All articles tagged with #womens football
Arsenal sign Spain international Ona Batlle on a four-year deal (with an option for a fifth) after her exit from Barcelona, adding a highly-rated full-back and World Cup winner who has starred for Barcelona and Manchester United.
The United States women’s team edged Brazil 1-0 in Fortaleza, but the night belonged to chaos: eight red cards were shown to Brazil’s players and staff, prompting riot-gear police protection around the officials after full-time. Sophia Wilson’s shot deflected off Isabela Chagas for the own-goal that produced the winner, while Brazil’s Angelina blasted the officiating as a “complete disgrace” amid VAR concerns. Emma Hayes swapped six players to counter Brazil’s physical, South American style, and although USWNT picked up a couple cautions, they battled to win ugly and move into an international break with a gritty, hard-fought result.
Spain crushed England 4-0 in Majorca, the Lionesses’ heaviest defeat in 17 years, leaving England’s automatic World Cup qualification in doubt and likely forcing playoff routes; Wiegman called the display disappointing and promised analysis as England turn to Ukraine with a slim chance of automatic qualification.
Chelsea beat Manchester United 6-5 in the final of the Women's World Sevens Series in London, claiming $500,000 from a reduced $1.5m prize pool across eight WSL clubs, with the event featuring seven-a-side action, high entertainment value in walkouts, and celebrations from both teams and officials.
Barcelona confirmed captain Alexia Putellas will leave the club at the end of the season after 14 years, ending a record-breaking era at Barça Femení: 232 goals in 500+ appearances and 38 trophies, including four Champions Leagues and 10 league titles; a farewell ceremony is planned.
North Korea's Naegohyang women's team won the Asian Champions League in South Korea, earning a spot at next year's FIFA Women's Champions Cup; the final had no away fans due to travel restrictions, though about 1,200 civic-group supporters attended, and coach Ri and scorer Kim celebrated before walking out of the post-match press conference after a reporter referred to the team as the 'north side.' Officials said the victory could set a positive precedent for inter-Korean relations, though the Koreas remain technically at war and Seoul's president is seeking to improve ties.
Iran’s women’s national football team was welcomed with a hero’s reception in Tehran after returning from Australia, where several players had sought asylum during the Asian Cup. Five initially pursued asylum but later returned; two squad members remain in Australia. Activists accuse authorities of pressuring players’ families, while the ceremony highlighted loyalty to the homeland amid broader political tensions.
Two more Iranian women’s footballers and a staff member reportedly withdrew their asylum requests in Australia, adding to the earlier withdrawals as the team prepared to return to Iran; Australia’s Home Affairs Minister confirmed the developments, following safety concerns after players refused to sing Iran’s national anthem at the Asian Cup, with broader tensions and calls from FIFPRO to protect the players.
Three more members of Iran's women's football delegation who had been granted humanitarian visas in Australia have decided to return to Iran, leaving three of the original seven defectors still in Australia. The players named are Zahra Soltan Meshkehkar, Mona Hamoudi and Zahra Sarbali. Australian officials said they provided safe options and respected personal choices amid concerns about repercussions in Iran after earlier anthem protests.
Australia granted humanitarian visas to two more members of Iran’s women’s football team, bringing the total asylum recipients in the group to seven, due to safety concerns if they return to Iran after they refused to sing the national anthem. The visas are temporary (12 months) with a path to permanent residency. The departure occurred amid protests by Iranian Australians, as Tehran urged the players to return and regional tensions rise during the US–Israel war on Iran.
Iran’s women’s football team sang their national anthem before their final Women’s Asian Cup match in Australia after previously remaining silent amid safety fears tied to the war; they were eliminated from the tournament with a 2-0 loss to the Philippines, and a Change.org petition urged Australia to offer refuge to the players amid concerns for their families, as officials and human-rights advocates highlighted the broader context of Iran’s crackdown on dissent.
Iran's women's national team refused to sing the national anthem before their Asian Cup opener against South Korea in Australia, standing silently as South Korea won 3-0; the players and coach did not comment on the war or Ayatollah Khamenei, with Iran to face host Australia and the Philippines in Group A amidst the ongoing regional conflict.
Arsenal Women defeated Corinthians 3-2 to win the FIFA Women's Champions Cup, sparking celebrations shared by players on Instagram and wide praise on X as the club highlights a selection of standout social-media reactions.
The 2025/26 UEFA Women's Champions League knockout phase draw was held on December 18 in Nyon, Switzerland, determining matchups from the play-offs to the final, with top teams like Barcelona and Lyon directly in the quarter-finals and others competing in play-offs. Matches are scheduled from February to May, with two-legged ties leading to the final in Oslo.
Arsenal's recent winless streak, including a 2-1 loss to Lyon in the Women's Champions League, is seen as a temporary 'blip' caused by errors and lack of consistency, but it raises concerns about their form and defensive issues, prompting a need for quick improvement to stay competitive.