WSL news

Lauren James' brilliance helped Chelsea boost their chances of qualifying for next season's Women's Champions League in an important 2-0 win over Liverpool on Sunday, the Blues securing all three points at a time when plenty of negative noise has swirled around the club. Disappointing results led to questions being asked of head coach Sonia Bompator and her future, while the departure of head of women's football Paul Green this week caused a real stir. But the players did all they could do on Sunday, seeing off a revitalised Liverpool side thanks to goals from James and Sjoeke Nusken.

Lionesses star Ella Toone is "probably" going to miss Manchester United's League Cup final clash with Chelsea next month, Red Devils boss Marc Skinner has admitted. The England international has not played since December because of a hip issue and it is unlikely that she is going to recover in time for the showpiece event, meaning she is all-but-ruled out of the Lionesses first camp of 2026, too.

Only four teams in Women's Super League history have ever endured a longer wait for a first win of the season than Liverpool did this term. Winless through 12 matches, only Yeovil Town, Doncaster Rovers Belles, Everton and Reading had ever experienced more barren streaks in the competition than the Reds, whose status as the former two-time WSL champions made their case stand apart as the most shocking and surprising of the five.

United States star Catarina Macario reportedly has an offer on the table from three-time Champions League winners Barcelona, amid growing interest in her services from major clubs across Europe. Macario's contract with Chelsea expires at the end of the season and it has also been reported that she has turned down a new deal with the Blues, making her a figure of real interest as the summer transfer window approaches.

Chelsea have announced that Paul Green, the club's head of women's football, has left the club after 13 years with the Blues. Green departs after a period of huge success in west London that has seen Chelsea Women claim 19 trophies. Green departs just days after the club announced manager Sonia Bompastor has signed a new contract that will run until 2030.

Laura Woods has fired back at former Lionesses star Eni Aluko after seeing the ex-England international suggest that “the women’s game should be by women, for women”. Aluko has previously taken issue with Ian Wright enjoying a prominent role in coverage of women’s football, claiming the Arsenal great is “dragging women’s punditry backwards”. TV presenter Woods, who regularly hosts men’s and women’s games, has picked holes in Aluko’s arguments.

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.

Chelsea got back to winning ways in the Women's Super League on Sunday, beating Tottenham 2-0 to avoid inflicting further damage on their hopes of qualifying for next season's Champions League. Back-to-back league defeats for the first time since 2015 and Arsenal's surprise win over runaway leaders Manchester City had left the Blues, who have won each of the last six WSL titles, outside the three European spots before kick-off in north London, but goals from Keira Walsh and Alyssa Thompson allowed them to leapfrog the Gunners into third place with seven games to go.

Olivia Smith's composed finish gave Arsenal a huge 1-0 win over Women's Super League leaders Manchester City on Sunday, providing the Gunners' push for Champions League qualification a huge boost. Renee Slegers' side, who were crowned champions of Europe last season, have now heaped the pressure on a stuttering Chelsea to keep up with them in the race for the top three, while still holding a game in hand over the rest of their rivals.

Manchester City were handed just their second defeat of the Women’s Super League season as they were outplayed by an impressive Arsenal on Sunday. The runaway leaders were well off the pace and saw their midfield bossed for much of the game by the Gunners, who ran out deserved 1-0 victors, courtesy of a first-half strike by Olivia Smith.

NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has joined the ownership group of Women's Super League champions Chelsea. Antetokounmpo is a close friend of Alexis Ohanian, who is a minority owner of the Blues' women's side, and the 'Greek Freak' has decided to purchase his own stake in the club as he continues to bolster his investment portfolio.

Leicester City's Alisha Lehmann has revealed she did not want to venture out of her house and instead remained in bed all day when she struggled to deal with a spate of online hate. The Switzerland international has lifted the lid on how being one of the most followed footballers on the planet has impacted her on a day-to-day basis and how at times she was unable to cope.

Catarina Macario's future at Chelsea is reportedly in doubt after the U.S. Women's National Team star rejected a new contract offer from the club. Macario has been linked with moves to the NWSL and to other clubs in Europe, with the latest news, a Chelsea exit seems closer than ever. The Blues are currently third on the WSL table.

Marc Skinner's side continued their unbeaten start to 2026 in the Women's Super League with a deserved victory over Leicester at the King Power Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Swedish star Zigiotti Olme was key to United's win, with a goal and an assist, while super-sub Terland made the game safe late on with yet another strike against the struggling Foxes