Ameé Ruszkai

Lionesses star Georgia Stanway has been unveiled as Arsenal’s first signing of the summer transfer window, following her departure from Bayern Munich. The England international made it known in January that she would be leaving the club at the end of last season and her move to the Gunners has finally been confirmed after months of speculation.

Erica Parkinson was just 12 years old when she laid out her goals to a mindset coach who has spent the last six years helping her plot a route to the top of the game. "I want to play for England at the World Cup," she proclaimed. Fast-forward to today and, having become the Lionesses’ youngest call-up under Sarina Wiegman and just signed for the North Carolina Courage in the NWSL, it’s not out of the question that the dream could be realised in 12 months’ time.

Lionesses star Lucy Bronze has signed a contract extension at Chelsea which will keep her at the club for a further year. The England defender penned a two-year deal when she arrived in London in 2024, meaning she was set to be a free agent this summer. However, the Blues have now announced that she is staying, as fans await similar news surrounding both Hannah Hampton and Aggie Beever-Jones.

One of England's brightest young talents, Erica Parkinson, has signed for two-time NWSL champions North Carolina Courage in the first big transfer of her career. The 18-year-old became the youngest player to be called up by Sarina Wiegman in her Lionesses tenure earlier this year and is now set to continue her development in one of the best leagues in the women's game.

Manchester United have completed their first signing of the summer transfer window, with Spain youth international defender Andrea Medina joining the club on a free transfer after leaving Atletico Madrid. The 22-year-old signs a three-year deal with the Red Devils, with the option for a further year, in the first move abroad of her young career.

Barcelona have confirmed that Salma Paralluelo, scorer of two goals in the Champions League final win over Lyon last month, is leaving the club. The European champions had been trying to negotiate a new deal with the Spain international but an agreement has not been reached, with Arsenal, Chelsea and Lyon all among those interested in securing her services on a free transfer.

Signing a striker was a top priority for Chelsea in this summer transfer window. Catarina Macario left the club in March before Sam Kerr departed at the end of the season, leaving the Blues with Mayra Ramirez, who played just one minute of football last term, and Aggie Beever-Jones, for whom an update on her future, as her contract approaches its expiry, still hasn't been announced. But with Chelsea's top three targets now committed elsewhere, what is next for the club in their search for a top centre-forward?

It’s time for the knockout stages of the 2026 World Cup, which means it’s time for penalty shootout drama. Generally, England have a terrible reputation when it comes to spot-kicks, winning just four of the 11 shootouts they’ve participated in. But the signs suggest the tide is turning, with three of those wins coming in their last four.

Khadija Shaw is one of the best centre-forwards in the women's game, if not the best. Winner of three successive Women's Super League Golden Boots, and scorer of more goals than any other player in Europe's top five leagues since her move to Manchester City in 2021, it's no wonder that Chelsea were trying to bring her to west London as her contract neared its expiry this summer. But as it became apparent that the Blues were going to miss out on Shaw, it says a lot about Felicia Schroder that the Swedish teenager was next on their wish list.

Barcelona icon Alexia Putellas is set to choose her next club this week, after departing Catalunya at the end of last season. London City Lionesses remain the favourites to sign the two-time Ballon d'Or winner but interest is growing in the NWSL, with two teams in the United States pushing hard to secure her signature, according to a report.

A complete guide to England women's year, including how to watch games live and more

Newcastle fans can be forgiven for experiencing a strange and unwanted feeling of deja vu this week. After being linked heavily with an exciting young attacker throughout the build-up to this summer’s transfer window, Liverpool have snuck in at the last and pipped them to the post - again. Last year, it was Hugo Ekitike; this year, it is Victor Munoz.

England will face Greece in the first round of Women's World Cup qualifying play-offs in October, having failed to secure direct entry into next summer's tournament. Defeat to Spain in June proved extremely costly for the Lionesses, allowing the world champions to top the qualifying group instead, and now Sarina Wiegman's side must navigate two rounds of two-legged play-offs instead, starting against Greece.

Four nations will debut at the World Cup this summer, with Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan all set to grace the grandest stage in international football for the first time. It's 16 years since a newcomer made it into the knockout stages of the tournament, when Slovakia stunned holders Italy to eliminate them in South Africa. So do any of this year's debutants have the potential to replicate such heroics?

Beth Mead has completed a move to Manchester City, signing a three-year deal with the new Women's Super League champions after her Arsenal departure was confirmed last month. The England icon spent nine years in north London, winning everything possible, and will now embark on a new chapter, one which also reunites her with partner Vivianne Miedema.

It's always hard for representatives of a team that did not succeed to make a point about issues with a qualifying format, but few could begrudge the frustration evident among the England squad on Tuesday after the Lionesses fell short of the one automatic qualification spot available to them for the 2027 Women's World Cup.

GOAL tracks all the qualification campaigns for the 2027 Women's World Cup, breaking down which teams have qualified and which nations could soon join them

England's Lionesses have always had great goalscorers. Even before the team was the major contender it is now, winning back-to-back European Championships under Sarina Wiegman and reaching a first Women's World Cup final, they could boast some incredible attacking talent, with Arsenal icon Kelly Smith, widely considered the Lionesses' greatest ever player, a prime example.