Lane has emerged as a genuine option in Chelsea Women’s discussions over where to stage more of their home fixtures, with the club increasingly aware that Kingsmeadow no longer reflects either the scale of their success or the growth of the women’s game. 

Arsenal and Chelsea top women’s money league in 2025, according to analysis by Deloitte.

How fair is the women's Champions Cup?

Chelsea FC was founded in 1905 with a clear purpose: to play its home matches at Stamford Bridge, according to the club. From the very beginning, the stadium shaped Chelsea’s identity, and few features capture that history better than the Shed Wall. The famous Shed End was initially constructed to accommodate bookmakers during greyhound racing nights, long before football entirely took over the site. Today, the wall attached to the Shed End is the only surviving element of that original structure, a rare physical link to the ground’s earliest days.

When Chelsea and Arsenal meet, the game rarely stays contained within ninety minutes. Over the last two years, their meetings have produced some of the most scrutinised moments in women’s football, matches defined not just by goals but by decisions, delays and deeply felt reactions from players and managers alike. This rivalry does not fade. It accumulates.

The possible location of the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup is not the only issue the competition has faced.

This is my ultimate Chelsea and Arsenal women’s combined starting XI that is fit to play in this weekend's London Derby fixture.

Chelsea and Arsenal are notorious for their decades-long rivalry in women’s football, spanning multiple competitions, with silverware being shared by the two clubs. It’s not just titles they share, but players as well. Here is a list of players who have played for both London teams. (This is not an exhaustive list) The biggest reason for the transition of power is Emma Hayes, the Arsenal assistant manager in 2006-07, then Chelsea manager years later, where she brought stars from that era at Arsenal to Chelsea.

Once the player hears or feels the “pop”, it almost seems inevitable what is to happen next, especially if the pop is in the knee. Some players have recalled feeling the ligament pull away.

As the WSL returns from the winter break and games come thick and fast, this is a time when teams are either made or broken. What separates title contenders from title winners is squad depth, and with the January window open, this is when sides bolster their squads in light of the first half of the season, especially in the wake of injuries.

It has been reported that FIFA are in talks with Qatar to host the inaugural women’s club World Cup in January 2028.

Lindsey Heaps is going back home.

As 2026 begins, the drama of 2025 continues amid uncertainty over Trinity Rodman's future. 

When you think of the most successful women’s football managers, you would think of these women. Sarina Wiegman, Sonia Bompastor and Emma Hayes. These women have broken records and made the path easier for managers like Renee Slegers to find a place and succeed. 

Why is it common for women’s footballers to suffer ACL injuries?

AFC Bournemouth supporters have written directly to the club to voice their anger and disappointment after it was confirmed that the women’s FA Cup tie against Manchester City will not be played at the Vitality Stadium.

Women’s football valuations are rising rapidly, reflecting the sport’s growing global reach, commercial appeal, and cultural relevance. While European clubs continue to dominate attendance records and elite competitions in 2025, it is US-based teams that dominate the list of the world’s most valuable women’s football clubs.

As the January transfer window has opened, let's look back at the best and biggest women’s football January transfers. The January transfer window is viewed very differently from the summer one. It's about short-term solutions, filling gaps, and ensuring the squad's depth remains available even after players get injured. It’s a time for clubs to reflect on the first half of the season and what they need to do in the second half, or what they need to bring in. January is the window clubs look at Scandinavia and the US for players, as their seasons are over, and players are more likely to be available on a free transfer.

As we walk into 2026, here are the top 10 most-attended women’s football games from 2025 across the world and what happened in those games. The pattern is big stars, big teams, and big stadiums, all of which shape this list from other matches. The list is dominated by the lionesses and Arsenal, who won the marketing PR battle.

Big individuals. Big moments. Significant moments for the Lionesses. England’s recent run has not only been defined by results but by individuals stepping forward at defining moments. From debut goals scored in seconds to hat-tricks under the Wembley lights, these performances have shaped belief around the Lionesses and hinted at what lies ahead. Whether it is new faces announcing themselves or established leaders adding to their legacy, each moment feels like part of a wider story building towards sustained dominance.

As we close the chapter on 2025, here are some of the most memorable moments on and off the pitch that shaped the year of women’s football across the world.

2025 was a year of change, records and key players. With the Euros, this list is dominated by players from Europe, as the leagues and international tournaments there are the strongest and most competitive in the world. From Barcelona, Arsenal and Chelsea, these teams have dominated domestically or on the European stage. From England to Spain, it is undoubtedly and deservedly at the top of this list, with the two nations being the only ones to win titles this year. 

2025 was a year of breaking headlines and news, a lot surrounding retirements, some coming to their natural conclusion, and seemed inevitable; others, however, came with their own drama. Let’s look into the players who have retired. This is not an exhaustive list, just some.

England’s 2025 was not built on control or comfort, but on resistance, belief, and an extraordinary ability to survive when everything seemed to be slipping away. This Lionesses side did not dominate tournaments in the traditional sense. Instead, they endured them, bending under pressure without ever breaking, finding solutions in moments when the margins were thinnest and the noise loudest. By the end of the year, England were no longer simply champions. They were something more compelling. They were the queens of the comeback.

2025 has been a significant year for women’s football and women’s sport more broadly. From the Red Roses to the Lionesses, women were given equal platforms to their male counterparts and achieved success at the highest level.

England and Spain dominated the FIFA Women’s Best XI of 2025, a reflection of a year in which both nations set the standard at club and international level. Four England players and seven from Spain were selected, underlining their influence across the biggest stages in women’s football. The honours were shared between just three clubs – Chelsea, Arsenal and Barcelona – each enjoying remarkable success. Chelsea completed a domestic treble, Arsenal lifted the UEFA Women’s Champions League, and Barcelona swept their domestic competitions while finishing as Champions League finalists.

Hannah Hampton sustained a quadriceps injury during Chelsea’s controversial 1–1 draw with Arsenal earlier this season and has not featured for the club since. 

Chelsea FC women’s have announced a new long-term collaboration with Signify Group, a global leader in proactively tackling online abuse.

Many fans wonder why Chelsea women’s Champions League matches are always at Stamford Bridge, due to UEFA requirements.

Arsenal women have had a rocky start to the season. In nine games, they have won only four and are currently 10th in the Champions League table.

This WSL season, we have seen some big shake-ups in broadcasting and kick-off times. Sky Sports has acquired the rights to show the WSL, which has injected significant funding into the league, though many fans are unhappy.

It is only November, and we have already seen a significant list of injuries plaguing the WSL, from ACL tears to the unknown. Here is a list of all the players currently unavailable in the WSL, their injuries and when they will return, plus the impact their absence will have on their side in the last few games of the year before the winter break.

Sam Kerr made her first start for Chelsea in 692 days in the Champions League on 20 December, scoring in Chelsea's 3-1 victory over BK Hacken. It was a moment supporters had waited almost two years to see again.

Do Arsenal have an injury crisis on its hands?

This is the first part of my ACL series to understand the injury and its broader impacts in women's football, from what the ligament is to why women are more predisposed to tearing it.

Chelsea under Sonia Bompastor is unbeaten in domestic football. Arsenal want to be the ones to break it.

Do Arsenal have an injury crisis on its hands?

Have I maybe somewhat cheated… but many players have played for both teams in their careers. Many players started their careers at Arsenal, which was the largest women’s team in England and one of the first clubs to invest in women’s football in the 2010s. Chelsea came into the fold. This is the ultimate starting XI of retired players. They were chosen based on their abilities while at the clubs in question, not on their abilities elsewhere in their careers. 

The 2025 FIFPRO Women’s World 11 Announced

Look back at Millie Bright's England career upon the news of her retirement from international football.

Arsenal women have the most extensive fan base in the WSL and draw the biggest crowds, but what is the secret to their success?

But Arsenal's commitment to hosting all WSL home games at the Emirates is significant. Other clubs only do the occasional one for big matches, while Arsenal sets the standard.

Aggie Beever-Jones was a breakthrough star of the 2023/24 season after the ACL injuries of Sam Kerr and Mia Fishel.

As more and more players shift from the NWSL to the WSL, here is a list of some of the best US national side players who have played in England.

After Chelsea signed another US national player, Alyssa Thompson, managed by Chelsea's ex-manager Emma Hayes, in international terms, let's look at those US national players who have graced the WSL. More and more USA players have moved across the pond to the WSL in recent years.  

When Sonia Bompastor hinted on Friday that Sam Kerr might be back in action, there was already a sense of anticipation in the air. “Hopefully we’ll see her,” Chelsea’s head coach teased at her pre-match press conference. On Sunday, against Aston Villa, fans finally did.

We are just weeks into the WSL season, and the competition is already close. Here is my list of the must-watch games coming up before the winner break that you should tune into, from derby days to main stadium action to big team rivals fighting it out on the biggest stages.

After winning the Euros final, Lucy Bronze announced that she had played the whole tournament with a broken Tibia.

Brighton women and their good businesses

Multi-Club Ownership in Football: Men vs Women

The London City Lionesses have once again underlined their reputation as trailblazers in English football. The club — the only independent, women’s-only side in the top two tiers — has unveiled a groundbreaking shirt partnership with TOGETHXR, the women-athlete-owned media and commerce company founded by Alex Morgan, Sue Bird, Simone Manuel, and Chloe Kim.

Chelsea’s Treble Triumph: Sonia Bompastor Responds to Criticism

More women’s football clubs in the WSL are fighting the stigma around periods and women’s health. Chelsea, West Ham, Arsenal, and Manchester City have now collaborated with fighting brands.

A few months before the Euros, Lauren James injured her Hamstring in a Nations League match against Belgium. She fought back to be in the tournament and played through pain in the latter stages to be part of it.

Jana Fernandez moved from Barcelona to City Lionesses this summer to join the English side in their first season of the WSL.

Sam Kerr tore her ACL in January 2024 and has been allowed to return. ACLS take a while to heal, but this is longer than expected. There are rumours she reinjured herself with the Tillies; however, this was never confirmed by Australia or Chelsea.

World Sevens is back after its success in Europe, this time with more at stake as it takes a trip across the pond.

The Ballon d'Or Féminin is awarded based on a player's overall performance, including individual skill, team achievements, and fair play. A panel of 50 journalists from the top 50 women's football nations, as ranked by FIFA, vote for their top 10 players from a 30-player shortlist. The points system awards 15 points for first place, 12 for second, and so on down to 1 point for tenth place. 

The Ballon d'Or Féminin is awarded based on a player's overall performance, including individual skill, team achievements, and fair play. A panel of 50 journalists from the top 50 women's football nations, as ranked by FIFA, vote for their top 10 players from a 30-player shortlist. The points system awards 15 points for first place, 12 for second, and so on down to 1 point for tenth place. The women's award started in 2018, with Ada Hegerberg as the first winner. Aitana Bonmati was the most recent winner for the second time. The voting has a Spanish/ Barcelona bias.

Chelsea has become the first Premier League and WSL team to partner with Cadbury to provide British Sign Language interpreters on-screen at all home games this season.

The award is given to the best manager in the world based on individual and team achievements, as well as exhibiting class and fair play. The coach’s success is leading their team to victories, trophies and overall positive results throughout the season. The coach’s impact on their team's performance includes tactical decisions, player development, and leadership qualities. 

The award is named after Lev Yashin, the first and only goalkeeper to win a Ballon d'Or, a feat no other goalkeeper has yet accomplished. He was known for his athleticism, positioning, imposing presence in goal, and acrobatic reflex saves. He was also deputy chairman of the Football Federation of the Soviet Union. On the men’s side, it was created in 2019. It is awarded to the best goalkeeper. Voting for this award is performed by journalists based on a shortlist of 10. It is an award based on three main criteria: Individual performances, decisive and impressive character, team performances and achievements and class and fair play.

Like many this year, this is a new award for the women’s side.

Premier League Clubs Sell Women’s Teams to Navigate PSR Rules: Strategy or Setback?

Men banned the women's game because they were too scared it was getting more popular then the men's.  Before the FA ban in 1921, women's football in England was gaining significant popularity, attracting crowds of over 50,000.

Six months before the Euros, it looked like Chloe Kelly would not make the squad. She was barely playing for Manchester City, and a sour relationship with the manager meant she was not selected for international duty.

The race for the 2025 Ballon d’Or Féminin is heating up—and this year, it’s shaping into a battle of Europe. With the Euros playing a pivotal role in shaping perceptions and performances, and the power rankings dominated by players from Spain and England, the question now isn’t just who’s been good—it’s who’s been unignorable.

After Mary Earps retired, fans told Hampton she was not good enough and they did not want her in goal. Online bullying and hate were astronomical, but she proved them all wrong. She did her talking on the pitch, proving to them that she had every right to be given that number one shirt.

Michelle Agyemang, saviour of the nation.

Gemma Grainger is the first manager at the Euros to guide her team into the quarter-finals, thanks to two own goals, but still.

This morning we heard the tragic news of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre passing away in a car accident a few weeks after he got married. While his loved ones are in my thoughts. I wanted to talk to you about his legacy in women's football.

While we head into a Euro likely to beat ticket sales and attendance, let's look at the top historical memories from Euros.

Hannah Hampton was dropped from the England squad in late 2022 due to reported attitude and behaviour issues. She was recalled in March 2023, and manager Sarina Wiegmaof confirmed that everything had been sorted out.

Former Liverpool and Chelsea women's manager Matt Beard has been named head coach of Burnley women in the third tier.

2025 is the year of the infrastructural upgrade in women's football, from toilets to breastfeeding rooms and stadiums across Europe, at the highest level.

Let's look at the EUROS fact file history of the most and the tops in each category. Hopefully, you can see the key pattern throughout the piece.

As the transfer window just opened, let's talk about some crazy and amazing free transfers we have seen in the women's game in recent years around Europe.

Women’s football is set to reach 800 million fans and become a top-five global sport by 2030.

Claudia Pina is the super-sub for both Spain and Barcelona.

Melanie Leuoplz, a footballer and mother, has announced her retirement from club football after stepping away from international duty in September 2023.

Chelsea's pre-season review

First go Russo, second go, Garcia, third leave Earps, and the whole team falls.

The Smell of beer and English pride cracks down on England fans this summer with the ever-strong optimism that this will be our tournament to win.