Entering Gameweek Three of the UWCL League Phase - Introducing this Season’s Champions League Participants
The UWCL's league phase is back in full swing. From record champions to first-time participants, 18 clubs from 11 countries are fighting for their spot in the next round, so let's take a look at all of this year's UWCL clubs and how they have done across the first two matchdays.
From Champions League winners to European Newcomers - the UEFA Women's Europa Cup is heading into the Round of 16
The UEFA Women's Europa Cup is back for its second season. After two qualifying rounds, the second-tier European club competition will play the first leg of the round of 16 on the 28th and 29th October. With the reigning champions BK Häcken playing in the Champions League this season, the Europa Cup will definitely see a new winner.
So, how does the competition work? How did last season go? And which teams will face each other this time around? Let's take a look at the competition and the clubs fighting to lift the trophy.
Crystal Palace First Half Strike Wasn’t Enough to Weather the Blues second half storm
Chelsea eventually sealed all three points from an incredibly feisty South London derby against Crystal Palace. It was an end to end match up that saw the Blues come back from behind and Storm Boelo’s swirling wind dictate play.
Crystal Palace would have hoped to bounce back after a shock 3-2 defeat to Southampton midweek, a closely fought battle against the WSL2 side on the south coast where the Eagles much changed side missed out on all three cup points. A weekend 1-0 home loss to West Ham compounded their need for points, unable to turn dominance, strong defensive energy and counterattacking prowess into wins. Speaking pre match, head coach Potter said that this Palace team is different from the one that lost 7-0 to Chelsea at home in their last WSL season "we're not taking anything for granted. We're wanting to improve. We're wanting to be better.”
Arsenal Finally Get Back to Winning Ways with Narrow 2-1 Victory in the North London Derby
The North London Derby is always one of the most anticipated occasions in the WSL calendar, but with Tottenham sitting 5 places above Arsenal in the table, this year it seemed to be more monumental than ever. With ongoing discussion about Renée Sleger’s position as Arsenal manager, and Tottenham having conceded 12 goals in their last two matches, the game felt impossible to call.
Arsenal’s sold out away allocation brought their full support, scarves waving and a performance of ‘North London Forever’ echoing around the stadium clashing with the chants of Tottenham fans. The gravity of the occasion was felt on the pitch also, as Arsenal seemed to ramp up their attacking potency in correlation with the passion of the rivalry, and Spurs finding a composed determination on both sides of the pitch.
The Hammers Take Three Points from the Eagles through Gago’s Strike
West Ham United strolled to a comfortable 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace in the Barclays Women’s Super League (WSL) to secure their second win of the season through Kelly Gago’s first-half strike.
The Eagles attempted to fight back, thinking they had equalised before half-time when Bethany England turned in a cross from Fuka Tsunoda, only for the assistant referee to flag for offside.
Chelsea complete Confident Take-Down of West Ham with Ruthless Second-Half Win
A meeting between East and West London rivals at the Chigwell Construction Stadium certainly promised to be an exciting matchup, with both West Ham and Chelsea wishing to seize the opportunity to gain valuable points before the international break.
One team certainly delivered on that promise, and after a slow first half with a goal gifted to them by a West Ham mistake, Chelsea pulled out all the stops after half-time to gain a decisive 3-0 victory. All three of Chelsea’s shots on target were converted, with goals from Malard, Walsh, and Hamano. Chelsea complete their fourth successive win in the WSL, leaving them unbeaten so far; they haven’t conceded a single goal in their last six games across all competitions.
Magical Manchester City Unbeaten at the Top Whilst Arsenal’s Fortunes Worsen at the Etihad
The 1500th game of the WSL era was taken by Manchester City, coming back from behind twice against an Arsenal side that had momentum but ran out of both ideas and confidence late on.
Lisa Baum opened the scoring in the first half but Hemp got the game level again just 5 minutes later. The Gunner’s started the second half firing, Russo finding the net for her second of the season in all competitions. Arsenal’s pressure weakened as the game went on, made only worse when Casparij’s first touch as a substitute curled the ball into the back of the net. The Citizens third and forth came from Hemp at the backpost and then no other than Bunny Shaw, given too much space in the center of the area after being largely nullified by Wubben Moy throughout, she doesn’t miss from there.
Taylor’s “Ambition is Limitless” as Liverpool Travel to Manchester United
Two wins, a draw and a narrow loss to last year's winners Manchester City in the WSL is a dream start for Gareth Taylor’s Liverpool. Following a 2025/26 where the side were continuously looking over their shoulder, not picking up a point until November, this season has brought a newfound “confidence and mentality” to the squad.
Aiming to end this first block on a high, the reds travel to faltering Manchester United, who will look to get their second three points of the league season, whilst Liverpool continue pushing to better their current 5th place position.
Clinical Thompson secures Derby Day Win despite the Gunners’ Glory Hunt
London City Lionesses host Brighton & Hove Albion at the Copperjax Community Stadium for a tight contest in the Barclays Women’s Super League.
In front of 4,177 fans, the hosts showcased technical and progressive football to continue their statement season in the topflight. With Alexia Putellas on the scoresheet to open her WSL account, and Lucía Corrales tapping one in moments before the final whistle, the Spanish internationals made the difference in Bromley.
Manchester City Clinch Three Points Against a Pushing Charlton Athletic
Heading into Matchday four of the Barclays Women’s Super League, title-holders Manchester City and league newcomers Charlton Athletic sit at opposite ends of the results table.
City netted three against Birmingham City on their season debut, followed by 4 against both Liverpool and Aston Villa, shooting them to the top in both points and goal difference. Charlton Athletic, on the other hand, struggle in the relegation zone with no points, having conceded heavily to both Everton and London City Lionesses in recent weeks.
Putellas Opens WSL Account as the Seagulls Fall to a Clinical London City
London City Lionesses host Brighton & Hove Albion at the Copperjax Community Stadium for a tight contest in the Barclays Women’s Super League.
In front of 4,177 fans, the hosts showcased technical and progressive football to continue their statement season in the topflight. With Alexia Putellas on the scoresheet to open her WSL account, and Lucía Corrales tapping one in moments before the final whistle, the Spanish internationals made the difference in Bromley.
Brighton Draw with Villa 1-1 Despite Intense Attacking Efforts at the Amex
After a winless opening two WSL matches for both Brighton and Hove Albion and Aston Villa, both teams came to the AMEX on Sunday with a determination to climb up from the bottom half of the table. Last season in the WSL, Brighton and Villa encountered each other on opening weekend, ending in a 0-0 draw, and Aston Villa then clinched a 2-1 win with a second-half comeback when they faced again in January.
The two sides headed into the game on a near even keel, with one point each on the table. After a first half goal by Gabby George, and a last-minute wondergoal straight from a corner by Lynn Wilms, the teams ended their meeting at a stalemate, despite a vast gap in attacking attempts. Although Brighton had 25 shots compared to Villa’s two, the points were shared evenly between the teams as the Seagulls struggled to convert their attacking momentum into something more clinical.
Tottenham Hotspur Stun Ten Player Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park
An Olivia Holdt hat trick and Victoria Pelova brace helped the visitors to an emphatic 7-0 win against a defiant but ultimately outrun 10-man Crystal Palace.
A 7th minute red card for Palace midfielder Fuka Tsunoda put a pause on the Eagle’s early promise, reverting to a defensive display so successful last week in their draw against Arsenal, keeping it level before half time. Tired legs and a changed game plan from Spurs completely altered proceedings after the break. Tottenham came out firing, not wasting any time before running rings around the Eagles, Holdt slotting it home for her first four minutes after the whistle and the floodgates opened from there.
Bristol City Register First Win as Hardy’s Hattrick Stuns the Golden Girls
Bristol City moved to eighth in the Women’s Super League 2 (WSL2) table after securing their first win of the season after a 5-1 thriller over Watford Women at Vicarage Road on Sunday.
A superb performance by Rio Hardy opened the scoreline for the Robins in the first half, while new summer signing Saoirse Noonan pulled one for the hosts after the break.
New Teams, A Growing Fan Base and A League Takeover: An Introduction to the Frauen-Bundesliga
Germany's top division is one of the oldest and most successful women's football leagues in the world. It has produced European champions, World Cup winners and some of the biggest clubs and players in the sport. Now an exciting new Frauen-Bundesliga season is ahead of us and a lot happened before the ball was even kicked. From Stuttgart and Mainz about to play their first Bundesliga season, to the growing number of fans in the stadiums, to clubs taking a major step towards running the league by themselves and fans protesting against kick-off times.
This season will be an important one - not just on the pitch.
Goodwin Shines as London City Slot Four Past Charlton
London City Lionesses sent out a strong statement after a 4-1 win over Charlton Athletic at the Valley Stadium in London.
England international Isobel Goodwin opened the scoring on quick succession early in the first half for the visitors, while Jodie Hutton added a consolation goal for the hosts soon after. Jana Fernandez added a third just before the break, with Nicole Anyomi making it 4-1 before full time.
Potter wants to “Keep the Momentum” as Crystal Palace face Tottenham at Selhurst Park
Head coach Jo Potter speaks in her press conference ahead of Crystal Palace’s first game at Selhurst Park this season. The Eagles are set to host London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur in a tough contest.
After a 0-0 draw with Arsenal last weekend that surpassed expectations, Palace are full of confidence heading into this fixture.
Chelsea Overcome the Blues with Ruthless Execution at the Bridge
In their new home of Stamford Bridge, Chelsea host Birmingham City in their third WSL fixture this season. Full of confidence after a 5-0 victory in Manchester last weekend, the Blues look hungry for more.
Amy Merricks’ Blues head to London ambitious to take something from the hosts, challenging for every ball and putting bodies on the line. Following an impressive draw on Sunday, the squad prepare to put themselves on the WSL radar once again.
Redefining Representation: Neurodivergent Voices in Women’s Football
Representation has always been a core part of women’s football. With more individuals speaking up about social topics in the sport, this has never been more important.
In recent years, people in the industry have raised awareness of the gender pay gap, match accessibility for fans and the increase in scheduled matches in the season calendar. However, one area that has gained significant attention is neurodiversity.
Securing Stars For the Future, a Formidable Attack and Set Piece Success: Jerglertz is Preparing to Win as Villa Away Day Looms
Last season's Champions face a determined Aston Villa on match day two of their WSL campaign. Manchester City started their first season in 10 years as title holders with a solid 3-1 win against WSL2 victors Birmingham City. A settled first half was brought to life in the second with a trademark Bunny Shaw brace and a Fowler volley getting past on-form Birmingham keeper Baggaley to secure the three points, the Blues getting a consolation goal through Jade Rose getting caught in possession at the back.
A tougher challenge awaits the Citizens as they head to fellow Birmingham outfit Aston Villa for a clash that could go either way. Buoyed by a draw against Chelsea on opening day, the Villan’s won't make it easy for Jerglertz’s side, but he is determined to win all the games they play and is confident that his injury ridden side have all the components needed to repeat last season's successes.