Lego Lionesses | Euro 2025 Doubles Interest | Ballon d'Or Nominations Are In

August 11, 2025

WOMEN’S FOOTBALL WEEKLY
IN THIS WEEK’S ROUND-UP...

  • Latest headlines: Spanish head coach sacked?

  • Fave Finds: Lego Lionesses

  • Kit Drop: Period pants

  • Transfer news: Chelsea’s Sophie Ingle on the move

  • Jobs: New opportunities in football

P.S. Could you help us out? Fill out our quick and easy reader survey here

🚨ICYMI

Top Headlines

🏆 England’s Euro 2025 stars lead the 2025 Women’s Ballon d’Or nominations, with five Lionesses, including Beth Mead and Georgia Stanway, shortlisted. Arsenal dominate UK representation with seven nominations, while Scotland’s Caroline Weir also features. Spain’s Aitana Bonmatí is the frontrunner aiming for a third consecutive win, with strong competition from England’s Euro heroes and Arsenal’s Champions League standouts.

🌊 Six former San Diego Wave employees have sued the NWSL, alleging sexual harassment, discrimination, and failure to protect at the club, including claims of sexual assault by a co-worker. The league denies responsibility, stating the allegations relate to club-level incidents and it has no direct duty of care. The NWSL also argues it was unaware of the misconduct and cites jurisdictional limits and legal time bars.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Wales face Australia’s Matildas in Cardiff on 25 October in their first-ever meeting, marking Wales’s return to international action following their breakthrough Euro 2025 campaign. Following that inspiring Euro 2025 run, the Football Association of Wales (FAW) is conducting a thorough review of the campaign. The focus is on securing sustained investment to grow the women’s game across all levels – from grassroots to professional contracts. While enthusiasm and pro opportunities are rising, challenges remain around squad depth and facilities.

📺 Netflix has secured Canadian rights to stream the 2027 and 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cups, joining its exclusive US deal. This bold move signals a reshaping of how major women’s football tournaments are broadcast in North America, bypassing traditional broadcasters like Sky and BBC.

🇪🇸 Montse Tomé will step down as Spain’s national team head coach on 31 August, when her contract expires. Her tenure since 2023 saw a Nations League win and Euro 2025 final appearance. Sonia Bermúdez will replace her as Spain prepares for upcoming tournaments. 

🌍 Spain has moved to the top of the August 2025 FIFA Women’s World Ranking, replacing the USA. The rankings reflect recent team performances, with Spain’s strong run at Euro 2025 boosting them to No.1, while England sits fourth and Bangladesh makes a big jump to 104th. These rankings are updated regularly and consider match importance and strength of opposition to give a snapshot of the current international landscape.

📚 WHAT WE’RE READING

  • ‘I love scoring goals’: meet Shekiera Martinez, the striker taking WSL by storm – Read on The Guardian

  • WSL2 was 'crying out' for more promotion places – Read more on the BBC

🔍 IN FOCUS

The Fan Boom — How England’s Euro 2025 Win Nearly Doubled Interest in Women’s Football

England’s victory at Euro 2025 hasn’t just made headlines; it has ignited a surge of interest in women’s football across the country. 

What happened?

  • Recent YouGov figures reveal the share of English adults at least fairly interested in the women’s game has jumped from 17% before the tournament to 31% after.

  • This increase covers both women (up 17 points to 30%) and men (up 11 points to 33%), with the number of those “very interested” doubling, showing growing passion beyond casual curiosity.

Why does it matter?

  • Following the 2022 Euros and 2023 World Cup, women’s football enjoyed record-breaking crowds, but the 2024/25 Women’s Super League season has seen a near 10% dip in average attendance from its previous peak, signalling the risk of a post-tournament lull.

  • The Euro 2025 win arrives at a crucial moment to refresh fan enthusiasm and help maintain momentum before it wanes. Sustained interest is essential because it drives matchday crowds, TV audiences, and commercial investment—the pillars that fuel growth from grassroots to professional levels.

What next?

  • WSL Football, just over a year into its role as the league’s governing body, recognises the challenge of turning this spike in interest into enduring support. Their priorities include enhancing broadcast coverage, improving matchday experiences, and delivering stronger commercial backing for clubs.

  • These efforts aim to convert Euro-induced excitement into regular fan engagement, laying the groundwork for a thriving, sustainable future for women’s football in England.

👀 FAVE FINDS

Legoland has recreated the Lionesses’ bus parade to celebrate their Euros win. You can also spot Sarina Weigman and Leah Williamson presenting the trophy outside Number 10 Downing Street. Catch it before it’s gone on 31 August 2025.

Lionesses: History Makers
This 30-minute documentary brings to life the Lionesses’ journey as they retained their European title. Watch here

In an interview this week, Hannah Hampton revealed her goalkeeping heroics against Spain were accompanied by some tier one shithousery. She nabbed Spanish Keeper Cata Coll’s water bottle, which had her Lioness Penalty taker notes taped to it, and lobbed it into the English crowd. Coll subsequently said it didn’t happen… but we’re not so sure.

✍️ INSIDE TRACK

Transfer Round-up

Lola Brown (left) and Sophie Ingle (right)

  • Bristol City have re-signed Wales midfielder Sophie Ingle on a two-year deal. The 33-year-old returns after an injury-hit stint at Chelsea. Chelsea’s promising 17-year-old midfielder Vera Jones also joins Bristol on loan for the 2025/26 season to gain senior experience.

  • Burnley have signed former Liverpool striker Yana Daniels, reuniting with manager Matt Beard ahead of Burnley’s first fully professional season in the FA Women’s National League North. Daniels cited Burnley’s “big plans” and professional setup as key reasons for her move.

  • Chelsea have loaned midfielder Lola Brown to Crystal Palace and goalkeeper Katie Cox to Aberdeen to secure regular game time. Brown, Chelsea Women’s Academy Player of the Season and England youth international, moves to continue her development in the Championship. Cox, part of Chelsea’s treble-winning squad but yet to make a senior appearance, looks to compete for the goalkeeper position at Aberdeen.

  • Leicester City have signed experienced American midfielder Celeste Boureille on a one-year deal. Boureille arrives from Montpellier with over 200 senior appearances across Europe, Australia, and the US. She said she joined Leicester to challenge herself in one of the world’s top leagues and help the Foxes remain competitive in the WSL.

  • London City Lionesses have added midfielder Paula Partido. Notably, they have made a formal transfer approach for England international Beth Mead, marking a significant move for the club.

  • Liverpool has signed defender Hannah Silcock to a new contract and appointed Gareth Taylor as head coach. Taylor left Manchester City earlier this year amid a tough spell and squad tensions. Liverpool hopes he can drive their next chapter.

  • Manchester City have added Scottish goalkeeper Eartha Cumings on a three-year contract from FC Rosengård. Cumings, Damallsvenskan Goalkeeper of the Year, aims to compete for the starting spot and strengthen a goalkeeper group needing reinforcement after conceding 44 goals last season. Midfielder Aemu Oyama moves to Rosengård on a six-month loan for development.

  • Denver Summit have named Nick Cushing as their first head coach ahead of their 2026 NWSL debut. Cushing, who led Manchester City Women to six major trophies and recently served as their interim manager, joins after a stint managing MLS side New York City FC. It marks a new chapter for Cushing, stepping outside the City Football Group umbrella to build the expansion side from the ground up.

👟 KIT DROP

West Ham United Women have partnered with Modibodi, a leading period-proof activewear brand, making them the first English women’s football team to feature a period-proof underwear brand as an official kit sponsor. Modibodi’s logo will appear on the back of West Ham’s shorts throughout the 2025/26 season.

While Manchester City Women previously partnered with Snuggs, another period pants brand, this is the first time a period-proof brand has had a prominent on-kit sponsorship in the Women’s Super League. The partnership includes a limited-edition co-branded product range designed with player input, aiming to normalise conversations about periods and provide practical support for female athletes.

🛋️ DITCH THE SOFA

How do you find match days?

Hot off the back of the Euros, WSL clubs are hoping fans will invest for the long term and buy into season tickets. The latest club to announce its ticket offering is London City Lionesses, where you can pick up an early bird adult season ticket from just £72. We want to hear about your experience of buying tickets and watching women’s football in person…

Do you have any frustrations about getting information or tickets for women’s matches? What holds you back from going to matches in person? How do you find the experience when you do go? Hit reply (to this email) and send us your questions or thoughts by email. We read every message.

📂 JOBS, JOBS, JOBS

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