Women's football

From rising stars to commercial ambitions, GOAL tackles six big questions nine months before Brazil 2027.

Barcelona Femení have reached a historic milestone of 900 official victories following a sensational European performance. Pere Romeu's side continued their unbeaten start to the campaign with a dominant win, taking another major step in their pursuit of defending the Champions League title.

Chelsea opened their Women's Champions League campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Austria Wien at Plough Lane thanks to Wieke Kaptein's early wonder strike. However, the narrow win was overshadowed by an early injury concern for Keira Walsh, who was forced off after just 20 minutes.

The NWSL says its footwear rules help players get paid. But what happens when those rules clash with sponsorship deals already in place?

Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor has cautioned her squad against underestimating Austria Vienna ahead of Wednesday's European opener. With the Austrian champions arriving in London as fearless debutants playing without pressure, the French manager insisted that the Blues must execute their tactical plan flawlessly to secure vital points at home.

Arsenal narrowly avoided a disastrous start to their Women's Champions League campaign as Mariona Caldentey converted a dramatic stoppage-time penalty to secure a 1-0 win over HB Koge. Despite dominating possession against their Danish opponents, the Gunners looked toothless for much of the evening at Boreham Wood.

Gotham clinched a playoff spot with a 2-1 win over North Carolina, while Angel City beat Utah 3-0 and Denver Summit stunned Seattle 2-1 as the NWSL playoff picture took shape.

After losing stars like Alexia Putellas, Salma Paralluelo and Ona Batlle this summer, the defending European champions are again aiming to defy the doubters and tap into the talent of La Masia to remain a continental force

With Chelsea held to a surprise draw by Aston Villa and Arsenal settling for a stalemate with newly-promoted Crystal Palace, the English top-flight already looks set for a season of shocks and upsets

The Lionesses star lit up Chelsea's dominant win over Manchester United on Sunday, a sight that the Blues and England will hope can be consistently familiar in what is a huge year

Injuries at Chelsea mean Beever-Jones is the focal point of the attack for the time being, presenting the England star with a huge opportunity to impress ahead of next summer's World Cup

Italian side Como 1907 have displayed remarkable solidarity by extending striker Roberta Picchi's contract until 2028 following her breast cancer diagnosis. The 34-year-old forward is preparing to begin immediate medical treatment, with the Serie A outfit guaranteeing full institutional backing to ensure her professional future remains completely secure.

Emily Fox helped Arsenal start with a win, but Chelsea and Manchester United stumbled as USWNT stars returned to club action across England and France.

Alexia Putellas captained London City Lionesses to a dominant 2-1 victory over Manchester United in their opening Women's Super League fixture. The two-time Ballon d'Or winner impressed on her English debut, promising fans that her star-studded team will only get better.

Andree Jeglertz's side were crowned champions of England for the first time in 10 years back in May and are now aiming to kick on and build a dynasty over the next decade

After signing the likes of Alexia Putellas and Mary Earps in the summer transfer window, London City Lionesses justified all the hype in victory over Man Utd in the WSL season opener, though the result rang alarm bells for the Red Devils

The road to European glory has been mapped out following the UEFA Women's Champions League league phase draw in Nyon. England's elite representatives have discovered their fate, with several mouth-watering ties confirmed for this campaign.

More and more big names have arrived into England's top-flight this summer, with many of them expected to have a big impact

After a transfer window that has brought Georgia Stanway, Ona Batlle and more to the club, the Gunners look extremely well-placed to fight for their first domestic title since 2019

Now a regular in Chelsea's first team squads, this talented 17-year-old also happens to be a left-back, which is a position of serious need for Sarina Wiegman and the Lionesses

England has one of the best women's national teams in the world and perhaps the best women's league on the planet, too, but the lack of opportunities for young players domestically is a real concern

For the second straight summer, the league's only independent club have pulled off some stunning transfers, leading to a belief that they can break up the established order at the top of the table

For the first time since 2019, the Blues kick-off a new season having fallen short in the WSL during the previous campaign, and Sonia Bompastor is keen to get back to the summit as soon as possible

The 41-year-old led Hearts from the bottom of the Scottish top-flight to title glory over the course of five years, and has now stepped into Marc Skinner's shoes in Manchester

The Australia international talks to GOAL about her time away from the pitch, taking positives from her time out injured, the "poetic" moment in her comeback and how City retain their domestic crown

Sarina Wiegman will be picking her squad to travel to Brazil in around eight months' time, but which players need a big domestic season to force their way into her thinking?

The midfielder established herself in Sarina Wiegman's thoughts over the past 12 months after a remarkable rise from the lower leagues

FK Žalgiris have invited Jason Sudeikis to channel Ted Lasso and coach a game, hoping his presence can bring global attention to their women's team.

Brighton have been rocked by the sudden departure of manager Dario Vidosic just one week before the new Women's Super League campaign begins. The Australian tactician departs after a historic tenure that saw the Seagulls achieve a record fifth-placed WSL finish and reach their first Women's FA Cup final, leaving a major void ahead of their opener.