There were so many big names to watch at last year's Copa America Femenina. Marta's emergence out of international retirement was the major storyline going into the tournament, where stars such as Real Madrid's Linda Caicedo, Chelsea's Mayra Ramirez and Manchester City's Kerolin were also primed to shine. But these events also provide the platform for new names to rise to the fore, and that is exactly what happened with a 17-year-old sensation from Paraguay by the name of Claudia Martinez.

Manchester United will take on Bayern Munich next month in their first-ever Women's Champions League quarter-final after goals from Julia Zigiotti Olme and Jess Park completed the job against Atletico Madrid on Thursday, securing a 2-0 win on the night and a comprehensive 5-0 victory on aggregate. The Red Devils were clinical across the two legs and they didn't let up despite a big win in Spain, giving their home fans a performance to savour as well.

Arsenal forward Alessia Russo is eyeing a historic European showdown after the Gunners secured their spot in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals. Following a dominant aggregate victory over OH Leuven, the England star expressed her excitement for an all-London affair against domestic rivals Chelsea.

Goals from Alessia Russo and Mariona Caldentey ensured Arsenal's safe passage through to the Women's Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday, as the Gunners scrapped to a 3-1 victory at home to OH Leuven, and a 7-1 win on aggregate, in extremely challenging conditions. The rain and wind made this a difficult game for both sides, but the quality of the defending European champions eventually shone through as they set up a clash in the last eight with London rivals Chelsea.

Coming into the 2025-26 season, few - if any - were carrying the kind of momentum that Chloe Kelly was. She was the Lionesses' hero in the summer, scoring the penalty that delivered the 2025 European Championship title after also enjoying huge moments in the quarter-and-semi-finals to get England into that title-deciding clash with Spain. With a permanent move to Arsenal secured after all that, having helped the Gunners win the Champions League in May while on loan, Kelly felt primed for a huge season.

Hannah Hampton, Leah Williamson, Alex Greenwood and Lauren James are all back in the England squad after missing the Lionesses' final camp of 2025 due to injury, dealing Sarina Wiegman's side a real boost as they cope with some new absentees ahead of the start of qualifying for the 2027 Women's World Cup. England are without four members of the Euro 2025-winning squad for the upcoming window, including Ella Toone and Beth Mead.

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.

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.

Manchester United earned their seventh straight victory in all competitions as they came from behind to beat London City Lionesses 2-1 in the Women's Super League. A stunning Jess Park equaliser and a late Millie Turner winner on her return from injury secured the three points after Nikita Parris had given the newly-promoted visitors the lead, as the Red Devils stay second in the division with the hard-fought victory.