The five-minute read for dedicated-ish fans of women’s football.

This week: dreams came true for Pajor, Charlton, and anyone who's ever dreamt of perusing a women's football store. Plus, Wiegman names her squad and Liverpool bring home the Candy.

– Jo, founder of Twentytwo

Barcelona 4–0 OL Lyonnes

Lyon were the intriguing side going into this one. Mid-rebuild, but with big-game experience and a coach (Jonatan Giráldez) who knows Barcelona inside out, having won this trophy with them in 2024. His former assistant Pere Romeu was left in charge at Barça. Master vs apprentice, in a Champions League final. It had everything.

Lyon were the better side in the first half and had a goal ruled out by VAR. But they couldn't convert when it mattered and Barcelona punished them for it. Giráldez himself said Pajor and Paralluelo were "the main difference." Most coverage agreed: Lyon asked questions but lacked the clinical edge, and Barcelona had it in abundance.

For Pajor, this was her sixth final — she'd lost the previous five, four with Wolfsburg and one with Barcelona last season against Arsenal. "The best day of my life," she said at full time. Hard to argue with that.

Watch the highlights

Charlton 0–0 Leicester (2–1 on penalties)

This was the first ever WSL promotion play-off — a new fixture created as the league expands from 12 to 14 teams next season. For Charlton, it felt like a cruel way to do it. They'd led WSL2 for most of the season, built a nine-point cushion, then lost the title on the final day when Birmingham pipped them. After all that, they still had to come through this to go up.

It went to penalties after a goalless 120 minutes, Leicester the better side on the day. Then Sophie Whitehouse, the WSL2 Golden Glove winner, made it her afternoon. Four penalty saves. Including one where Leicester's keeper had thrown Whitehouse's notes (written on a water bottle) into the stand mid-shootout. A Charlton staff member retrieved it just in time. She consulted it, dived left, saved Mouchon's penalty. Karen Hills was in tears at full time. So were we.

Charlton are in the WSL for the first time since 2008. Leicester go down.

Watch the highlights

🏗️ Four WSL academy sides are heading for tier three of the women's pyramid from 2027 (three-year licences, ineligible for promotion) after the FAWNL board backed the proposal this week. Third-tier clubs say it blocks genuine promotion ambitions. Final decision expected in July. Read more

🏳️ UEFA has confirmed there will be no exceptions to its multi-club ownership rules in the Champions League — women's football included. Head of women's football Nadine Kessler: "Why would we want to preserve the sporting integrity of men's football, but not of women's football?" The ruling directly affects Michele Kang, who owns both OL Lyonnes and London City — if both qualify for the Champions League in the same season, only one can enter. Read more

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Wiegman has named her squad for the June World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Ukraine. Toone returns after months out with a hip injury, Beever-Jones is back, and Freya Godfrey gets another call-up. Full squad

⚖️ Czech coach Petr Vlachovsky has been given a lifetime ban by UEFA after secretly filming more than a dozen players — the youngest 17 — in changing rooms and showers over four years at 1. FC Slovacko. UEFA has asked FIFA to extend the ban worldwide. Read more 

→ West Ham, Spurs, Leicester beware: How men's relegation impacts a WSL team – via ESPN

→ What does WSL relegation mean for Leicester City? – via The BBC

→ Tottenham Hotspur: German international striker Shekiera Martinez, will make a permanent move from West Ham on 18 June. Martin Ho said: "She is a forward with real presence, intelligent movement and a strong instinct in the box. She gives us different solutions in the final third, both as a goalscorer and as someone who can help the team connect and create chances."

→ Liverpool: Gemma Bonner departs as the club's all-time leading WSL appearance-maker — 186 games across two spells, two league titles, a dressing room named after her at Kirkby. Gemma Evans also leaves, along with loan players Jennifer Falk, Risa Shimizu and Martha Thomas, all returning to their parent clubs. Defender Sara Agrez joins on a free from Cologne.

→ Chelsea have made a bid of around €1.4m (£1.2m) for BK Häcken striker Felicia Schröder, which would be a world record transfer fee in women's football. The 19-year-old scored a hat-trick in the second leg of the Women's Europa Cup final last month. Nothing confirmed yet. Read more

→ Mary Earps is out of contract at PSG this summer and London City are reported to be optimistic about bringing her back to the WSL. Read more

Liverpool 26/27 home kit
Adidas has been raiding the archives again. Liverpool's iconic red and cream Candy kit from the early 90s is the clear inspiration. Mixed reviews in some of our chats, but the majority verdict is positive.
Available now

Man City 26/27 home kit
The last couple of City kits have been hard to love, but Puma have dropped the gimmicks and gone for a simple light blue to white gradient. They've gone dark shorts rather than white on the women's kit. Overall, a big improvement.
Available now

Brighton's FA Cup final send-off
Wednesday 27 May · 6–9pm · Crossbar, Brighton, BN1 3FG
An evening to mark Brighton's historic run to the FA Cup final — live art, pub quiz, photos with the trophy, and a doodle wall that'll be displayed at Wembley.
More info. RSVP by tomorrow: [email protected]

World Sevens
28-30 May 2026 · Brentford FC's Gtech Community Stadium
Teams including Chelsea, Man United and Spurs take each other on in a small-sided fast-paced 7v7 format.
Watch on DAZN free or get your tickets

FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup
5 to 27 September · Poland
England are in Group B and based in Bielsko-Biała for the group stage of the tournament.
Tickets

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

Your what-not-to-miss viewing guide (BST)

Sunday 31 May FA Cup final:
Man City vs Brighton · 15:00 · BBC One & ITV
City chasing the double. Brighton chasing their first-ever FA Cup. Potentially Shaw's City farewell.

Foudys is launching a women’s sports store in the UK! Coming 25 June, Manchester.

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