Women's football

For a long time, it has felt like Chelsea's dominance of the Women's Super League would never end. Since the Blues were crowned champions of England for a third time back on June 5, 2020, they have yet to relinquish their crown, spending over 2000 days as the holders of the trophy thanks to six successive triumphs. This season, however, it looks like their incredible run could finally be stopped.

Manchester United boss Marc Skinner has explained the thinking behind leaving the Lionesses duo of Ella Toone and Jess Park on the bench for Wednesday's Champions League defeat to eight-time winners Lyon. Although already assured of a play-off berth, the Red Devils needed a positive result to improve their seeding and to push for automatic qualification. Skinner's starting XI raised plenty of questions before his side were given a 3-0 thumping.

England heroes Hannah Hampton and Chloe Kelly, fresh from helping the Lionesses defend their European Championship crown, have been nominated for the 2025 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award. If either is able to land the top prize, they will follow in the footsteps of iconic team-mates Beth Mead and Mary Earps - two former winners.

Millie Bright had one of the best seasons of her career in 2024-25. Sporting the captain's armband, the Chelsea star guided the club to an incredible domestic treble in which they didn't lose a single game in the Women's Super League, FA Cup or League Cup, lifting all three trophies and breaking plenty of records along the way. In the last few weeks, though, as the Blues have endured a surprising run of just one win in five games, the former Lionesses defender has found herself on the outside looking in.

Florida State ended Stanford’s 17-match unbeaten run on Monday, winning its fifth national championship with an 87th-minute winner at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City. The No. 3 seed defeated the top-seeded Cardinal in the College Cup final for the second time in three years, adding a third national title in five seasons.

The U.S. women’s national team will close out January with a friendly against 45th-ranked Chile in Santa Barbara, Calif., marking the program’s first international match in the city. The USWNT will face Chile at UC Santa Barbara, the same campus where the team first held a training camp in 1991 before winning the inaugural FIFA Women’s World Cup in China.

Lionesses and Tottenham Women's star Jessica Naz has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering a devastating ACL injury - the second of her career. The 25-year-old limped off during Spurs’ Women’s Super League victory over Aston Villa on Sunday, and scans confirmed a rupture in the anterior cruciate ligament of her right knee.

Things haven't been easy for Manchester United as of late. The Red Devils went into Sunday's clash with West Ham having lost three of their last four games in all competitions, a run that has seen them fall well behind the pace in the Women's Super League title race and weakened their incredibly strong position in the Champions League, ahead of two very tough final games in the league phase, starting with the hosting of eight-time winners Lyon on Wednesday. The return of Phallon Tullis-Joyce, then, could not have been better timed.

A man has pleaded guilty to stalking Liverpool star Marie Hobinger after sending her inappropriate and sexualised messages. Mangal Dalal, from London, sent the midfielder a string of messages via Instagram, which included his mobile number and postcode, as well as asking her to visit him. The 42-year-old was also charged with stalking as a result of the electronic communications between January and February this year.

This Sunday’s Women’s Super League clash between Brighton and London City Lionesses should have produced an enticing showdown between two of England’s most exciting young strikers, with Euro 2025 hero Michelle Agyemang in the Seagulls’ corner and rising star Isobel Goodwin representing the newly-promoted big spenders.

It was all looking so good for Manchester United at the start of this season. Into the Women's Champions League proper for the first time and unbeaten through their first seven games of the new Women's Super League campaign, the Red Devils were flying. But as Marc Skinner's side return to action after the final international break of the year, they're looking to avoid a fourth defeat in just five games.

Emma Coates has left her role as England women’s under-23s head coach to become the new manager of National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) side Bay FC. The Football Association (FA) has announced the recruitment process will begin “imminently” as they look to identify a successor to the 34-year-old, who worked closely with Sarina Wiegman while in charge of the young Lionesses.

England's Lionesses have learned the location of their next European Championship title defence after UEFA announced the hosts of Euro 2029 on Wednesday. Poland, Germany and a joint-effort from Denmark and Sweden were the three official bids submitted for the next edition of the tournament, which will see Sarina Wiegman's side go for a third successive continental crown after triumphs in England in 2022 and in Switzerland in 2025.

England's incredibly memorable 2025 is now in the books after the Lionesses closed out their 'homecoming' series on Tuesday with a 2-0 win over Ghana. Sarina Wiegman's side have been taking their European Championship trophy around the country over the last couple of months, showing off the silverware while entertaining the fans who celebrated its return home as excitedly as the players themselves. They've certainly done the latter as of late, bouncing back from defeat to Brazil to finish the year with three successive wins.

Spain's all-time leading goalscorer Jenni Hermoso was celebrating once again on Tuesday night after helping the national team beat Germany to win the Nations League final. The 35-year-old made an emotional return to the Spain squad in October, following a year long absence, and has crowned her comeback in style by adding more silverware to her collection.

Television presenter Laura Woods has shared a positive update following a worrying collapse during live coverage of the Lionesses' friendly against Ghana on Tuesday evening. Woods was taken ill ahead of kick off when she fell and was caught by pundits Ian Wright and Anita Asante, and ITV immediately cut to an advertising break. The presenter has now taken to social media to reassure fans and thank those who helped her.

Several players showed up for the pair of friendlies vs. Italy, led by Cat Macario's three goals, Jaedyn Shaw's first goal on the year, and a two-game shutout from Claudia Dickey.

Lionesses star Chloe Kelly limped off with an injury in England's clash with Ghana on Tuesday night, casting doubt over her availability moving forward as Arsenal prepare to enter a very important part of their season. The Gunners have two huge Champions League games coming up this month, as the holders bid to qualify for the knockout stages, but they could well have to take on those challenges without Kelly.

Aitana Bonmati's season seems to be all but over after she underwent surgery on her fractured fibula, as Barcelona confirmed a lengthy recovery timeframe for the three-time Ballon d'Or winner. She landed awkwardly in Spain’s final training session before the second leg of the Nations League final. Medical tests carried out shortly after the injury confirmed the grim diagnosis, ending any possibility of her featuring in Tuesday’s decisive match against Germany in Madrid.

It's hard to overstate the degree to which Chloe Kelly captured the attention of a nation this past summer. Her pivotal performances in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final of the 2025 European Championship helped drive England on to a second successive continental crown while also catapulting her name into the limelight like never before, even surpassing the levels achieved after her extra-time goal won Euro 2022. Yet, fans tuning into the Women's Super League this season hoping to see Kelly's magic in action for Arsenal, will have been disappointed.

Cat Macario shined, Jaedyn Shaw delivered a statement, and Emma Hayes couldn’t stop smiling as the USWNT capped 2025 with another dominant win over Italy.

The USWNT blew past Italy in the opening match of a pair of friendlies. Will Hayes give opportunities to newer faces in Monday's rematch?

Como star Alisha Lehmann could not resist cracking a joke after she scored for Switzerland during an international friendly defeat to Belgium. The Swiss' first outing under new head coach Rafel Navarro ended in a 2-1 defeat but Lehmann was still in good spirits afterwards. The former Juventus star stepped off the bench to score Switzerland’s only goal, and followed it up with a wry grin.

Keira Walsh has explains that her leadership will be a change from England team-mate Leah Williamson as she prepares to captain her country against China. The Lionesses will entertain the Steel Roses on Saturday at a sold-out Wembley Stadium, with Walsh set to skipper the side. Ahead of this encounter, the Chelsea ace admits she has had to adjust to this new role in Williamson's absence.

Ellie Roebuck has returned to the England squad for meetings with China and Ghana, the FA has confirmed. The Aston Villa stopper replaces Manchester City goalkeeper Khiara Keating due to injury, her first time being selected by the Lionesses since shortly after the 2023 World Cup. In the intervening years, Roebuck's health issues had put her entire career in severe jeopardy.

The USWNT’s chemistry is clicking at every level, with Catarina Macario and Rose Lavelle driving a dominant showing and Olivia Moultrie rising fast.

The United Kingdom has formally submitted its bid to host the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup, outlining an unprecedented vision centred around 22 stadiums across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. If successful, the tournament would become the largest standalone sporting event ever staged in Britain, eclipsing the 2015 Rugby World Cup and Euro 1996.

The United Kingdom has launched a joint bid to host the 2035 Women's World Cup. England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales are hoping to host the tournament in just under a decade, with the proposal including 22 stadiums. The competition would be the largest single-sport event ever staged in the UK and the first FIFA World Cup hosted on these shores since 1966.

Alexia Putellas has opened up about her contract situation with Barcelona, acknowledging ongoing talks while refusing to rule out a future away from the club. As Paris Saint-Germain intensify their pursuit and Barca navigate financial limitations, the Spain captain’s comments come at a crucial moment for both her career and the Catalan side’s long-term project.