When Chelsea signed Ellie Carpenter in the summer transfer window, one of the first thoughts for many was: What does this mean for Lucy Bronze? Eight years younger than the Lionesses star, Carpenter firmly established herself as a world-class right-back during a trophy-laden five-year stint with Lyon. Was she now moving to London to usurp one of England's biggest names?
Manchester United captain Maya Le Tissier was included in Sarina Wiegman's latest England squad on Tuesday. But while there is a gaping long-term hole in the centre of the Lionesses' defence after Millie Bright's international retirement, Wiegman is still insistent on using Le Tissier in a different position, much to the annoyance of her club's social media team.
As Sarina Wiegman prepared to announce her first England squad since the Lionesses triumphed at the European Championship back in July, one of the biggest questions surrounded Millie Bright. After missing that triumph, citing physical and mental fatigue as she withdrew from selection, would the Chelsea captain be available again? Three months on, we have our answer.
Lionesses star Millie Bright has announced her retirement from international football. The Chelsea captain withdrew from selection for the European Championship earlier this year, citing mental and physical fatigue, and has now followed that up by calling time on her England career, having had the summer to "reflect" while Sarina Wiegman's side clinched another continental crown.
Manchester City made it six successive wins in all competitions as they came from behind to defeat Liverpool 2-1 in the Women’s Super League on Sunday evening. Second-half goals from Iman Beney and Aoba Fujino cancelled out Cornelia Kapocs’ opener and saw Andree Jeglertz’s side close the gap on title rivals Chelsea and Manchester United at Anfield.
Arsenal's run of four games without a win came to an end on Sunday, albeit only thanks to an own goal from Brighton's Marisa Olislagers in a narrow 1-0 victory. The Gunners will be relieved to have avoided extending their barren streak to what would've been their worst in 11 years but the same sluggishness in attack persisted, with Daphne van Domselaar's terrific second half save to deny Carla Camacho proving to be particularly important come the final whistle.
Tottenham manager Martin Ho has credited Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone and basketball legend Michael Jordan as being two of the greatest influences on his burgeoning coaching career. Widely regarded as one of the most promising coaches in women’s football, the 35-year-old has opened up on the figures who have helped shape him, with several other sporting greats making his list.
Keira Walsh's stunning strike gave Chelsea a 1-0 win over Tottenham on Sunday as the defending Women's Super League champions maintained their position at the top of the table. The Blues huffed and puffed a lot in this game, producing a lot of nice build-up play without the incisive final ball. And so, up stepped Walsh just past the hour mark to rifle an effort from range into the bottom corner of Lize Kop's goal and secure all three points in some style.
When Manchester City and Manchester United completed a stunning deadline day deal that saw Jess Park and Grace Clinton swap clubs, there were big questions to be asked of things on the red side of the city. Given United were in need of much greater depth in their squad, it didn't make total sense for them to engage in a one-in, one-out deal, particularly as it saw them bid farewell to one of their biggest stars.
England superstars Harry Kane and Alessia Russo have teamed up on World Mental Health Day, with inspiring messages being passed out to those who are struggling. Kane and Russo have experienced tough times themselves on and off the pitch and want to use their voice, as prominent figures in society, to help spread the word of never being afraid to speak up and ask for help.
There was no shortage of big names on show when Manchester City hosted Arsenal in a bumper Women’s Super League clash in early October. A quick look through the teams and most would’ve been drawn to the likes of Chloe Kelly, Khadija Shaw, Alessia Russo, Vivianne Miedema and Mariona Caldentey, especially if they were picking out a potential match-winner. In the end, though, it was a rising teenage star who took up that role, one by the name of Iman Beney.
Perhaps now more than at any other point in the modern history of football, the subject of stadia is increasingly dominant. Manchester United are trying to completely rebuild Old Trafford to the cost of £2 billion ($2.7bn). Spurs are six years into the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium experience and at last have a trophy to put in their new cabinet. Chelsea's dispute over land in west London continues to cast a shadow over the future and suitability of Stamford Bridge. Newcastle's Saudi owners are still deciding whether they should expand St James' Park or make use of the space on the adjacent land to start from scratch.
Chelsea have ended speculation surrounding Sjoeke Nusken’s future by confirming the Germany international has signed a new contract until 2027. The 24-year-old midfielder, who impressed in her debut season with 12 goals in all competitions, has committed her future to the Blues despite previous hints that she could look to explore options elsewhere.
Iman Beney's first goal for Manchester City secured a dramatic late victory for Andree Jeglertz's side, moments after it had appeared they'd thrown away all three points. Arsenal had twice pegged the hosts back in a lively second-half but as the clock ticked towards the 90-minute mark, up stepped the summer signing from BSC YB Frauen to smash home and make it 3-2, keeping the pressure up on Chelsea at the top of the WSL table.
It looked like the script was written. With seven minutes remaining, Chloe Kelly had come back to haunt her former side, levelling things up for Arsenal at Manchester City with a superb strike that seemed to swing the momentum in the Gunners' favour. But the player who has so often been the hero in 2025, for club and country, would see her efforts reduced to a footnote as Iman Beney's even later effort condemned the north London side to a 3-2 defeat, one which ended their unbeaten start to the new Women's Super League season and leaves their title charge in a precarious position already.
Chelsea's perfect start to the new Women's Super League season came to an end on Friday night, as the Blues were held to a stalemate by Manchester United in a 1-1 draw. Sonia Bompastor's side began their title defence in winning fashion through each of the first four weeks of the season but that run was stopped by the Red Devils, who avoided defeat for just the second time in 12 meetings with the London club.
Arsenal are only four games into their Women's Super League season and yet, their chances of seriously competing for the title are already under the microscope. That's because the Gunners, who won the Champions League back in May, have now dropped points in back-to-back weekends, with Saturday's disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Aston Villa ringing alarm bells.
Since reforming its women's team seven years ago, Manchester United have been working towards having weeks like this. On Friday night, they face champions Chelsea in a huge clash at the top of the Women's Super League. Then, five days later, they host Valerenga in their first-ever game in the Women's Champions League proper. So much work has been done to get the Red Devils to this point, where they are in Europe's premier competition and battling for the top domestic honours, and yet, it just doesn't feel like they are ready for the challenge ahead.
“Written in the stars, wasn’t it?” Mary Earps is referring to this season’s Champions League draw, which has pitted her Paris Saint-Germain side against former club Manchester United. Unsurprisingly, Earps’ phone pinged “straight away”, with Ella Toone the predictable name to pop up. “There’s a lot of familiar faces that I’m looking forward to seeing,” she says, with the two to meet at Old Trafford next month.
Matt Beard passed away earlier this month, with news of his death rocking the football world and prompting outpourings of emotional tributes. Beard was known to have taken his own life following a devastating social media post from his son urging that suicide is "never the answer". The cause of death has now been confirmed at a coroner's court hearing in north Wales.
No Chelsea player had ever scored in the Blues' first four games of a Women's Super League campaign - until Aggie Beever-Jones did exactly that on Sunday to set the defending champions on their way to a dominant 4-0 win that was certainly eventful. With records broken, plenty of goals scored and a stunning red card for Ines Belloumou, for pulling the hair of United States star Alyssa Thompson, those in attendance certainly got their money's worth when it came to action - though it was the kind which only the away end could really enjoy.
Midfield is certainly not one of England's best-stocked positions but Laura Blindkilde Brown continues to show that she could be a fantastic option for Sarina Wiegman as a new international cycle nears, with her putting in another excellent performance for Manchester City in Sunday's 4-1 win over London City Lionesses. It was a tricky game at times for the hosts but goals from Blindkilde Brown, Vivianne Miedema and a Bunny Shaw double allowed them to secure a third successive Women's Super League win for the first time since last November.
Manchester United climbed to the top of the Women's Super League table with a 2-0 victory over Liverpool on Sunday afternoon. The Red Devils did all of the damage in what was a dominant first-half performance as a wonderful strike from Hinata Miyazawa and a cool finish from Ella Toone maintained their side’s unbeaten start to the new league season.
Former Lionesses midfielder Karen Carney banished an 18-year curse by finishing top of the Strictly Come Dancing leaderboard on Saturday. The ex-Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder put an end to stereotypes surrounding footballers and their ability to perform on the dance floor with a fantastic performance which has received widespread praise.
Arsenal passed up the chance to go top of the Women’s Super League table as they fell to a late equaliser to draw 1-1 with Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Frida Maanum scored her third league goal of 2025-26 as the Gunners looked destined to climb to the summit, but substitute Lucy Parker netted late on to secure a deserved point for the visitors.