Last month, when Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman was asked if there was concern that her contract situation could prove to be a distraction for England ahead of the 2027 Women's World Cup, she was pretty bullish in her answer. "There is no distraction whatsoever," she responded. "Everyone is really focused on this qualification. I haven't heard anyone in my team or staff that has been occupied with that."
England captain Leah Williamson is fiercely determined to lift the 2027 World Cup to complete her collection of all the major trophies available in women's football. The Arsenal defender is incredibly well decorated, yet one trophy alludes her cabinet and she has expressed her desire to fill the gap left by the biggest prize in international football.
A decade into Gianni Infantino’s presidency, FIFA has expanded globally while becoming more polarizing, shaped by growth, controversy and constant change.
Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman is confident that the topic of her future with the team will not be a distraction as England begin their bid to qualify for the 2027 Women's World Cup. Wiegman, who has overseen back-to-back European Championship triumphs with the Lionesses, is under contract until the end of next year's tournament and says there is "no update" on any renewal, but that it is not a situation that she believes is concerning her staff or players right now.
Eni Aluko has renewed her public criticism of the choice of male pundits in women's football, aiming a dig towards Ian Wright and Nedum Onuoha for their TV roles covering the Lionesses' Euro 2025 final at ITV and the BBC, respectively. This is not the first time that Aluko has called out a perceived lack of opportunities for female pundits, criticising Wright in the past for his prominent place within the women's game before issuing a public apology for her words.
Since the Conference League's inception in 2021, three teams have lifted the trophy: Roma, West Ham United, and the current champions, Olympiacos.
How many teams are in the Conference League?
The newest format, introduced ahead of the 2024-25 season, features 36 teams, four more than in the previous format.
Who has made the most Conference League appearances ever?
Mainz 05 midfielder Hong Hyun-seok and Gent captain Sven Kums have made 39 appearances each in the Conference League, making them the players with the most appearances in the competition.
Who is the all-time top scorer of the Conference League?
As for top goalscorers, Arthur Cabral leads the list with 21 goals to his name, including those scored in the qualifying phase. However, without taking into account goals scored in the qualifying phase, three players have scored the joint-most goals in Conference League with 12 each to their names: Arthur Cabral, Eran Zahavi, and Vangelis Pavlidis.
Who has the most assists in the history of the Conference League?
Darian Males, Gavriel Kanichowsky, and Cristiano Biraghi have the most assists in Conference League history, registering eight assists each.
Who is the oldest player ever in the Conference League and how old was he?
Veteran Spanish goalkeeper Pepe Reina, while playing for Villarreal in 2023, became the oldest player to feature in the Conference League at 40 years and 175 days.
Who is the youngest player ever in the Conference League and how old was he?
Lille wonderkid Ayyoub Bouaddi holds the record as the Conference League's youngest-ever player at the tender age of 16 years and 3 days.
Which famous players have played in the Conference League?
Stars such as Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Tammy Abraham, Declan Rice, Harry Kane, Ollie Watkins,Co Mario Gotze, Kasper Schmeichel, Cody Gakpo, Stephan El Shaarawy, James Maddison, Jonathan David, and Edin Dzeko have played in the Conference League.
Which famous managers have managed in the Conference League?
Manuel Pellegrini, Jose Mourinho, Unai Emery, David Moyes, and Ange Postecoglou are among the most famous managers to have managed in the Conference League.