WOMEN’S FOOTBALL WEEKLY
The five-minute read for dedicated-ish fans of women’s football.
This week: international football takes over. The Asian Cup is up and running, European World Cup qualifiers begin — and the schedule debate isn’t going anywhere. Plus, dig out the mini Aston Villa kits… there’s a new WSL baby due September 2026.
– Jo, founder of Twentytwo
⚽ WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
England’s road to Brazil begins
Ok, I’ll admit it — that night in Sydney still stings. Thankfully, we don’t have to wait long for another shot: World Cup qualifying starts again this week.
Qualifying now follows a Nations League-style format — leagues, small groups, promotion and play-offs. England are in League A with Spain, Ukraine and Iceland. Top the group and they qualify automatically. Anything else means the play-offs.
Ukraine and Iceland are first up, giving Sarina Wiegman a bit of wriggle room before Spain in April. Does she stick with the tried-and-tested structure, even with injuries, or lean further into the experimentation we saw at the end of the last window?
There’s a good chance to bank early points here — and start shaping what this next version of England looks like. If there’s an opportunity to experiment, this feels like it.
Don’t miss: England vs Ukraine, tomorrow 5pm on ITV4
🚨ICYMI
Top Headlines
🔁 Leah Williamson says the calendar is close to breaking players. England’s captain has warned that squads “can’t keep absorbing” more fixtures without rest and hasn’t ruled out strike action if nothing changes. Read more
📖 Mary Earps says she’s learned “tough lessons” from her book backlash. She’s acknowledged the hurt caused by comments about Sarina Wiegman and Hannah Hampton, while insisting she still stands by most of the autobiography. Read more
🏆 FA Cup quarter-final draw gets spicy. Charlton host Liverpool, Chelsea face Spurs, Arsenal are at home to Brighton and Birmingham take on Manchester City — a last eight with banana skins everywhere you look. Read more
🇺🇸 NWSL 2026 schedule is out as Denver Summit and Boston Legacy enter the league. The 16-team season now runs 30 games per side (up from 26), kicking off 13 March and ending Decision Day on 1 November before playoffs and a 21 November final. View the fixtures
🔍 IN FOCUS
Asian Cup impact on the WSL
Australian Associated Press/Alamy Live News
The AFC Women’s Asian Cup is underway in Australia (1–21 March), and for the next few weeks it’s dominating the women’s football calendar.
What it means for WSL clubs
Key players missing. Several WSL sides are without regular starters while the tournament plays out, forcing earlier-than-planned rotation just as the league resumes on 15 March.
Minutes for returning stars. For players coming back from injury, including Sam Kerr and Mary Fowler, this is a good way to get competitive minutes under their belt. A potential positive for their WSL clubs if they return sharp.
Crunch time in the league. The season is moving into its decisive stretch. The title race looks to be City’s to lose, but could key absences cause a stumble? At the bottom, thin squads tend to feel it first.
Champions League squeeze. Quarter-finals kick off two days after the Asian Cup final. Realistically, anyone playing on 21 March isn’t starting in Europe on 23 March. With several WSL regulars representing tournament heavyweights, that timing is awkward.
Follow the tournament here, and watch live games on the AFC Youtube channel.
P.S. If you’re tweaking your fantasy team before 15 March, check who’s boarding a long-haul flight home on the 22nd.
📚 WHAT WE’RE READING
A summer season would free women’s football from constraints of men’s game - via The Guardian
How do Lionesses solve full-back succession problem? – via BBC Sport
✍️ INSIDE TRACK
Management moves
→ Chelsea have appointed Phil Radley as sporting director, following the shock departure of Paul Green. Radley hasn’t worked in women’s football before, so it’s a bold move straight into one of the game’s highest-profile jobs.
→ Former Tottenham Hotspur head coach Robert Vilahamn has taken over at Portland Thorns. The NWSL is a very different beast — and it feels like a big step up. We’ll be keeping an eye on that one.
👟 KIT DROP
National Women's Soccer League x Nike 2026 kits. The full NWSL drop has landed, with “local identity” the big theme across all 18 clubs.
I’ve tried to like them, but its been hard. Some feel oddly lazy (Denver Summit FC), others feel like they’ve thrown every idea at the wall (Houston Dash). And a few are fighting against sponsor logos so dominant they drown out whatever the design was meant to say.
There are standout shirts in isolation. As a collective launch, though, it doesn’t quite land.
Chelsea x Chelsea Pensioners. Chelsea have launched a heritage collection celebrating their historic links with the Royal Hospital Chelsea and the Pensioners nickname that shaped the club’s early identity.
The colour tones are spot on, with rich blues, warm reds, and gold detailing, even if the oversized gold Percy the Pensioner crest is a touch overpowering. Overall, a smart, well-executed nod to history.
Browse the collection
🤓 KNOWLEDGE
Time-wasting crackdown incoming
If you’ve ever shouted “just get on with it” as a player re-ties their laces, ‘accidentally’ drops the ball, and ambles up the line to take their throw-in, this one’s for you.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) — the folks that write the Laws of the Game — has approved a series of changes aimed at speeding things up and eradicating this kind of behaviour.
So, what’s changing?
Quicker throw-ins. If the referee feels a restart is being delayed, they can trigger a five-second visual countdown. Run it down and you risk losing possession.
Ten-second substitutions. Players are expected to leave the pitch promptly. No more scenic routes to the far touchline.
VAR expansion. Second yellow cards are now reviewable, along with certain objective errors — including wrongly awarded corner kicks.
Goalkeeper delay trials. New measures will be tested to limit time lost when keepers go down late on.
Why it matters
Everyone enjoys a bit of time-wasting — I mean, “game management” — when it’s their team doing it. The rest of the time, it just kills the game.
On paper, this should help match flow. We’ll be keeping an eye on how it’s enforced.
🛋️ DITCH THE SOFA
Upcoming Events
Watch the World Cup Qualifiers with Baller FC:
Ukraine vs England
17:00 KO – Tuesday 3 March, The Volley, Old Street EC1V 9NREngland vs Iceland
12:30 KO, Saturday 7 March, The Sebright Arms in Bethnal Green, E2 9AG
Is there a women’s football event happening near you? Give us a heads-up
📺 WEEKLY WATCHLIST
What We’re Watching
Your what-not-to-miss viewing guide (GMT/BST)
World Cup 2027 Qualifiers:
Tuesday 3 March
17:00 – Ukraine vs England (ITV4, ITVX)
17:30 – Czech Republic vs Wales (BBC2 Wales, BBC iPlayer)
18:00 – Switzerland vs Northern Ireland (BBC iPlayer)
18:30 – Luxembourg vs Scotland (BBC Scotland, BBC iPlayer)
Saturday 7 March
12:30 – England vs Iceland (ITV1, ITVX)
16:30 – Wales vs Montenegro (BBC2 Wales, BBC iPlayer)
17:00 – Scotland vs Luxembourg (BBC Alba, BBC iPlayer)
19:00 – Northern Ireland vs Turkey (BBC iPlayer)
👀 FAVE FINDS
What to watch: The Final Third. ESPN is launching a new docu-series following the Washington Spirit, Kansas City Current and Angel City FC through the NWSL season. The Final Third promises behind-the-scenes access and a closer look at the resilience shaping the league’s biggest stories. Available on ESPN and Disney+
And finally, Missy Bo Kearns expecting. A new WSL baby is on the way. The Aston Villa midfielder has confirmed she’s expecting her first child with partner Liam. We’ll be keeping an eye out for the tiny Villa kit.
See you next week!
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