WOMEN’S FOOTBALL, WEEKLY

IN THIS WEEK’S ROUND-UP...

• Picks from the pitch: Our top five moments from this week’s action

• Latest headlines: Ellis falls up. Awards season in full swing.

• Fave finds: More of a fave loss this week 🦷

• Kit drop: New Predators anyone?

• What we’re watching: Upcoming matches

• Jobs: New opportunities in football

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⚽ PICKS FROM THE PITCH

Our top five moments from this week’s WSL action

1. Mary Fowler jumped on a poor clearance to fire home a half-volley.

2. Alessia Russo continued her run of form with this top-bins strike.

3. West Ham were 2-0 down after 11 minutes, before Vivi Asseyi sparked an almighty comeback to finish 5-2. The quick play in the build-up was superb.

4. Everton’s Sara Holmgaard kept her head and struck this from distance after a run from the halfway line.

5. Fresh off the back of the International break, Jess Park scored this beauty.

WSL SCOREBOARD: MATCH DAY 9

• Manchester United 4-0 Liverpool Women (Highlights)

• Manchester City 4-0 Leicester City (Highlights)

• Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Everton (Highlights)

• Arsenal 4-0 Aston Villa (Highlights)

• Chelsea 4-2 Brighton & Hove Albion (Highlights)

• West Ham United 5-2 Crystal Palace (Highlights)

AS IT STANDS

👀 ELSEWHERE…

• England 1-0 Switzerland (Highlights)
  Grace Clinton snatched an early goal, and despite an energetic and dominant first half, it remained the only goal of the game. Switzerland got to grips with the English system and gave the home side a few scares, forcing some big saves from Hannah Hampton. Despite some positive signs, there still seems to be a lot to do before the new year when England faces Spain in the Nations League.

• Adobe Women’s FA Cup Third Round took place over the weekend.
  The Fourth round draw takes place tonight at 7pm, with games scheduled for Sunday 12 January. Watch the draw live on YouTube.

🏆 UEFA EURO 2025 QUALIFIERS

Wales in historic win to qualify for Euro’s

The Euro 2025 Play-Off 2nd leg matches concluded and spelt heartbreak for all the home nations bar Wales who qualified for the first time in their history. Unfortunately, it meant putting Northern Ireland out of the competition. All seven of the remaining places in the competition are now accounted for. The group draw will take place on 16 December.

Following the Republic of Ireland’s failure to qualify for Euro 2025, Ruesha Littlejohn gave a post-match interview highlighting the underlying problems in Irish football. She said that lack of funding and a poor grassroots programme were directly linked to Ireland’s struggles to compete at International level.

Home nations results:

• Finland 2-0 Scotland [2-0 agg]

• Republic of Ireland 1-2 Wales [2-3 agg]

• Norway 3-0 Northern Ireland [7-0 agg]

Qualified teams:

🚨ICYMI

Top Headlines 

🎥 It's rumoured that every game in the Championship next season will be live-streamed and the production quality will go up, by introducing two camera angles rather than using one. Not only that, but the Championship may revert to its previous name, the Women’s Super League 2. Why? To unite the brands; WSL 1 and WSL 2. Nothing is confirmed, and a decision is unlikely before next year.

🤨 Jill Ellis is stepping down as club president at San Diago Wave. She’s moving up in the world, to Chief Football Officer at FIFA, no less. There have been a few raised eyebrows at the appointment since Ellis was recently accused of fostering an abusive workplace at San Diego Wave, which she denies.

🗳️ Nominations for the NWSL end-of-season awards are in. Girma, Naeher, Rodman, Smith and Swason are all in contention for the prize after gold-medal performances for the USWNT in the Paris Olympics. Fans can vote up until 23:59 CT on Friday 13 December here

🥇 Lauren Hemp has been named the 2024 Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) Women’s Player of the Year. Hemp clocked 12 goals and nine assists in the 2023/24 season and remained one of the stand-out players into the 2024/25 WSL campaign until her recent knee surgery. Watch a 10-minute mini-doc with Hemp here as she discusses her journey to the top. 

🤫 Ali Krieger has attempted to shut down the swirling misinformation and rumours about her divorce from Ashlyn Harris. She thanked fans for their love and support but asked for privacy while she dealt with the changes in her personal life. 

🎉 Some big names have been inducted into the Football Hall of Fame. Alex Scott, Gilly Flaherty, Steph Houghton and referee Rebecca Walsh have been honoured. Meanwhile, Carli Lloyd joined the NWSL Hall of Fame in the first year she became eligible. 

👀 FAVE FINDS

Gemma Evans and the lost tooth

Has anyone seen a tooth knocking around? Gemma Evans lost one of hers during Wales’ qualifier in Ireland.

Thefootballgal has been sewing again, this time collaborating with the Adobe Women’s FA Cup. The first shirt out of the gate is Championship side Newcastle United. Keep your eyes peeled for more releases throughout the tournament.

We love that football connects people so the story about how Jersey-based St Ouen's Football Club are tackling loneliness by bringing folks together on and off the pitch was an instant favourite with us.

🧠 QUIZ

Which player has been included in the FIFPRO Women’s World 11 the most times?

(Answer at bottom of the email)

✍️ INSIDE TRACK

Arsenal’s search continues

• The wait for a new Arsenal head coach goes on. It’s understood they won’t appoint a head coach until at least the new year so Renée Slegers will stay in charge for the interim, with every chance of extending her 7-game unbeaten run.

• Bos Nation, the NWSL most recent expansion team has recruited Barcelona’s Domènec Guaschto as their first General Manager. Guaschto will be tasked with growing the team ahead of its debut in 2026.

👟 KIT DROP

Predator refresh

Adidas has rounded off this year's boot releases with the new predator. The new champagne colourway comes in a laceless, laced and foldover fit. Red lines running down the sides of the boot nod to the 1998 edition. Available now

AC Milan has released a special 125th-anniversary collection. Available now

Georgia Stanway x Air Max SNDR - The shoot was for bstnstore
Available now

🩼 ACL WATCH

Injury updates

• Sonia Bompastor has confirmed that Sam Kerr won’t return from her ACL recovery until at least February, maybe even March 2025.

• Elsewhere, there’s nothing better than hearing a player has returned to the pitch, especially when it's Ellie Roebuck. She finally got her first start for Barcelona after a long road to recovery after being diagnosed with a left orbital infarct last season.
  Did you know: there’s a behind-the-scenes episode from Roebuck’s agent that follows her transfer to Barcelona?

🛋️ DITCH THE SOFA

Upcoming events

Baller FC x Signature Brew Haggerston
Sunday 15 Dec, Railway Arches, 340 Acton Mews, London E8 4EA
Everton vs Man City and Liverpool vs Arsenal
More info here

Watch WSL at Feed the Yak
Saturday 14 Dec, 12:00
Sunday 15 Dec, 12:00 – 21:00
The Artworks, 3 Creekside, London SE8 4SA
RSVP here

GOALS, GOALS, GOALS! Panel Discussion - Hypha Studios
Sunday 15 Dec, 13:00-14:00, 1 Westgate Street London E8 3RL
How are football and art connected? Join Hypha Studios for a discussion about the importance of Women's & Non-binary football for community building.
Reserve your free ticket here

UEFA Women’s Nations League: England vs Spain
Wednesday 26 Feb, 20:00 KO
Wembley Stadium
Tickets are now on sale

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

📺 WEEKLY WATCHLIST

What We’re Watching

Wednesday 11 December
Women's League Cup Group Stage
18:00 - Liverpool vs Everton [LFCTV]
19:00 - Manchester United vs Newcastle United [MUTV]
19:00 - West Ham United vs Southampton [WSL YouTube]

Champions League Group Stage
20:00 - Chelsea vs FC Twente [DAZN]

Thursday 12 December
Champions League Group Stage
17:45 - Valerenga vs Arsenal [DAZN]
20:00 - Manchester City vs St Polten [TNT Sports 3, DAZN]

Saturday 14 December
WSL
12:00 - Leicester City vs Chelsea [WSL YouTube]
17:30 - Brighton & Hove Albion vs Tottenham Hotspur [WSL YouTube]

Sunday 15 December
WSL
12:30 - Everton vs Manchester City [BBC Two, iPlayer]
14:00 - Aston Villa vs West Ham United [WSL YouTube]
14:00 - Crystal Palace vs Manchester United [WSL YouTube]
14:30 - Liverpool vs Arsenal [Sky Sports]

📂 JOBS, JOBS, JOBS

More Women Working in Football

• EDI Lead – Female Game | The FA | Apply by 15 Dec

• Interim Head of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (Maternity Cover) | Brentford | Apply by 15 Dec

• Learning and Organisational Development Officer | Aston Villa FC | Apply by 17 Dec

• Medical Services Lead (W&G) | Brighton & Hove Albion | Apply by 17 Dec

• Graphic Designer | Swansea City AFC | Apply by 18 Dec

🧠 QUIZ ANSWER:

Which player has been included in the FIFPRO Women’s World 11 the most times?

Wendie Renard. She’s been in the Women’s World 11, seven times! It’s a record that Lucy Bronze could equal today when the 2024 result is announced. The FIFPro World 11 is voted for by other pro players, adding something special to the award as player achievements are recognised by their peers.

More women watching, playing and working in football