⚽ Earps, Miedema and Kirby make moves, plus I Kissed a Girl x Football

WOMEN’S FOOTBALL WEEKLY
In this week's round-up...

  • Euro 2025: England aim for automatic qualification

  • Latest headlines: Champions League Qualification draw, San Diego Wave Allegations, Marta’s 6th Olympics

  • Fave Finds: I Kissed a Girl x Football

  • Kit Drop: West Ham and PSG

  • Transfer news: Earps, Miedema, Kirby and more

  • Jobs: New opportunities in football

🏆 EURO 2025

England Pushing for Automatic Euro Qualification 

The Euro 2025 Qualifiers get back up and running this week and England still has a strong chance of automatic qualification following their previous 2-1 away win over France.

A quick recap

  • The top two teams in each A group (A1-A4) get automatic qualification. Third place goes into play-off rounds with teams from the lower-seeded groups.

  • England are currently third in group A3, tied on points with second-place Sweden, and France are two points ahead, in first.

How is England looking?

  • Twenty-five players have been named in the squad with Orlando Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse receiving her first call-up. Mary Earps and Niamh Charles are back and expected to be fit for selection ahead of the 12 July game against Ireland. 

  • Kyala Rendell, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Lauren James have all been ruled out due to injury.

  • The Lionesses were in the Netherlands for a behind-closed-doors training match last week which ended 1-1, Aggie Beever-Jones netted England’s goal. The vibes around the camp seem positive and relaxed going into the final group games.

Sarina Wiegman on the last push for qualification:

“We want to get to new standards, to push ourselves and improve all the time, against different opponents because now, against Ireland first and then Sweden, some things will be different and then we want to perform at the highest level too.

So we'll come in here, we're in a good position, we have it in our own hands to qualify in July and that's what we absolutely want to do."

Next matches

  • England vs Ireland, 12 July, 8pm BST

  • Sweden vs England,16 July, 6pm BST

🚨ICYMI

Top Headlines

👀 The 2024/25 UEFA Women's Champions League qualifying draw took place on Friday. Arsenal face Rangers in their first step towards qualification. Whoever wins will then take on Atlético Madrid or Rosenborg BK. WSL runners-up Manchester City will join the qualification in round two, while Chelsea has already qualified for the group stages as WSL winners.

👹 Last week it was revealed that Manchester United’s women’s team would be forced to use portable buildings to accommodate the men’s team while their facilities are upgraded. Now it’s been reported that they could be forced to use St George’s Park (50 miles away) for training over several weeks when the men’s team are using the women’s training pitches.

📢 Brittany Alvarado, a former San Diego Wave employee, has accused the club of fostering an abusive workplace with club president, Jill Ellis, specifically named in the allegations. Three additional former staff members have come forward to share their similar experiences. San Diego Wave dismissed the allegations as inaccurate, defamatory and fabricated in a statement of their own.

🐐 Marta has been named in Brazil's Olympic squad for the sixth time. The 38-year-old striker played in her sixth World Cup last year and will retire from international football at the end of this year. 

📅 Orlando Pride have beaten KC Current, ending their record-breaking 17-game unbeaten run. That record might not last long as Orlando’s win moves them to 17 games unbeaten too.

👼 Angel City is about to get a new majority stakeholder and has been valued at $300 million. The Los Angeles club, which counts Natalie Portman as one of its owners, is the latest in the NWSL to see a high valuation. San Diego Wave sold for a record $113 million in March.

📚 WHAT WE’RE READING
👀 FAVE FINDS

Pride Month

Unsurprisingly women’s football has embraced the hit TV show I Kissed a Girl in this year’s pride celebrations. 

Rugby Borough FC announced Georgia Roberts’ contract extension with a cheeky I kissed a girl video 

Chelsea hosted the first-ever Football Pride

And Arsenal invited the girls onto their float for the London Pride parade

✍️ INSIDE TRACK

Transfer Round-up

Mary Earps has signed for PSG, leaving Manchester United on a free transfer after five years at the club. Earps announced her decision to leave last week, saying, “The club is about to undergo a period of transition, and unfortunately, I don’t feel it aligns with the timing of where I’m at in my career”. It’s a big loss for United who faces a summer of rebuilding following the exit of high-profile players, Earps, Zelem, and Lucia Garcia.

Mariona Caldentey is a Gooner. After ten years, 25 titles and 114 goals at Barca, the serial winner moves to Arsenal with one thing on her mind… more trophies. “I think what Arsenal are doing as a club is amazing… I love the way we want to play as a team and I think there’s a strong mentality building here…I can’t wait to get started and help the team win trophies and entertain our supporters.”

Fran Kirby has signed with Brighton to stay in the WSL. She leaves Chelsea as their all-time top scorer with 115 goals over her nine years at the club. 

The speculation has ended, Vivianne Miedema has signed with Manchester City on a free transfer that will see her at the club until 2027. The 27-year-old Dutch International will wear number 6.

OTHER CONFIRMED TRANSFERS
CONTRACT EXTENSIONS

  • Anna Leat: Aston Villa, extended to 2025

MANAGER MOVES

→ Fabrice Abriel has been named PSG’s new head coach after Jocelyn Prêcheur left for London City Lionesses last week.

→ Tommy Stroot, VfL Wolfsburg’s manager is reported to be in advance negotiations with Manchester United. He still has a year to run on his contract, so any moves are likely to be delayed.

ELSEWHERE… THE RUMOURS ARE FLYING
👟 KIT DROP

West Ham’s new 2024/25 home kit is clean and classic, references the Hammers’ 1965 jersey and features Umbro’s 100th-anniversary logo.

To celebrate Mary Earps’ signing this week, PSG launched their new away kit. Ok, the first bit was a lie. But here it is in all its hand-painted, Eiffel Tower inspired, glory. 

📺 WATCH LIST

The week ahead

12 July | EURO 2025 Qualifiers

18:00 - Slovakia vs Scotland (Group B2) [BBC iPlayer]
18:30 - Malta vs Northern Ireland (Group B3 ) [BBC iPlayer]
19:15 - Croatia vs Wales (Group B4) [BBC One Wales, BBC iPLayer]
20:00 - England vs Republic of Ireland (Group A3) [ITV1, ITVX]

🛋️ DITCH THE SOFA

Upcoming Events

Baller FC is back for the next round of Euro 2025 qualifiers…

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England vs Republic of Ireland 🇮🇪
12 July, kick-off 8pm
Baller FC, Signature Brew, Blackhorse Road, London, kick-off 8pm 
Followed by karaoke 🎤 and Soccermom DJs until 1am 🪩🥳.

🇸🇪 Sweden vs England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
Tuesday 16th - Early kick-off 6pm
Baller FC, Signature Brew, Haggerston, London from 5.30pm
Wheelchair access and accessible bathroom.

Is there a women’s football event happening near you? Give us a heads-up

📂 JOBS, JOBS, JOBS

More Women Working in Football

  • Independent Non-Executive Director – Remuneration | UEFA EURO 2028 UK&IRELAND | Apply by 26 July

  • NewCo Women's Professional Game Coordinator - 1 Year FTC | Newco | Apply by 1 August 

  • Women's Football Secretary | Chelsea Football Club | Apply by 26 July

  • NewCo, Head of Digital Products | The Football Association | Apply by 25 July

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