On Wednesday 22 July, Wrexham made their first ever appearance in the UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) and their second against Dinamo Riga this weekend. Competing in the qualifying rounds, they pushed towards their dream of Champions League football next season.

For Wrexham, this is a historic achievement and remains an incredible opportunity for Welsh football as a whole. However, they fell short in the second fixture.

Nigeria head into the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations determined to once again prove why they are one of the most successful teams in African Women’s football. With a victory over this year’s hosts, Morocco in the final last year, the Nigeria Super Falcons are looking to reach a record eleventh title in the tournament.

The Super Falcons have built a remarkable legacy in the competition, winning the tournament a record number of times. With a blend of experienced leaders and exciting young talent, they will once again be among the favourites to challenge for the title.

Former Spanish basketball player Pau Gasol has invested €55 million into Liga F, a landmark commitment that reflects growing confidence in the financial stability and long-term sporting potential of Spain's top flight. 

With women's football projected to become one of the world's top five sports by 2030, this private equity deal proves that everyone wants a piece of what women’s football has to offer. From an expanding fan culture, to record broadcast audiences and an increasingly competitive game which creates stars both on and off the field, recent years have propelled women's sport into one of the world's most marketable investment opportunities. 

For Liga F, as key figures depart and this major financial investment looking to reshape the structure and perception of the league, they enter a period of transition that will surely change the face of Spanish football, but at what cost?

Charlton Athletic return to the topflight in September for the first time since they were relegated from the FA Women’s Premier League at the end of the 2007/08 season. Their promotion will end an 18 year absence from the top flight, making them the 21st different club to compete in the Barclays Women’s Super League.

Karen Hills’ team secured this promotion after a competitive play-off final that saw the Addicks beat Leicester City on penalties, in front of a record crowd at The Valley. Following an impressive form in the WSL2 last season, Charlton are ready to make their WSL debut with statement performances and strong ambitions.

Entering what is set to be one of the most transformative transfer windows in recent European women’s football history, young ballers are owning the headlines.

In a year that's seen 19-year-old Michelle Agyemang rescue the Lionesses twice on their way to UEFA Women's Euro’s glory, Arsenal complete a then world-record £1 million move for 20-year-old Olivia Smith, and 18-year-old Clara Serrajordi start on the UEFA Women's Champions League final stage, it’s clear that this next generation are ready to take up the mantle and compete at a top of the game. 

As clubs create clearer pathways for young talent, Europe's brightest prospects have become the defining story of this window so far, the race to secure the next generation of stars is only just beginning.

From the high of finishing the season with a 3-0 victory against Nottingham Forest at St Mary’s Stadium, Southampton FC Women have been hit with devastating news during the summer break.

Ahead of the 2026/27 season, Southampton are set to make significant cuts to their women’s and girl’s programme reaching around £500,000. Around £100,000 of these cuts are expected to directly impact the senior team with the large remainder of the cuts expected to impact the club’s women’s and girl’s programme, including the demotion of the academy from Category 1 to Category 2 status.

ACL injuries remain one of the biggest challenges facing women’s football. Despite growing awareness and increased research, serious knee injuries continue to sideline players across domestic leagues and the international game.

Since 2022 there have been 820 ACL injuries, 83 of them just being this year. This amount of injuries has raised concerns about player welfare and the long-term future of the women’s game. Only halfway through the calendar year, this number of ACL cases sustained is increasingly concerning. And the number will continue to rise as the year progresses.

Whilst many elite players are able to navigate their recovery with top medical teams at higher profile clubs, others in lower leagues are unable to afford surgery and therefore face a long wait. With some top players having suffered and also some players that can’t afford to get ACL surgery. The problem has not disappeared, instead continued to grow rapidly.

Better representation for women in coaching and development of the female coaching pathways are pivotal to mirror the growth of the women’s game.

So many elite women’s footballers retire young in comparison to other industries, yet so few turn to top-level coaching after hanging up their boots. The most successful in the field are often ex-professional footballers, Sarina Wiegman and Renée Slegers two that immediately come to mind. With a wealth of first-hand experiences on the pitch, alongside in-depth knowledge of the game and the requirements of being a successful footballer, professional footballers are often expected to take the coaching route once retired from on-pitch duties. However, this is not the reality.

Only a small number of footballers consider the possibility of becoming coaches after their retirement. And others grow up without the possibility of pursuing a coaching career. There are several challenges faced by women and girls with aspirations of being the next top female coach: structural barriers, the ‘player to coach’ myth, a lack of awareness and representation, and financial burdens.

World Sevens Football made its London debut this week and did not disappoint. From fun walkouts to goals galore, the tournament went from success to success in front of sold-out crowds at the GTECH Community Stadium.

Eight Barclays Women’s Super League clubs starred in the tournament: Aston Villa, Chelsea, Everton, Leicester City, London City Lionesses, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United. Chelsea lifted the trophy at the home of Brentford FC after a tight final win over the Red Devils, ending a challenging season for the club in high spirits.

However, this is much more than a competitive football tournament. World Sevens is a fun event that brings together the women’s football community, champions women in sport, and showcases the personality behind the players and staff. Nothing else compares!

Sarina Wiegman announced her 25-player England squad for the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifiers against Spain and Ukraine next month. 

The latest squad announcement has given fans plenty to be excited about, with three key players returning from injury alongside several emerging talents continuing to impress ahead of a crucial international window.

Head coach, Wiegman has welcomed back some of England’s biggest names, offering a major boost as the Lionesses continue preparations for the next stage of their international campaign.

Arsenal launches a new three-part documentary called ‘No More Red: The Arsenal Mixtape’. The documentary was released on Wednesday 13 May 2026. It shines a light on Arsenal’s community programme in partnership with North London youth organisation Gain CTRL.

The project uses music to create safe, supportive spaces for young people. The documentary follows a 12-week music development programme involving ten young musicians from North London. The participants received mentorship, industry expertise and access to a unique pitch side recording space at Emirates Stadium. 

Millie Bright OBE will step away from the pitch, but her legacy will live on at the heart of Chelsea Football Club: a career defined by leadership, community and resilience. The Blues’ Captain and former Lioness has announced her full retirement from football with immediate effect.

The all-time record appearance holder in the Barclays Women’s Super League made 314 appearances as a Blue. During her twelve years at Chelsea, she lifted a remarkable twenty trophies and inspired positive changes for both the club and community.

From captaining the Lionesses at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, to leading Chelsea onto the pitch week-in-week-out, there is no doubt that her career has been shaped by magical moments while representing her pride and fortitude for the badge. For one final time, the club and fans will present the Captain with farewells and gratitude at Stamford Bridge ahead of the season finale.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are a club striving to achieve big in the FA Women’s National League. Jenny Wilkes has been Chair of the Wolves Girls and Women’s Football Club since 1999, when women’s football was still in its infancy, and the women’s section of the club was struggling to survive.

She led the charge during a period of development that saw the Old Gold become fully integrated into the club, and now sits on their advisory board, developing new pathways for young women from youth up to academy level.

Wilkes is also the president of the Official Supporters’ Club. She gave an insight to the growth of the club, Wolves’ long-term ambitions and the premise of promotion in future seasons.

The Lionesses face Iceland in the FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifiers on Saturday 18th April, but this game is about far more than just the three points. The match marks the 500th game of the Lionesses, since their first official game in 1972. Since then, they have consistently rewritten the narrative of women’s football.

This monumental game provides an opportunity to reflect on that journey.  

For decades, motherhood in women’s football was widely perceived as incompatible with elite performance. Pregnancy often led to contract termination, financial instability, or early retirement, forcing players into an unspoken ‘either-or’ decision between family and career.

Today, that narrative is undergoing a significant transformation-driven by legal precedent, policy reform, and the visibility of athlete-mothers to the highest level of the game.

After thriving through the seventh European Deaf Futsal Championship in Croatia with a 100% winning record, the England Deaf Women’s Team brought it home following a 2-0 win against Poland in the final.

Not only did the result secure the title but signalled the growing impact of the Para Lionesses on the European stage. Winning this tournament is a reminder that disabilities should not limit opportunities in sports and raises awareness for deaf futsal both in England and globally.   

With a flawless group stage - and securing five wins in five throughout the competition - the team cruised through the tournament and proved themselves worthy of the first place finish.

Arsenal Women launches a brand-new documentary-style series, Gunner Girls, which champions inclusion and inspires the next generation. 

The new docuseries is exclusively available to watch on The Arsenal, the new digital home for fans globally. This platform allows supporters to access exclusive experiences and opportunities, whilst expressing their love and support for the club and its community initiatives.  

Following the creation of a new Under-9s girls’ community team, the series spotlights their first journey in football, alongside the support of several Arsenal Women stars: Lotte Wubben-Moy, Beth Mead, Leah Williamson and Alessia Russo. 

The Football Association [FA] in partnership with Barclays, has announced a nationwide school campaign to understand the entrenched societal barriers that affect girls’ participation in football. 

The initiative Made for This Game: Breaking Barriers will provide free resources to primary and secondary schools across the country to start important conversations about the gendered barriers still present in sport, hoping to increase inclusivity and access to participation. 

The FA and Barclays Girls Football in School’s Partnership has, over many years, worked to support educators in making equal access to football in schools a reality. This new campaign hopes to break down the remaining barriers with fresh insight showing that gender stereotyping, misogyny, and a lack of body confidence are the most significant factors still holding girls back.

Poppy Pattinson received her first senior Lionesses call-up and made her senior debut in a 6-1 victory over Ukraine, coming on as a second-half substitute.

The London City Lionesses’ defender spoke to the media following her first senior England experience. She outlined the highlights of camp, the pride of making her debut, what sets her aside from other left-backs, and her long-term ambitions both on the domestic and international footballing scenes.

Women’s football is often framed as a rapidly expanding success story, marked by rising visibility, increasing audiences, and growing commercial interest. Yet beneath this narrative lies a complex and precarious “hidden economy”, particularly within semi-professional and lower-tier women’s football.

This economy is characterised by high levels of passion and development potential, alongside profound structural, financial, and employment insecurity.

While top-flight leagues such as the Barclays Women’s Super League (WSL) have benefited from professionalisation and investment, the tiers below-and many international contexts-continue to rely on a fragile mix of amateur, semi-professional, and subsided labour.