WSL news

Arsenal will be without Beth Mead and Steph Catley for the first leg of their Women's Champions League semi-final against Lyon this weekend, with the latter's absence placing further focus on the fitness of the recently returned Leah Williamson. The England captain played her first minutes in over a month while on international duty last week, the timing of which could be potentially vital for the Gunners' European title defence.

When Arsenal stunned Barcelona to win the Women's Champions League last year, there were so many individuals who deserved to be singled out for praise. Be it the exceptional turnaround overseen by interim-turned-permanent coach Renee Slegers, the goal-scoring exploits of Alessia Russo or the timeless class of Kim Little in midfield, there were so many reasons for the success. It was hard, though, not to be drawn in particular to the impact of Mariona Caldentey.

Barcelona are reportedly 'close' to losing star defender Ona Batlle to Arsenal on a free transfer, with speculation surrounding the futures of two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas and key centre-back Mapi Leon also growing as the pair near the ends of their current contracts in Catalunya. London City Lionesses have shown interest in both, as the newly-promoted Women's Super League side look to make a splash in the summer transfer window.

Chelsea will play all of their Women's Super League home fixtures at Stamford Bridge from the 2026-27 season onwards in a move that will see the women's team make the iconic ground their permanent home. The Blues have played many games at the venue in recent years but will now be there on a more full-time basis, moving away from the lower-capacity Kingsmeadow.

Bold patterns return with this '90s classic-inspired drop.

Arsenal striker Stina Blackstenius has signed a new contract with the club, just months before her current deal was due to expire. The Gunners have a long list of first team players who are set to become free agents this summer but the Sweden international is no longer one of them, after she committed her future to the north London club.

England boss Sarina Wiegman has provided an update on the fitness of Lionesses captain Leah Williamson, who missed the win over Spain on Tuesday night. Wiegman was hopeful that the Arsenal star would be able to play a part in Saturday's clash with Iceland, as England continue their World Cup qualifying campaign, and the status of her availability has now been revisited ahead of that crucial game.

As the clock ticked into the 90th minute at Wembley on Tuesday evening, England were under the most pressure they had been all game. Having taken the lead with less than three minutes played, through Lauren Hemp's acrobatic effort, the Lionesses had done well to prevent Spain really putting them under the cosh, creating most of the better opportunities for themselves instead. However, in the dying moments, they would need Hannah Hampton, their world-class goalkeeper, to come up with something big.

Lionesses star Alessia Russo has been named the Women's Super League Player of the Month for March, after a rampant run that saw the striker bag four goals and one assist in just three outings for Arsenal. Russo had plenty of competition for the award, including from one England and Gunners team-mate as well as Golden Boot front-runner Khadija Shaw, but she managed to come out on top as Arsenal scooped up two of the league's three monthly accolades.

Next week, at Wembley Stadium, the two best national teams in European women's football will meet once more as England, winners of the last two European Championship titles, welcome Spain, the reigning world champions. It'll be their sixth competitive encounter in less than four years and it again brings with it huge stakes as the two bid for the one automatic qualification spot from their group for next summer's World Cup. That England could be without their captain, Leah Williamson, then, is a huge blow.

Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman has been forced to rejig her squad slightly ahead of the World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Iceland next week, after an injury withdrawal. The England manager has taken the opportunity to hand out another maiden call-up while also strengthening her squad with a further body, by adding Chelsea full-back Niamh Charles following her strong return to action after three months out.

Lucy Bronze has insisted Chelsea are "not making excuses" as they look to rescue their season following a disappointing exit from the Women's Champions League. The veteran defender is now shifting her focus to a domestic trophy pursuit to ensure the Blues do not end the campaign empty-handed.

Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze has claimed that the Blues were the "better team" across their Women's Champions League quarter-final tie against Arsenal despite suffering a painful aggregate defeat. The England international believes a lack of efficiency in front of goal was the only difference between the two London rivals.

Sam Kerr is reportedly set to end her time with Chelsea to return to the NWSL. The Australian icon is expected to sign with expansion side Denver Summit FC after six dominant years in west London.

The staggering financial scale of the Premier League has been laid bare once again as official figures reveal top-flight clubs spent a record-breaking £460 million on agent fees over the last year, with Chelsea emerging as the league’s biggest spender. The total fees spent by Premier League clubs represents a 13 per cent increase on the previous 12 months.

Chelsea have officially recorded the largest pre-tax loss in the history of the Premier League after posting a deficit of £262.4 million for the 2024-25 financial year. The figures represent a massive swing from the previous year’s profit, which was largely fuelled by the internal sale of the club’s women's team.

Talk of Alessia Russo's goal-scoring has dominated conversation around the England international for most of her senior career to date. It's become especially prominent since her move from Manchester United to Arsenal three years ago, with the scrutiny increased because of the switch and also the fact she's become the Lionesses' starting centre-forward. But in this past week in particular, Russo has shown what remarkable steps she has made towards that talk becoming obsolete.