WOMEN’S FOOTBALL WEEKLY
The five-minute read for dedicated-ish fans of women’s football.
This week: Chelsea took United apart, Palace proved a point at Arsenal, and FIFA landed in legal trouble over the women's calendar. Plus: the Ballon d'Or nominees, a World Cup knockout tie for England's U20s, and a really weird shoe.
— Jo, founder of Twentytwo
⚽ PICKS FROM THE PITCH
WSL Round-Up: Matchday 2
(Photo by Daniel Weir) Credit: SPP Sport Press Photo. /Alamy Live News
A big point for Palace, Chelsea took United apart, Man City eased into cruise control, and West Ham brought London City back down to earth.
Four things worth your time:
Palace look the part. They walked out of the Emirates with a 0-0 against an Arsenal side that had 30 shots and couldn't score, and you could see at full time what the point meant to them. For a side just up from WSL2, holding the title-chasers at their own ground says a lot about how well they've set up.
London City have work to do. All the summer money bought a lot of possession and not much end product: León and Putellas passed it around a disciplined West Ham block all afternoon, but the killer ball rarely came, and they lost 2-1. Putellas skied the game's best chance from eight yards.
Liverpool and Spurs served up the pick of the mid-table. Two sides who both fancy a strong season, and little between them: Spurs led through a deflected Kerr own goal, Liverpool levelled through Csillag after the break, and neither could find a winner. A great early test for Liverpool, and 1-1 felt about right.
A rough afternoon for two of the promoted sides. Birmingham were two goals up at home against Brighton and cruising, then collapsed. Brighton had the experience to punish it; Birmingham, newly up, saw two points slip away in the last quarter of an hour. Arguably, Charlton had a worse afternoon: down to nine after two red cards, they lost 1-0 at Everton to an own goal.
🎯 TOP STRIKES & SAVES
🎥 Watch this if you only click one thing: Lauren James was a level above everyone else on the pitch — finishing a lovely Walsh through-ball was only part of it. Watch here
RESULTS: WSL MATCHDAY 20
West Ham United 2-1 London City Lionesses (Highlights)
Manchester United 0-5 Chelsea (Highlights)
Everton 1-0 Charlton (Highlights)
Birmingham City 2-2 Brighton & Hove Albion (Highlights)
Liverpool 1-1 Tottenham (Highlights)
Arsenal 0-0 Crystal Palace (Highlights)
Aston VIlla 1-4 Manchester CIty (Highlights)
WSL2: Catch all the highlights from WSL2 here
AS IT STANDS
🚨ICYMI
Top Headlines
🚨 FIFA's been hit with legal action over the women's calendar. European Leagues and players' union FIFPRO complained to the European Commission in October 2024 that FIFA's crammed men's schedule was set without the leagues and players who live with it; they've now widened it to the women's game, arguing FIFA's "abusive conduct" threatens women's leagues financially and risks player welfare. The WSL is among 14 women's divisions that joined European Leagues in June, so the complaint is partly in its name. Read more
🏆 The Women's Ballon d'Or shortlist is out, with several WSL players on it. Alessia Russo, Bunny Shaw, Mariona Caldentey and Vivianne Miedema all make the 30, along with London City's summer signings Alexia Putellas and Mapi León. The glaring absence is Aitana Bonmatí, two-time reigning winner, left off after an injury-hit season. The ceremony is on 26 October at the London Palladium. Read more
💼 Jill Scott is joining Salford City as Chief Women's Football Advisor, and AIG is buying in. The insurer has agreed in principle to become the largest minority investor in the Salford City Lionesses — the first Fortune 500 company, the club says, to take an ownership stake in a UK women's football club. Read more or Watch the announcement here
🎓 UEFA has set new coaching standards for the women's game. From 2029-30, head and assistant coaches in the Champions League and Europa Cup will need higher qualifications. Alongside that, UEFA is opening more routes for women to reach them — reserving extra Pro Licence places for female coaches, and letting current players train for their badges during international breaks rather than after they retire. Read more
🏴 England's U20s are into the World Cup last 16. The Young Lionesses lost 2-1 to Brazil but went through anyway, finishing second in Group B on a better conduct record than Canada after ending level on points and goal difference. Bedford's side face Nigeria in the round of 16 on Thursday 17 September, 2pm BST. Read more
📚 WHAT WE’RE READING
→ Two games, two defeats - are Olid's Man Utd in trouble? — via The BBC
→ New season, new players, same old Arsenal? — via The Cutback (paywall)
→ 🎥 Kyra Cooney-Cross on Loss, Love, and Returning to Arsenal — via The BBC
🎟️ FAN OPS
Alex Scott's got a new show. Months after the BBC axed Football Focus, Scott has set up her own production company and launched One More Word: The WSL on YouTube. The first episode went out last week, with a live studio audience of football content creators, Anita Asante and Fara Williams alongside her. Watch here
👟 KIT DROP
Nike's First Sight Mirage lands in a new "Light Crimson" this week — a women's trainer that takes its cues from a football boot and an Oxford, a combination that looks about as strange as it sounds.
The suede and nubuck upper sits over a clear outsole and an icy midsole plate, but it's the sole that's the talking point. Each stud is 3D-sculpted and foam-filled, so the cleat shape that would normally dig into a pitch becomes the shoe's cushioning.
Our take: sometimes in life, pairing things that shouldn't go together really works. Like chilli and chocolate. But there are plenty that don't, and this might just be one of them. Available now
🛋️ DITCH THE SOFA
Upcoming Events
Baller FC: Arsenal v Man Utd — Sat 19 September, from 3pm · The Victoria Tavern, 203 Holloway Road, London N7 8DL
Baller sets up at the Vic for Arsenal v Man Utd, then it's DJs and afterparty until close. More info
England U23 v Norway — Mon 12 October, 7.30pm · LNER Community Stadium, York, YO32 9AF
The Young Lionesses open their U23 Euro title defence at home in York, Lydia Bedford's first game of the season. Tickets are £5 adults, £3 concessions, £1 under-16s, and on sale now — worth grabbing early if you're near York. Get tickets
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 (BST)
Watch England's U20s in the World Cup after scraping through to the knockouts — they face Nigeria in the last 16, live and free on DAZN. Then the WSL is back for matchday three.
Thursday 17 September
14:00 · England U20 v Nigeria · World Cup last 16 · DAZN (free)
WSL
Friday 18 September
19:00 · Man City v Liverpool · Sky Sports — Liverpool's early-season form gets a proper test away against the champions
Saturday 19 September
12:30 · Charlton v London City Lionesses · BBC One
12:45 · Chelsea v Birmingham City · Sky Sports
17:30 · Arsenal v Manchester United · Sky Sports — Could things go from bad to worse for Olid as United travel to the Emirates?
Sunday 20 September
14:00 · Brighton v Aston Villa · Sky Sports
14:00 · Crystal Palace v Tottenham · Sky Sports
14:00 · West Ham v Everton · Sky Sports
WSL2 (all free on the WSL2 YouTube channel)
Sunday 20 September
14:00 · Sunderland v Southampton — three sides sit top on a perfect six, and unbeaten Southampton look the likeliest to take something off leaders Sunderland
👀 FAVE FINDS
Baby Daly, left and Baby Rolfö, right
Baby Ballers. Congrats are in order. Millie Bright announced her pregnancy with partner Tom Mitchell, her close friend and former England team-mate Rachel Daly shared the same news with partner Sarah Mayling days later, and Man Utd's Fridolina Rolfö told her squad she's expecting too, with a baby due in the spring.
See you next week!
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