WOMEN’S FOOTBALL WEEKLY
The five-minute read for dedicated-ish fans of women’s football.
This week: the WSL is back. There was an early warning for Man United, Arsenal drew Barcelona, and Putellas turns broadcaster.
– Jo, founder of Twentytwo
⚽ WSL ROUND-UP
What we learned on opening weekend
Paul Terry/Sportimage. Credit: Sportimage Ltd/Alamy Live News
The WSL is finally back, and the opening weekend didn't disappoint. Manchester City picked up exactly where they left off and look as strong as ever. But here's what else we learned:
Arsenal's summer signings are already paying off. The 1-0 win at Brighton was scrappy, but two of their new faces stood out: Lisa Baum, 19, scored the winner on her debut and looked fearless doing it, while Georgia Stanway quietly ran the midfield. We can't wait to see how this team develops as the season goes on.
London City: a bit rough, but effective. After a dramatic (and expensive) summer overhaul, the expectation was that LCL would need time to find their groove. That's still true (even Maestre admits he's dealing with "a clash of cultures"), but despite that they outplayed Manchester United. Result? We kind of fancy them for a European spot.
United are already paying for a quiet window. Everyone else spent big; they didn't. Add a new manager and a system the squad are still learning, and there's real work to do to get them firing the way Eva Olid wants. With Chelsea and Arsenal up next, the start of the season's going to be a tricky one — fans will need patience.
The mid-table is looking seriously strong. This one's shaping up to be about far more than the usual top three or four. Spurs have quietly built something formidable — Kirsty Hanson, prised from Villa where she was their best player, scored twice on her debut. Liverpool have turned a corner too, unrecognisable from the side that didn't win a game until January last season. The race below the top is going to be a fun one to watch.
Chelsea still can't finish. Thirty-four shots against Villa, one goal. It's the same wastefulness that cost them the title last season — and against better sides, it'll cost them again.
RESULTS: WSL MATCHDAY 1
London City Lionesses 2-1 Manchester United (Highlights)
Chelsea 1-1 Aston Villa (Highlights)
Brighton & Hove Albion 0-1 Arsenal (Highlights)
Tottenham 3-1 West Ham (Highlights)
Charlton 0-4 Liverpool (Highlights)
Crystal Palace 1-0 Everton (Highlights)
Man City 3-1 Birmingham City (Highlights)
PICKS FROM THE PITCH: TOP STRIKES & SAVES
⚽ Kirsty Hanson got two on her Spurs debut, the second an outrageous curler into the top corner. Watch
⚽ Grace Fisk – Liverpool ran riot at Charlton, and Fisk's second was our pick. Watch
⚽ Lauren James scoring like only Lauren James can. Watch
🧤 Akane Okuma had a blinder on her Villa debut, and the reason Chelsea's 34 shots got them a single point. Watch
🎥 Watch this if you only click one thing: Lisa Baum (Arsenal) — this might be the signing of the summer. A clinical finish from a tight angle on her debut, in off the bar. Watch
💬 TALKING POINT
Crystal Palace's win over Everton is under WSL investigation. They made a substitution at a fourth stoppage when only three are allowed, the change coming in the 97th minute. The league's confirmed the breach; rule 7.13.2 leaves a points deduction or a replay on the table, with the verdict still to come.
🚨ICYMI
Top Headlines
London City Lionesses new front of shirt sponsor
👕 London City Lionesses have signed Nike to a first-of-its-kind front-of-shirt deal — the first time Nike has put its name, not just the swoosh, on the front of a shirt it makes. Owner Michele Kang claims it's worth more than the $4m-a-year (£2.95m) Aflac deal at NWSL side Atlanta, and tops some Premier League men's shirt sponsorships. Read more
👟 The NWSL is fining players for wearing the wrong boots. A new policy forces non-Nike brands to pay the league a six-figure fee, plus a per-player minimum, or their logos get taped over on the pitch. Kansas City's Michelle Cooper, a New Balance signing, has turned herself into the face of the revolt — scoring, then holding her boot up to the camera. Read more
⚖️ FIFA has extended worldwide a ban on a former SCR Altach employee who secretly filmed the Austrian club's women's players, including minors, between 2018 and 2025. The extension, on 4 August, came after the players' unions pushed back on an original ban that only applied inside Austria. Read more
📺 The BBC has axed the Women's Football Show, its flagship WSL highlights programme, going into the new season. It insists it's still "fully committed" to the women's game, pointing to 25 live matches and highlights moving to iPlayer and YouTube. Read more
🏆 The Women's Champions League draw is done, and Arsenal got Barcelona. In the new-look league phase there's one 18-team table, each side playing six games between 22 September and 16 December. The Gunners visit Barça, the holders, on 11 November, with Lyon at home to follow. Chelsea travel to Lyon and host PSG; Manchester City start away at Bayern. Read more
✍️ INSIDE TRACK
Transfer Round-up
Élisa De Almeida (left) and Rebeca Bernal (right)
Most of the window's business was long done by the final week, but a couple of big ones still landed late.
→ Arsenal: Élisa De Almeida has joined permanently from PSG, the Gunners' eighth signing of a busy summer. The France centre-back arrived with more than 150 PSG appearances and 52 caps behind her, adding experience to a side chasing a first title since 2019.
→ Crystal Palace: Shanade Hopcroft has returned on a two-year deal. She was Players' Player of the Season in Palace's Championship-winning side before she left, and has since helped Birmingham win promotion.
→ Manchester City: two late additions. Germany right-back Carlotta Wamser has signed permanently from Bayer Leverkusen on a four-year deal, 22 and already a Euro 2025 semi-finalist. England keeper Anna Moorhouse has come in on a short-term loan from Orlando Pride, where she broke the NWSL single-season clean-sheet record.
→ Manchester United: Rebeca Bernal has signed through to 2029. The Mexico captain came in from Washington Spirit with 78 caps behind her — much-needed experience for a team going through plenty of change.
→ West Ham: Saki Kumagai has joined on a one-year deal, and she's some signing. The Japan international has five Champions Leagues and league titles in three countries to her name, and crossed London from London City after a single WSL season. She was Rita Guarino's tenth arrival of the summer.
🩼 ACL + INJURY UPDATES
Vivianne Miedema will miss the start of the season with a knee injury. The Manchester City forward picked it up in training, and the club have been clear it's a separate issue to her previous knee problems. There's no timeframe on her return, but she'll be a real miss for City after the 19 goal contributions in 25 games she gave them on the way to last season's double. Read more
🛋️ DITCH THE SOFA
Upcoming Events
Baller FC: Emirates pre-match mixer
Sun 13 September, from 12:00 · The Victoria Tavern, 203 Holloway Road, London N7 8DL
Baller sets up at the Vic for Man Utd v Chelsea at midday, then a short walk to the Emirates for Arsenal's first home game of the season, against Crystal Palace (14:45). More info
Crossbar Brighton:
Crossbar, 22-23 Upper North Street, Brighton, BN1 3FG
Ted Lasso Watch Parties – Every Wednesday, 19:00 in the Clubhouse, Sept 9, 16, 23, 30 and Oct 7. More info
WSL screenings – Saturday 12 from 12:45, and Sunday 13 September from 12:00. More info
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)
WSL
Saturday 12 September
West Ham vs London City Lionesses (12:45, Sky Sports) — London City's first away test, and Saki Kumagai lines up against the club she just left.
Sunday 13 September
Manchester United vs Chelsea (12:00, Sky Sports) — two sides who stumbled on opening weekend, meeting early.
Birmingham City vs Brighton & Hove Albion (14:00, Sky Sports)
Everton vs Charlton (14:00, Sky Sports)
Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur (14:00, Sky Sports)
Arsenal vs Crystal Palace (14:45, BBC Two) — the free-to-air pick
Aston Villa vs Manchester City (18:30, Sky Sports)
WSL2 Picks
Saturday 12 September
Bristol City vs Newcastle (17:15, YouTube) — two promotion hopefuls going head-to-head, a result that will matter come spring.
Sunday 13 September
Leicester City vs Durham (15:00, YouTube) — Leicester's first home game since dropping out of the WSL.
👀 FAVE FINDS
Alexia Putellas is now broadcasting the WSL herself. She's picked up the rights to show the league in Spain through her own new YouTube channel, ElevenTV — one game a week, starting with the opening weekend. With a wave of Spanish players arriving in the WSL, it's a pretty smart move.
@bbcwomensfootball Alexia Putellas bringing more eyes to the WSL! 👀🇪🇸 #WomensFootball #WoSo #AlexiaPutellas #LCL
See you next week!
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