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

This week: Marc Skinner's shock United exit, the Subway Cup gets a refresh, and FIFA backs down under pressure. Plus: Spurs' planning pain, a baby announcement from Steph Houghton, and Richmond gets a women's team.

– Jo, founder of Twentytwo

🏗️ Tottenham's plans for a new women's and girls' training academy have been blocked, after the High Court ruled Enfield Council was misled over the scheme's environmental impact when it granted planning permission last year. The 16-acre site, a rewilded former golf course at Whitewebbs Park, had drawn a long-running local campaign and lots of objections from people wanting to keep it green. Read more

📺 Netflix is supposedly paying $200 million for the US and Canada rights to the 2027 World Cup — one of the biggest deals women's sport has ever seen. Nobody's officially confirmed the number yet. Read more

🏆 The first two rounds of this season's Women's FA Cup have been drawn: 143 ties for tier-seven clubs in the preliminary round on 23 August, then first round qualifying on 6 September. WSL sides don't show up until January. Read more

📅 The NWSL might open its 2027 season as early as 11 February, the earliest start in the league's history, to leave room for the World Cup in Brazil. Read more

🎓 Hannah Hampton has been awarded an honorary doctorate in Sports Science by the University of Wolverhampton, recognising her achievements in football and her impact on young players across the West Midlands. Read more

→ Why Tottenham Women have provided distraction from the gloom of watching men’s team – via The Guardian

FIFA tried to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors. The backlash was immediate and the plan collapsed within four days. While it lasted, it was women's football carrying the risk.

What happened:

UEFA's boycott was absolutely necessary, and FIFA's timing gave them a hard choice to make. The U-20 World Cup starts in Poland on 5 September, and both the U-17 World Cup and Europe's qualifying play-offs for Brazil 2027 begin in October. Pulling Europe out of those would have meant no reigning champions Spain, no European champions England, and no Germany, France, Sweden or Netherlands: six of the world's top ten teams gone from next summer.

Final thoughts: FIFA invests more in the women's game than it ever has, yet the women's game got barely a mention in the 25-page deck sent to member associations. The timing of such a divisive proposal was itself dismissive of women's football — there's a general sense in the game that FIFA wouldn't have risked this before a men's World Cup.

This morning started with the unexpected news that Marc Skinner has come to an agreement with Manchester United to leave with immediate effect.

On the surface, it's what plenty of fans have called for — "Skinner out" chants aren't new. But results had eased that pressure lately, which is what makes the timing so telling.

Skinner is understood to have grown frustrated with the level of investment, and reportedly offered his own resignation. This summer United have signed just two players while losing four regulars and selling Melvine Malard for £850,000 — a thin window next to what Arsenal, Manchester City and London City Lionesses have done. Co-owner Jim Ratcliffe has said before his focus is on the men's side; nothing here argues otherwise.

United say the plan now is longer-term: build through the academy rather than the transfer market, which they see as unsustainable, and shift to the more attacking style fans have wanted. It's a defensible strategy. It also does nothing for a squad that's short-staffed right now, a month before the season starts. Read more

→ Bristol City: Sophie Ingle has signed a two-year extension, keeping her at Ashton Gate until 2028. She's been a constant in midfield since returning last summer, with five WSL titles from her Chelsea days behind her.

→ Charlton Athletic: A permanent move for Ashleigh Neville from relegated Leicester, reuniting her with manager Karen Hills from their years together at Spurs. Forward Lorena Azzaro also arrives on a season-long loan from Paris FC.

→ Chelsea: Giulia Dragoni, widely regarded as one of the best young midfielders in the world, signs permanently from Barcelona on a four-year deal. The 19-year-old Italy international spent the last two seasons on loan at Roma, winning Serie A both times.

→ Crystal Palace: Forward Shannon O'Brien moves from Leicester on a three-year deal, choosing to stay in the WSL with newly-promoted Palace rather than drop down with her old club.

→ Newcastle United: Martha Thomas comes in from Tottenham for an undisclosed fee. The Scotland international spent the second half of last season on loan at Liverpool and brings proven WSL goalscoring form up front.

→ West Ham United: A busy exit month at the London Stadium. Goalkeeper Kinga Szemik has left permanently for Hamburger SV after two seasons as first-choice. Sarah Brasero joins Deportivo Alavés on loan, chasing the game time she couldn't be guaranteed at home, while Katie O'Hanlon heads to Aberdeen on loan for the season.

This week, WSL Football confirmed a new name and format for the Subway Women's League Cup.

What's changed:

In a nutshell:

Why the changes?

Our take: The player-welfare case is legitimate, but there's a cost — win this now and you're best of the rest, not best overall, which feels like a dent in the trophy's credibility. That said, the changes to the format should make this a much more exciting competition. 

Find out more

Bitch Invasion: Grabbing Success by the Balls
5 August, 18:30 · Crossbar Brighton, 22–23 Upper North Street, Brighton, BN1 3FG
Karen Dobres (author of Pitch Invasion, former Lewes FC director) and Crossbar co-founder Lucy Tallant talk leadership, confidence and doing things differently, hosted by City Girl Network's Pippa Moyle.
RSVP (Free)

Baller FC x WAFCON Final
16 August, 18:30, KO 19:00 · The Victoria Tavern, London, N7 8DL
Join Baller FC for their first-ever WAFCON watchparty
More info

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

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

WAFCON
Group games:
There are some big deciding fixtures in the final group games this week…

Quarter-Finals - Teams TBC
8 & 9 August, 18:00 and 21:00, CAF TV YouTube

The full season's fixtures dropped this week and here's what we’ll be watching on the opening weekend…

FIFA are looking for 6,000 volunteers to help support the World Cup in Brazil next year. If you’re interested you can register for more info here.

Baby news: Congratulations to Steph Houghton and husband Stephen Darby, who are expecting their first child.

Ted Lasso's back — and this time he's coaching a women's team. Can’t pretend we’re fans of naming them ‘The Lady Greyhounds’, but hey ho. Season four lands Wednesday 5 August. Watch the trailer.

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