Last weekend’s NWSL matches saw some eye-popping goalkeeping performances.

Katie Atkinson stood up to a shelling from Orlando Pride, making 10 saves and almost dragging her Chicago Stars side to a result. Meanwhile, Seattle Reign’s Claudia Dickey made a career-high eight saves in her return from injury. Goalkeeping performances like these can be as exciting as a hat-trick performance from a striker.

Atkinson’s 10 saves would have single-handedly secured a point for her overmatched team were it not for Julie Doyle’s 88th-minute winner. Orlando were by far the more threatening team all game, even without star forward Barbra Banda, but homed in on Atkinson when taking their shots, making her was more about consistency in shot-stopping and good positioning than making athletic saves — her excellent diving stop against Marta’s penalty kick excluded.

“She’s always been a great shot-stopper,” former USWNT goalkeeper Jill Loyden told The Cutback, referring to Atkinson. “There’s been marginal gains in other areas, but just in terms of Chicago, I think that’s what they need because they’re at a severe talent deficit.”

Different teams ask their keepers to do different things. Loyden thought Dickey was the most impressive goalkeeper last season because of how she fit into Seattle’s low block system.

“[Seattle] made it really incredibly difficult for opponents to find space in and around the box, so a lot of times opponents would get so frustrated that they would just shoot any kind of half chance from distance. She’s the most athletic goalkeeper in the league, so she was able to make a lot of saves from those positions,” Loyden said, adding that Dickey is very strong at cleaning crosses and kicking long balls. She doesn’t think Seattle would have made the playoffs without Dickey.

Dickey’s athleticism was on full display in her performance against the San Diego Wave on Sunday. San Diego were finding the corners with their shots last weekend, but Dickey was up to the challenge, diving and leaping with great agility to guard her net.

Dickey’s job was made harder by Seattle’s low block being nowhere near as effective as it was last season, and many of the shots Dickey faced were from close range. Seattle are on the playoff bubble this year and Dickey’s return will be key for Laura Harvey’s side as they seek to cement their place in the post-season.

Racing Louisville stopper Jordyn Bloomer also put in an impactful shift on Sunday, as her five stops helped power her side to their first win since May. Louisville went up 2-0 on Angel City in the 55th minute thanks to a Maja Lardner brace, but the bottom-of-the-table side have a tendency to give up late goals and drop points.

Bloomer did let Angel City’s star striker Sveindís Jónsdóttir score through her legs on a breakaway in the 80th minute but when push came to shove, she held strong. In stoppage time, Ally Sentnor headed a ball toward the bottom corner and Bloomer came up with a massive diving save to secure all three points for Louisville.

“Racing possesses the ball less than any other team in the whole league, so they don’t really need Jordyn Bloomer to be good possession; they need her to stop shots,” Loyden said.

Bloomer hasn’t had a great season, but the times that Louisville have picked up points have often come during her better performances. Wednesday night proved her fallibility, conceding five goals in the space of 47 minutes against Kansas City Current.

The roles of Bloomer, Atkinson, and even Dickey are not very possession-oriented, unlike how Gotham keeper Ann-Katrin Berger plays.

Gotham is tied with the Washington Spirit for the fewest goals allowed this season, and Loyden says there’s far more to it for Gotham than Berger’s shot-stopping.

“She’s very well-rounded and she can do everything. It affords Gotham’s centre-backs to play super high and be very aggressive because Berger feels comfortable sweeping in behind,” she said. “Once Gotham get into a lower block, the space becomes around the outside and Berger’s really good at protecting the goal area, claiming and impacting crosses.”

Washington Spirit have a less experienced player manning the posts. Clemson Tigers alum Sandy MacIver has capably stepped into Aubrey Kingsbury’s shoes for the Spirit while she is out on parental leave, playing a very different role to the likes of Bloomer.

Loyden compares the Spirit this year to Spain’s men’s World Cup team: a stellar defence requiring only the occasional save from the keeper. The Scotland international took a few games to heat up, but has become dependable when called upon. “She might only get one to two opportunities a game to make a save, and she’s been doing it,” Loyden said. “I think she’s very reliable. The same as Unai Simón from Spain — you have to make that one save one time a game, and I think she’s reliable to do that.”

Other teams in the league have new faces between the posts this season but aren’t finding as much success in the position as Washington. Brazil international Lorena, who was a great shot-stopper for Kansas City last year, has been injured for much of this season, and replacement Marisa Jordan hasn’t been as strong.

San Diego made the baffling decision to part with Kailen Sheridan in the offseason and have been juggling a rotation of sub-par keepers ever since. Sandra Paños started in Sunday’s 2-0 defeat to Seattle Reign, making her the fourth goalkeeper to feature for the Wave this season. Leah Freeman has played six matches, DiDi Haracic has featured in seven games and Luisa Agudelo has started in three.

The Utah Royals haven’t changed their keeper from last season, Mandy McGlynn, but Loyden thinks she’s been far more consistent this year than before. The Royals are having by far the best season they’ve ever had, and it’s no coincidence.

“She has grown into the position really well and acclimated to the amount of pressure that she feels at the [U.S.] women’s national team,” Loyden said. “I think that she’s started to play more within herself this season. Some of the passes that she delivers, no one else on the earth is doing that. And she has, equally, I think, been good defensively.”

In a Shield race as tight as this season’s, goalkeeping can make all the difference, and worth keeping an eye on, in all its facets.

“Mostly everybody at this level is at least an average shot-stopper. So my thought process is: ‘How can I prevent the opposition from getting a touch in that arc of the field [where the highest xG shots come from]?” Loyden explained.

“I can do that through communication, which no stat will ever show. I can do that through preventative positioning. I can do that through a variety of final actions and space defence outside the box. And I can do that with defending the goal area: the crosses. And the last thing is keeping the ball; if your team has the ball, the opponent can’t score.”

As with everything in football, Loyden knows that goalkeeping is a group effort as much as it’s an individual skill.

“Goalkeeping isn’t just about shot-stopping. How can I stop the opponent from getting into that position in the first place?”

The Women’s Super League has revealed it will return to the Sunday night broadcast slot on Sky next season as it bids to increase its live television audiences.

The WSL has previously benefitted from increased viewing figures on Sunday nights, despite the 6.45pm Sunday night slot proving unpopular with hardcore fans of women’s football. The timeslot gives the WSL a huge ratings boost as the match follows on from Sky’s first-pick Premier League game at 4:30pm, but is often scheduled too late for children to comfortably attend.

Last season, the broadcaster scrapped the WSL’s Sunday night game in favour of a Sunday 12pm kick-off time, which was thought to be more beneficial to match-going fans. However, the WSL’s TV audiences and match attendances struggled last season, as fans fought with travel challenges to make the earlier kick-offs and Sky Sports lost its natural bump from viewers staying on after a 4.30pm Premier League clash.

Last season, Everton were the only WSL side to increase their average attendance across the season (3,678) compared with their previous two campaigns. This came as a result of a move to Goodison Park, the previous home stadium of Everton’s men’s team. Arsenal’s average attendance of 34,345 was fractionally smaller than their best-ever average attendance of 35,829 achieved during the 2023-24 campaign.

The Cutback understands Sky Sports’ multi-view offering — a feature of the 2025-26 season, when Sunday WSL games kicked off simultaneously — will not return for the 2026-27 season.

In addition, there will be more Friday night fixtures scheduled for broadcast to maximise television audiences and match attendances, subject to stadia availability.

The Cutback understands that teams not featuring in the main broadcast slot on Sky Sports or the BBC will have more flexibility on their kick-off times. Last season, many clubs were left frustrated as simultaneous kick-off times negatively impacted attendances and, in a bid to boost numbers this season, clubs will be empowered to prioritise kick off times that are attractive to fans.

News of these changes for 2026-27 has come with the announcement of WSL fixtures for the 2026-27 season earlier today.

London City Lionesses will take on Manchester United in the opening game on Friday 4 September, which will be broadcast on Sky Sports.

Chelsea vs. Aston Villa will be the first match on BBC One and will be played at 12.30pm on Saturday 5 September. The opening weekend of games features two matches kicking off at midday on Sunday 6 September, two at 2pm and one at 2.30pm.

In the second round of matches, Aston Villa host Manchester City on Sunday 13 September at 6.30pm live on Sky Sports. The match will follow on from Sky Sports’ ‘Super Sunday’ coverage of the Manchester derby in the Premier League.

In total, Sky Sports will broadcast 163 matches from the expanded 14-team WSL across its main channels, streaming and the Sky Sports WSL YouTube channel. The BBC will air 25 games.

Walking a tightrope

In May, The Cutback released its first report evaluating the commercial viability of women’s football around the world. From visibility to viability: A blueprint for the next phase of women’s football examined the commercial landscape across the game, including the stark reality of attendances across the WSL.

The Cutback From Visibility To Viability (2)

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In the report, several executives told The Cutback that improving attendances and the general matchday experience should now become the primary focus of the women’s football industry, particularly at club level. They also believed that, if necessary, this should be done at the expense of growing broadcast ratings and revenue.

Fixture scheduling is becoming a challenging issue in women’s football as more sides have moved to share stadia with their men’s side, which always gets preference and priority. A similar concern exists around broadcast windows that clash with elite men’s football, which results in much poorer TV viewership of women’s football.

Leagues must also be mindful of clashing with grassroots girls’ football, as this is the core demographic leagues and clubs are currently trying to attract to the stadiums.

In the same vein, matches scheduled in evening timeslots also suffer – as seen across the Uefa Women’s Champions League – as families are reluctant to break routines for younger children.

The full fixture list for the 2026-27 season is available on WSL Football’s website.

Malawi recorded an unforgettable 3-2 win on their WAFCON debut against 10-time champions Nigeria, pulling off one of the biggest upsets in the competition’s history.

To say that Malawi’s arrival at WAFCON was long overdue would be an understatement. Despite being blessed with two of the best players in the world in sisters Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga, the Scorchers never managed to earn a place on the continent’s biggest stage prior to this year.

For the most part, that was due to a lack of trying. The Football Association of Malawi withdrew the team from qualifying for the 2024 WAFCON (played in 2025), blaming financial constraints. They similarly did not enter the team for tournaments between 2014 and 2018.

On the odd occasion that the Scorchers tried to make a fist of qualifying, they found themselves short of quality in the rest of their squad. They narrowly lost out to Zambia in the first round of qualifying in 2022, falling short on aggregate after having to make do without the Chawinga sisters, who were not released from their club contracts in China.

The crop of fresh Malawian talent coming through its domestic ranks has proven itself more than capable of supporting their star strike duo. This was never more evident than when teenager Faith Chinzimu – a product of the Ascent Academy in Malawi – scored the goals that sealed the Scorchers’ spot at this WAFCON, and certainly proved extremely important in their dream debut.

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The Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) always offers an excellent platform for the continent’s finest to etch their names into African football folklore, and for up and coming youngsters to make themselves known around the world. Here are a few standout names and potential breakout stars to keep an eye on this year.

Established stars

Temwa Chawinga - Malawi, 27, left-winger

Malawi’s long-awaited WAFCON debut means that the Chawinga sisters will finally get to grace the continent’s biggest stage. The two were together for a good portion of their club career in Sweden and China, but have since gone on their own separate paths. The elder Tabitha, now 30, has become a standout in France thanks to her exploits for Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon, while the younger Temwa is enjoying the form of her life for the Kansas City Current in the NWSL.

To say that she hit the ground running after joining the Current would be an understatement. She netted a whopping 24 goals in her first season in 2024, winning the NWSL’s Golden Boot and Most Valuable Player awards in the process. She defended both those crowns last year and led her side to the NWSL Shield, and has hardly slowed down in 2026.

Chawinga’s speed is a standout attribute, but what makes her so effective is the combination of her well-timed forward runs and clinical composure in front of goal. While she benefits from a lot of good service for the Current, she will also need to show more of her individual ball-carrying ability at WAFCON.

Barbra Banda - Zambia, 26, striker

Temwa Chawinga’s biggest rival atop the NWSL scoring charts has been Barbra Banda. In fact, the Zambian forward currently leads the way with 12 goals in 15 appearances for the Orlando Pride this year. The speedster and former professional boxer also does a fantastic job of getting shots off from different angles.

Alongside her Malawian rival, Banda can stake a claim to being not just one of Africa’s best players, but one of the very best in the world at the moment.

Sanaâ Mssoudy - Morocco, 26, attacking midfielder

The legendary Ghizlane Chebbak remains a key figure for Morocco, but at 36, she will need others to step up around her. One of the chief candidates is Sanaâ Mssoudy, who is arguably the best player based on the continent as she plies her trade for Rabat giants AS FAR.

Also an attacking midfielder, Mssoudy can move out to the left wing to start alongside her captain. She is an excellent technician on the ball, offering great ball carrying, quality passing and consistently reliable decision-making in the final third.

Chiamaka Nnadozie - Nigeria, 25, goalkeeper

Given just how long she has been around, it is easy to forget that Chiamaka Nnadozie is still only 25 years old. She was the Super Falcons’ first-choice goalkeeper going as far back as the 2019 Women’s World Cup, and has hardly put a foot wrong ever since.

Nnadozie heads into this WAFCON off the back of a successful season with Brighton & Hove Albion. The superstar shot-stopper kept six clean sheets in the WSL last season and her impressive ability from close range could well be the difference-maker if any of Nigeria’s games go to penalties.

Thembi Kgatlana - South Africa, 30, striker

The top scorer from WAFCON 2018 will be aiming to play her first knockout match in the competition for eight years, after suffering a tournament-ending injury in the 2022 group stage and missing the last one for personal reasons.

Kgatlana delivered the all-important stoppage-time winner in the second leg of South Africa’s qualification tie against DR Congo.

Opponents will hate to see her trademark celebration coming, but there is often little they can do to stop her brilliantly angled runs in behind. And once she gets past the last defender, she is pretty much impossible to catch.

Emerging talents

Deborah Abiodun - Nigeria, 22, defensive midfielder

Deborah Abiodun already is a regular for the Super Falcons, having featured in five of their matches at the last WAFCON. The youngster shows great maturity and tactical intelligence whenever she is out on the field. She is quite secure on the ball, can play forward nicely and offers a great deal of defensive coverage.

Nicknamed Kanté after the legendary French midfielder, Abiodun plays her club football with the Washington Spirit in the NWSL. All in all, she has shown the qualities needed to be a mainstay in the Nigerian midfield for years to come.

Faith Chinzimu - Malawi, 19, midfielder

The Chawinga sisters may be the stars of this Malawi squad, but the person who led them to WAFCON was teenage midfielder Faith Chinzimu. She scored both goals late on in their decisive qualifying tie against Angola, popping up in the right place at the right time inside the box.

Chinzimu has enjoyed a rapid rise over the last year, graduating from the well-regarded Ascent Soccer Academy in Malawi and earning her first professional contract with Swedish side BK Häcken in August 2025. The Gothenburg-based club subsequently went on to win both the Damallsvenskan and inaugural edition of the Uefa Europa Cup, with Chinzimu periodically featuring off the bench.

Stella Nyamekye - Ghana, 20, midfielder

Stella Nyamekye scored the opener in Ghana’s semi-final against Morocco last year, putting together an impressive display that earned the praise of head coach Kim Björkegren. She unquestionably was one of the standout young talents in the Black Queens’ run to the semi-finals, but her club career hasn’t quite kicked on as she might have hoped since.

The former Dreamz Ladies star has spent time with three different clubs just this year, training with Gotham FC in January, returning to Fort Lauderdale United on loan the following month, and finally sealing a permanent move to Norway with Brann in March. She will hope that a return to Africa’s biggest stage can help her get her club career back on track.

Ones to watch

Twenty year old Hasnath Ubamba will be hoping to light up WAFCON before she leaves Africa for Europe. After registering 49 goal involvements for Egyptian top-flight side FC Masar, the Tanzanian winger is on her way to Spanish capital club Madrid CFF. Her teammate, 21-year-old striker Clara Luvanga, is regarded as the most promising talent of Tanzania’s new generation.

Cameroon also have a few exciting youngsters including Montpellier striker Nina Ngueleu, 21-year-old forward Naomi Eto and the Washington Spirit’s fresh midfield arrival Monique Ngock.

Zambia have some experienced attacking stars, but 23-year-old home-based winger Eneless Phiri could be a wildcard option off the bench. Among defenders, Alimata Bélem will have a lot of eyeballs on her having just become the first Burkinabé player to join the NWSL with a move to the Washington Spirit, while her soon-to-be teammate Mélissa Bethi will be keen to impress again in midfield for Algeria.

The Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) is back again, returning to Morocco for the second consecutive year thanks to the Confederation of African Football’s novel administration style.

The 2024 WAFCON was delayed by 19 months to avoid clashes with the Paris Olympic Games, and saw Nigeria dramatically triumph over the hosts last year. In true CAF fashion, this year’s tournament was also delayed, as the confederation postponed WAFCON 2026 just 12 days before it was originally scheduled to kick off in March – this time blaming “certain unforeseen circumstances” and refusing to elaborate further.

CAF has also made sure that qualification for the tournament was just as disorganised. Only 11 teams qualified for the 2026 WAFCON to join hosts Morocco, but CAF later amended the tournament to ensure the four highest-ranked teams that didn’t qualify were later added to make it a 16-team competition.

As a result, African giants Egypt have made the tournament despite being thrashed 7-0 by Ghana in the second round of the qualifiers, while DR Congo will be watching from home after narrowly losing out to 2022 champions South Africa.

Putting all of that nonsense and noise aside, the biggest-ever WAFCON is set to be an exciting festival of football. There will be four guaranteed spots at the next World Cup for the semi-finalists, as well as inter-confederation play-off places for two of the losing quarter-finalists. Along with the tournament’s grand prize itself, the 2026 WAFCON promises drama and jeopardy throughout.

Favourites

Ten-time champions Nigeria are perennially the team to beat. Though they have been tested more sternly in recent years, the Super Falcons’ winning mentality has remained unshakeable, winning four of the last five WAFCON tournaments.

Manager Justin Madugu will be looking to secure back-to-back trophies after he guided Nigeria to victory last year, and is relying on the experience of that squad to repeat the trick. The 62-year-old has selected every player that featured in the 2025 final, save for the injured Ashleigh Plumptre.

Nigeria’s main rivals Morocco will be hoping for better luck after back-to-back final heartbreaks in 2022 and 2025. The Atlas Lionesses were sunk by a late Jennifer Echegini goal in last year’s final against Nigeria but, like their rivals, have selected the same core squad that played in that game.

After two consecutive final defeats on home soil and with many of the squad pushing into their 30s, Morocco’s players will be under serious pressure as some seek to take their last chance of lifting a major trophy. If the 2026 tournament plays out to form, we could see a rematch with the Super Falcons in the final, where 35-year-old Moroccan captain Ghizlane Chebbak hopes to cap a historic international career with a WAFCON title and, potentially, a third Golden Boot.

Continuity is also the name of the game for South Africa, who will complete a full decade under veteran manager Desiree Ellis later this year. Ellis is a legendary figure for Banyana Banyana, having led them to their first ever World Cup before delivering an elusive first WAFCON title in 2022.

Her squad is bolstered by the return of star striker Thembi Kgatlana, who has missed the last two WAFCONs through injury and family reasons. Her return will give Banyana Banyana much-needed firepower.

Underdogs

Zambia are the only African team to have qualified for every major international tournament in the 2020s. Drawn in a tough group with Nigeria, Egypt and Malawi, the Copper Queens will need to bring their A-game from the start if they are to keep their streak going. Head coach Nora Häuptle’s remit will involve papering over the cracks of a relatively weak defence while making the most of a star-studded front line.

Ghana will aim to at least match what they achieved last year, as another semi-final run will end a 20-year absence from the Women’s World Cup. The Black Queens are the opposite to Zambia – they possess a cohesive unit that lacks a sprinkle of stardust at the sharp end, but certainly have it in them to trouble the top seeds.

Algeria are a classically trained North African side, focused on defending as a team. The Fennecs didn’t concede a single goal across last year’s WAFCON, only losing out on penalties in the quarter-final against Ghana. That game took defensive dark arts to new realms, ending 0-0 with a total of four shots on target and a staggering 50 fouls over the 120 minutes of play.

Algeria will need to come out of their shell a little more if they are to go one better this time around, as a semi-final berth would secure their first-ever trip to a Women’s World Cup.

Côte d’Ivoire might not be expecting much, having only made it to the tournament thanks to its expansion, but they have been gifted a group from which qualification to the knockouts is a real possibility. They also have an exciting blend of youth and elite experience in their squad, with former Lyon and Morocco coach Reynald Pedros in charge.

Outsiders

Despite appearing in the knockouts last year, Mali only made it to this WAFCON thanks to the 16-team expansion. They have some noteworthy talent in their ranks and can be a solid side on their day, giving them an outside chance of a semi-final spot.

Once powerhouses in African football, three-time finalists Cameroon also needed a back-door invitation to enter the tournament after losing out to Algeria in the qualifiers. The Indomitable Lionesses have fallen some way off the top, but should be targeting a knockout run at minimum.

The only remaining team out of the four late additions is Egypt, who will make their third WAFCON appearance and first in a decade. There have been some promising developments in their domestic scene in recent years, but how much of that translates to the national team remains to be seen.

Kenya and Tanzania have been producing some eye-catching results at youth level in recent years, with Kenya’s under-17s recently qualifying for a second consecutive World Cup in Morocco. They will co-host the men’s AFCON next year (alongside Uganda) and have expressed some interest in hosting WAFCON individually. Some good performances here could build momentum for 2028 bids.

Senegal have featured in the quarter-finals of both previous WAFCONs in Morocco, but they will face a tougher challenge this year as the higher-seeded Morocco and Algeria are both in their group. Mame Moussa Cissé’s side shouldn’t be written off, though, as they have proven they can cause an upset on their day.

Malawi will finally make their long-awaited WAFCON debut this year. The lowest-ranked team at the tournament will be no pushovers as the superstar sisterly duo of Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga will be supported by some very promising youngsters.

Cabo Verde are the only other debutantes in this field. Between their win over Mali in the qualifiers and the men’s team’s historic World Cup run, Cabo Verdean hopes might be relatively high coming into the tournament. Drawn in a group with Mali, Ghana and Cameroon, they could aim to stage another shock or two.

Last but not least, Burkina Faso are back for their second WAFCON appearance. Having held the likes of Morocco and Mali to draws in recent friendlies, they might be confident of registering a first win in a group with Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire and South Africa.

Predictions

A repeat of last year’s semi-finals — Morocco vs Ghana and South Africa vs Nigeria — is on the cards if all four teams win their groups. They should all be backed to make it, though one of the four late entrants could steal an inter-confederation play-off spot for the World Cup.

From there on, a continued repeat of WAFCON 2025 seems likely. Nigeria’s performance levels took some time to warm up and they will want to progress in a more straightforward manner than last year. On the other hand, Morocco will be desperate to finally reach the top of the mountain.

Either way, a cracking end to the tournament should be in store for viewers in Rabat, Casablanca and all around the world.

Manchester United have agreed a deal with Leicester City for the signing of goalkeeper Janina Leitzig for an undisclosed fee.

Multiple sources confirmed to The Cutback that Leitzig completed her medical at Carrington this week and the signing will be announced on Friday.

Leitzig made 14 appearances for Leicester City last season. The Foxes finished bottom of the league and were relegated to WSL2 with just nine points. Leitzig kept three clean sheets across the campaign and conceded 25 goals. She ranked 8th for save percentage (70.2%), compared with United keeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce, who ranked 3rd with 73.6%. (FotMob).

A goalkeeper was a high priority need for United this summer as Marc Skinner looks to improve his squad depth heading into the new season.

It’s been a one-sided transfer window so far for Manchester United with several high-profile exits in July.

This week, Melvine Malard was sold to Chelsea for a club record sale of around £850,000, while Millie Turner and Lisa Naalsund were also sold for six-figure fees, respectively. It’s been a window of sales and cash accumulation, so many United fans will be relieved to finally see some incoming transfers.

United have revealed just one summer signing so far: Spanish defender Andrea Medina. Meanwhile, forward Leah Galton and full-back Hannah Blundell left the club following the expiration of their contracts.

On a positive note, United have also signed three promising academy products to their first professional contracts. England Under-20 forward Layla Drury (17), United Under-21 captain Jessica Anderson (18) and Welsh defender Scarlett Hill (18) will all take a permanent step up in the 2026-27 season.

Liverpool’s 2025-26 campaign was a difficult one. An 11th-place finish and just 21 league goals left the club far below expectations, while manager Gareth Taylor’s first season in charge was largely spent laying foundations for a new identity rather than reaping immediate rewards.

The former Manchester City manager arrived with a clear vision: Liverpool would become a more proactive side capable of controlling possession, patiently building attacks and spending more time dictating matches than reacting to them.

This summer’s recruitment reflects that ambition. Goalkeeper Khiara Keating is comfortable in possession and familiar with Taylor’s demands from their time together at City. Vivien Endemann adds another technically gifted option out wide, and now Mao Itamura arrives from Feyenoord as one of Europe’s most exciting teenage talents.

At just 19 years old, the Japanese attacking midfielder was named Eredivisie MVP after a breakout campaign in which she finished as Feyenoord’s top scorer and top assister. Liverpool have reportedly paid a club-record fee to secure her services.

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It has been a busy couple of weeks at London Colney, during which Arsenal’s long-awaited summer reset has finally been able to gather pace. Last week, German youth international Lisa Baum and young Danish goalkeeper Isabella Damm, became the club’s fifth and sixth additions of the summer, with Arsenal acquiring 19-year-old Baum from RB Leipzig for a reported fee of €600,000.

Prior to Baum’s arrival, Arsenal had already secured the transfers of Ona Batlle, Selina Cerci, Geraldine Reuteler and Georgia Stanway. Some of these players are direct positional replacements for departures announced back in May. Baum and Batlle fill gaps left by the departures of Beth Mead and Katie McCabe, while Reuteler will offer the versatility previously provided by Victoria Pelova.

Stylistically, the Gunners will be looking to make changes. The signing of Baum gives Arsenal a left-footed, right-sided winger that can cut inside, much as Chloe Kelly and Caitlin Foord have done from the left.

Following the £1 million acquisition of Olivia Smith last summer, Baum will provide Arsenal with another direct attacking threat. She was among the best dribblers in the Frauen-Bundesliga last season and ranked top for chances created among the league’s wingers.

Baum is far from the finished product but has showed quality on top of her dribbling prowess, especially for someone so young. Her signing should allow Arsenal to level up an attack that failed to score on six occasions in all competitions last season.

Baum is not Arsenal’s only addition in the wide areas, with Ona Batlle returning to the Women’s Super League after a successful three-year stint at Barcelona.

Defeated by Arsenal in the 2025 Women’s Champions League final, Batlle’s final match in a Barça shirt saw her reclaim European football’s top prize, having previously won the competition in 2024. The Spain international will nominally replace Katie McCabe, whose controversial move to Chelsea was confirmed last month.

Tactically, it will be a little more complicated than that. Batlle is most comfortable at right-back – a position Arsenal have covered thanks to Emily Fox and Smilla Holmberg. The expectation is that Batlle will instead be asked to fill in at left-back, a position she has played before for club and country thanks to her ability to use both feet.

Batlle’s predecessor, McCabe, took on a hybrid role in the left-back position under Renee Slegers, often inverting into midfield. This is a role that would lend itself well to Batlle’s skillset, as her right-footedness would allow her to play an interior role in possession with Smith, Baum, Kelly or Foord able to provide width ahead of her.

Stepping into midfield from a full-back position shouldn’t be a problem for Batlle; no full-back completed more successful passes per 90 minutes in Liga F last season.

The midfield itself was arguably the priority position for Renée Slegers’ side going into the summer window. Swiss playmaker Lia Wälti was never properly replaced after departing for Juventus a year ago and with Kyra Cooney-Cross unavailable for personal reasons in the second half of the season, Slegers effectively only had three players at her disposal in central midfield, with one of those being the out-of-favour and now-departed Victoria Pelova.

The arrivals of Stanway and Reuteler, two of four players signed from Frauen-Bundesliga clubs so far this summer, provide much-needed reinforcement in the midfield engine room. Both players will offer a muscular box-to-box presence which could complement technically dominant profiles like Mariona Caldentey and Kim Little.

Stanway will help in quickly moving the ball into the final third. She topped the charts for successful passes, accurate long balls, and big chances created by midfielders in the Frauen-Bundesliga last season.

As for Reuteler, she replaces the jack-of-all-trades skillset associated with the departing Pelova. A midfielder by trade, the Swiss international can also play off the wing, or even up front. A player who thrives in big spaces, the 27-year-old could be a valuable transition threat and is more than capable of chipping in with goals from midfield, netting seven times in the Frauen-Bundesliga for Eintracht Frankfurt last season.

But if goals are required, look no further than Selina Cerci. Joining from Hoffenheim, the Germany international racked up 25 league goal contributions (16 goals, 9 assists) last season. She will add attacking firepower to a side that already boasts excellent depth at centre-forward with Alessia Russo and Stina Blackstenius, and will eventually welcome back Michelle Agyemang, who continues her rehab from an ACL injury picked up in October.

Quite where Cerci fits into this puzzle remains to be seen. Theoretically, the continued use of Russo in the number 10 position would free up a spot for Cerci to rotate with Blackstenius at centre-forward, especially while Agyemang remains on the treatment table.

Like Blackstenius, Cerci offers a robust, physical presence, though the German possesses a level of composure in the final third at Hoffenheim that wouldn’t typically be associated with the Swede. Alternatively, a wide role could be fashioned for Cerci, who has the ability to fashion chances from tight angles and whip shots inside the far post. In addition to this, Cerci is a good crosser of the ball, should she ever find herself out on the flank.

Looking ahead to the rest of Arsenal’s transfer window, the left-sided centre-half position has caused headaches for a number of seasons now and could yet be addressed. The Gunners failed in a last-ditch attempt to persuade McCabe to stay, having earmarked a role in central defence for her.

Further forward, the Gunners look well-stocked, but may jump at any market opportunities that present themselves should the right player become available. In short, Arsenal’s much-anticipated squad rebuild is off to a solid enough start, but there is still work to do as this long WSL off-season drags on.

Chelsea were knocked off their perch last season in the Women’s Super League. The Blues won six straight league titles from 2019-20 onwards and went unbeaten in 2023-24, only to finish last season third after Sonia Bompastor’s side struggled to find the net. Chelsea averaged two goals per game in the WSL and scored fewer than in any season since 2013-14.

Injuries, inconsistency and tactical errors plagued Chelsea on the pitch. Some big-name departures and failures to secure targets last summer have only made matters worse.

As they attempt to improve on last season’s disappointment, Chelsea have again looked to the NWSL for reinforcements, securing another promising talent in 21-year-old Japanese attacking midfielder Manaka Matsukubo.

Matsukubo has signed a five-year deal with Chelsea, becoming the second young NWSL attacker in as many years to arrive in west London after Alyssa Thompson made her move from Angel City FC last summer.

Unlike the American, Matsukubo arrives with a lot less fanfare, despite her exceptional numbers in the league. The 21-year-old was voted Midfielder of the Year in the NWSL last season and is the youngest player to ever score a hat-trick in the competition. She has become a mainstay for Japan after winning the Silver Ball for second-best player at the 2024 U20 Women’s World Cup, and was part of the squad that won the Women’s Asian Cup this year.

Let’s look at why Chelsea are betting on Matsukubo and what makes her such an exciting talent.

Tactical role and development

Matsukubo moved to the Courage on a year-long loan in 2023 before making the move permanent. She scored a technically brilliant volley in that year’s NWSL Challenge Cup final and was named MVP of the match. She then established herself as a key member of the side in 2024 and 2025.

The Japan international is a ‘final phase’ player, whether starting in midfield or attack. Courage managers Sean Nahas and Mak Lind used her in that manner throughout her time at the club, with the former praising her footballing IQ and dubbing her as a star in the making for her performances. Her ability to identify and time her runs in the final third is exceptional.

The 21-year-old is versatile enough to play up front or in the hole behind the striker, playing across both roles since the start of last season. Her involvement outside of the final third is limited by design. Over the past two seasons, 68% of her touches came in the opposition half, with 41% in the final third across the last two seasons.

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It’s been a one-sided transfer window so far for Manchester United.

July has been dominated by exits and transfer rumours, but not the kind United fans will get excited about.

Within the first few weeks of the window officially opening, United have made just one signing: Spanish defender Andrea Medina. Meanwhile, forward Leah Galton and full-back Hannah Blundell have left the club following the expiration of their contracts.

On a positive note, United have also signed three promising academy products to their first professional contracts. England Under-20 forward Layla Drury (17), United Under-21 captain Jessica Anderson (18) and Welsh defender Scarlett Hill (18) all made their debuts for United last season and will take a permanent step up in the 2026-27 season.

Since that news, Millie Turner and Lisa Naalsund’s departures have been confirmed, with both heading to last season’s WSL2 champions Birmingham City.

Turner had only recently signed a new two-year contract with United, but The Cutback understands the club were offered a six-figure fee for the defender, who fell out of favour last season. Turner had been a mainstay at the club, spending eight years with United and also playing a part in promotion from the second tier in 2019.

Turner and Naalsund aren’t the only players expected to depart. The Cutback also understands that strikers Melvine Malard and Elisabeth Terland are both attracting interest this summer, with Chelsea in pole position to secure Malard — as first reported by The Guardian.

Norwegian international Terland told The Cutback last month that she couldn’t share much on her future but that she wanted to stay at the club.

“I have one more year left. I’ve said before that I want to stay and I want to win with this team,” she said. “I want to do well for this club. As a fan as well, it’s something I want to do. We’ll see where we end up, but that’s at least what I want.”

There is also expected to be a departure in United’s goalkeeping group, with a new arrival set to be confirmed soon.

Areas to strengthen

Last summer, United were far less active than in previous transfer windows, but delivered quality over quantity in Jess Park, Julia Zigiotti Olme and Fridolina Rolfo, all of whom made a huge impact across the season.

After a poor finish to last season in which United missed out on the European places, many fans are looking at this transfer window as one that requires statement signings and reinforcements if United are to keep fighting for a top-three finish. There are plenty of areas Marc Skinner’s side need to strengthen this summer.

Starting at the back, United have already secured the signing of a versatile defender in Medina from Atletico Madrid. Primarily playing at left-back, Medina can play centre-back and wing-back, adding depth and flexibility to the backline. Versatility seems to be a trait United look for when signing defenders, with Dominique Janssen, Gabby George, Maya Le Tissier and Hanna Lundkvist all having played in more than one position for United last season.

United look strong from a defensive point of view, but the departure of Turner has forced United to consider a replacement to maintain the squad depth and allow for rotation.

With Zigiotti Olme, Ella Toone, Jess Park and Hinata Miyazawa, United boast a fairly strong pack in midfield. However, the addition of another ball-carrying midfielder wouldn’t go amiss.

Swedish midfidler Zigiotti Olme slotted in seamlessly last season, but her absence was noticed in games that she missed. United also suffered when they didn’t have the option to rotate in midfield, and an extra ball-carrier would allow Zigiotti Olme and Miyazawa to rotate in and out of the starting line-up when required.

Despite signing two forwards in January, many United fans believe frontline reinforcements should be the priority during this transfer window.

Celin Bizet missed the 2025-26 season on maternity leave and United were forced to adapt their style of play last season in her absence.

New signing Park often slotted into the right-wing position, and while she showed quality and aptitude for the role, it highlighted United’s need for players that can provide more crosses and dangerous balls into the box for their strikers.

Terland and Malard are strikers that suit having natural wingers flanking them and, while their futures are still up in the air, targeting wingers that can get to the byline and put crosses in could be beneficial for United’s attacking play. If Skinner continues with the one-striker system next season that was used in most of United’s games in 2025-26, a right-winger should be top of the target list.

Marc Skinner called for more investment in his squad throughout last season. Now in the midst of a summer transfer window, it is a crucial time for the club to respond to his pleas for support.

It is known that United need to build on their current squad in order to end the negative patterns of rebuilding every summer when core players depart.

In successive seasons, the club has dealt with the departures of Alessia Russo, Mary Earps, Katie Zelem, Ona Batlle, Lucia Garcia, Grace Clinton and Hayley Ladd. That turnover has stalled United’s ability to build long-term and develop a core roster that can grow year on year. Retention will be fundamental to United’s ability to build consistency next season.

In order to regroup and mount a challenge for the Champions League places, United need to deliver the sort of summer transfer window they had last year.

The signings made this window need to have a direct impact on the squad. If not, the battle for a top-three place will be out of their grasp next season.

The Football Association is searching for a new title sponsor for the Women’s FA Cup after Adobe opted not to renew its agreement beyond the 2025-26 season.

Software company Adobe signed a three-season deal for title sponsorship rights to the Women’s FA Cup in November 2023, but that contract expires on 31 July and will not be extended.

An FA spokesperson told The Cutback: “Our title partnership for the Adobe Women's FA Cup comes to an end on 31 July. As the competition enters its next phase of growth, we will announce a new title partner in due course.”

The FA faces a tight turnaround to ensure the competition has a title sponsor by the time its preliminary round begins on 23 August. However, the governing body could also choose to go without a title sponsor for the early stages of 2025-26 competition in order to find the right deal.

The Adobe agreement was struck prior to the second round of the 2023-24 Women’s FA Cup by sports marketing agency Sportfive, which was appointed by the FA to find a suitable sponsor.

Prior to Adobe coming on board, health insurance company Vitality held title sponsorship rights to the competition, also in a three-season deal. At the time, the £1-million deal was praised as being the biggest in the competition’s history.

Energy firm SSE was the Women’s FA Cup’s long-standing title partner from 2015 until 2019.

Women’s football has experienced something of a sponsorship boom in recent years with the Women’s Super League signing a slate of premium partners, including a recent agreement with AirBnb, the global travel platform.

Airbnb has joined as official accommodation and unique experiences partner and is part of a slate of WSL Football sponsors that includes Apple and Mercedes-Benz.

The Cutback recently launched an insight report examining the commercial challenges and opportunities in women’s football.

Cutting through the noise across the sector, From visibility to viability: A blueprint for the next phase of women’s football features exclusive rights fees and data for sponsorship and media rights deals, as well as curated datasets on attendances from across the women’s club game.

Alongside third-party data, The Cutback surveyed and interviewed around 50 executives and experts in women’s football from broadcast, leagues, clubs, agencies, sponsorship, governance and media.

Download a free copy at the link below.

The Cutback From Visibility To Viability

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Welcome to the latest edition of The Cutback’s Business of Women’s Football Insider newsletter.

This is where we fill you in on all the big deals and headline moments from the previous month, including media rights, sponsorship and more.

In this month’s issue: FBL/DFB split, Bay Collective, Sunderland and Durham

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Germany follows Spain’s lead with FBL/DFB split arranged

The Frauen-Bundesliga has joined Liga F and England’s Women’s Super League in becoming a self-governing, independent league, albeit on a slightly more temporary basis.

The FBL has agreed a seven-year split with the German Football Association (DFB) after rejecting an offer to run the league as a joint venture. Instead of a permanent split, the FBL and its clubs will run their own operations from July 2027 onwards under a seven-year lease agreement with the DFB, under which the FBL will pay the association a licensing fee.

In return, the DFB will continue to fund refereeing and youth development, compensate clubs for releasing national-team players, and retain responsibility for the German national team, DFB-Pokal Frauen cup competition, and the administration of grassroots women’s and girl’s football.

The FBL will face its first test as an independent entity this autumn, when it seeks to renew its domestic media rights deals from 2027-28 onwards. The league currently has deals with Deutsche Telekom and public broadcasters ARD/ZDF, which are paying just over €6m per season from 2023-24 to 2026-27.

As with Liga F, there will be no guarantee that the FBL can earn a significant amount more for its media rights than at present. German broadcasters are known to have been broadly disappointed by FBL viewership over the past few years, with several sources telling The Cutback that the German media market has partially lost faith in the product of women’s club football, owing to its lack of growth over the past few years.

The FBL will only take Germany’s top women’s football league out of the association’s hands. The 2. Frauen-Bundesliga will remain a DFB property and will continue to be operated by the association.

Player development and trading key to Bay Collective’s Sunderland acquisition

Sixth Street-backed Bay Collective completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Sunderland Women, adding the WSL2 club to a portfolio that previously consisted only of NWSL side Bay FC.

Bloomberg reported during negotiations that Sixth Street was discussing an 80% stake, though the final transaction has only been described publicly as a majority acquisition. Sunderland AFC remains a minority shareholder and the women’s team will continue to operate in partnership with the wider club.

Sunderland spent around a year considering its options before choosing Bay Collective, whose strategy is built around utilising specialist women’s football expertise. Former FA women’s technical director Kay Cossington leads the group, while former England Women general manager Anja van Ginhoven is director of global women’s football operations.

The new owners are thought to be focusing on player trading and development at Sunderland. The group’s interest in the club was directly influenced by the North East of England being a powerhouse for talent production, with Beth Mead, Jill Scott, Steph Houghton and Lucy Bronze all coming through either Sunderland or other clubs in the region.

Bay Collective has identified player development, staff, performance environments, academy structures and infrastructure as priorities, with investment in the Academy of Light a top priority.

The growing women’s transfer market has no doubt influenced this strategy. The Guardian has previously reported that global spending on women’s transfer fees increased by more than 80 per cent year on year during the previous summer window.

Central Coast Mariners sale excludes A-League Women team

Total Soccer Growth Holdings acquired A-League Men’s club Central Coast Mariners in June but excluded the club’s professional women’s team from the transaction.

TSG bought the A-League Men side and the Mariners academy, including its girls’ development programme. A-League administrator Australian Professional Leagues is now trying to find a separate investor for the A-League Women team and wants a solution in place by 31 July.

TSG is the majority shareholder in Queens Park Rangers and has a minority investment in MLS team LAFC. Its Central Coast strategy is based around player development and connecting the Mariners to an international football network.

Chairman Ruben Gnanalingam said professional women’s football was outside the group’s existing expertise and TSG did not believe it should take responsibility for the team without confidence that it could operate it properly.

The deal therefore creates a conundrum. TSG now owns the Mariners’ girls’ development teams, while the professional first team at the end of that pathway will be separately owned. The clubs and league have yet to explain how academy players, registrations and transfer rights will move between the two operations.

The APL is now searching for a buyer for a A-League Women team in a domestic football market that isn’t growing. Average A-League Women attendance fell 26-per-cent in 2024-25, and increased by just seven per cent in 2025-26. At the end of the 2024-25 season, 76% of Women’s A players described themselves as financially insecure and 62% had second jobs outside football.

Durham out of the fire; now in frying pan

Durham Women found a new majority investor in June, 15 days after warning that the club would cease operating at all levels without fresh funding.

Geoff Thompson agreed to acquire a majority stake after Durham said its existing owners could no longer meet the rising cost of professional football in WSL2. The club had been in talks with investors for several months but said it did not have enough money to operate in a fully compliant manner in 2026-27.

Durham has spent almost 20 years building an independent women’s club and has competed in the second tier since 2014. Unlike most of its WSL2 rivals, it does not have a professional men’s parent club covering its losses.

The crisis came as WSL2 continued its move towards fully professional standards. Minimum salaries now range from £17,500 for players aged 18 to 20 to £26,900 for those aged 23 or over, while staffing, wellbeing and operating requirements have also increased.

Euromillions lottery winners Patrick and Frances Connolly acquired a 25-per-cent stake in February 2025 to provide funding for the squad, staffing and infrastructure. Despite that, Durham required an emergency majority investor not even a year and a half later.

New owner Thompson previously spent more than a decade investing in South Shields FC, where the club achieved three consecutive promotions and spent more than £3m on stadium infrastructure. Durham’s founders remain shareholders and the existing executive team will continue to run daily operations.

The club received an outpouring of support during its short search for a saviour, but has put itself firmly in the crosshairs after immediately signing Willie Kirk as the new head coach.

Kirk was sacked by WSL club Leicester two years ago after an investigation into a physical relationship with a Leicester player.

After a disappointing 2025-26 season with just one piece of silverware, Arsenal have brought in some big names ahead of next season. England international Georgia Stanway became the first summer signing for the Gunners, joining from Bayern Munich on a free transfer.

The Women’s Super League is familiar territory for Stanway. She moved from childhood club Blackburn Rovers to Manchester City aged 16, becoming a highly valued squad player over the course of a seven-season stint before her move to Germany in 2022.

Stanway won a WSL league title, three FA Cups and three League Cups during her time at City, during which she was also voted PFA Young Player of the Year in the 2018-19 season.

The 27-year-old now returns to England at the peak of her powers and will help command Arsenal’s midfield under Renée Slegers after four years in Germany’s Frauen-Bundesliga, during which Stanway won four domestic titles and two DFB-Pokal Frauen trophies. She scored seven goals and assisted nine more last season, and was also instrumental in Bayern Munich’s first domestic double in 2024-25.

Stanway’s game has evolved during her time away from the Women’s Super League, moving away from her utility role at Manchester City to become a world-class central midfielder.

Development and role at Bayern Munich

Stanway was something of a Swiss army knife at City, featuring in almost every outfield position. Known for her long-range shooting ability, she won Goal of the Season in her first year as a professional and scored several other absolute belters during her time in England. Her attacking qualities, especially in and around the box, built her reputation as a potential star.

At City, Stanway spent most of her time as an understudy to Keira Walsh and Caroline Weir, forcing her to adapt to different responsibilities in the midfield in and out of possession. The move to Germany helped her escape their shadows and focus on building her own game.

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Liga F and 12 of its clubs have gambled their future on a Pau Gasol-fronted private equity deal, committing to a 25-year agreement with the former basketball player’s investment vehicle that will inject €55m into the league over the next four seasons.

Four Liga F clubs, including Real Madrid, have not signed up to the new deal. A statement from Real Madrid said that anywhere between 35% and 49% of all central commercial revenues – including Liga F broadcast and sponsorship money – will be forfeited to their new investors. It also alleged that clubs promoted into Liga F after the 2026-27 season will be bound to give up the required percentage of its revenues without having received any of the up-front funding.

Liga F has not responded to either of Real Madrid’s claims at the time of publication.

The deal is similar to private equity deals struck by LaLiga in Spain and Ligue 1 in France, but with two big differences: the amount of money being put in is far smaller, and the percentage of revenues being taken out of Liga F is far greater.

Money aside, the deal with Gasol16 Ventures will transform how Liga F is governed and commercialised. The league becomes an independent entity from next season and will agree all of its own deals.

The agreement with Gasol16 has fast-tracked Liga F out of a €7m-per-year broadcast agreement with DAZN a season early, as well as its commercial support agreement with LaLiga that was set to deliver €10m in 2026-27. LaLiga has been responsible for all sponsorship and licensing deals related to the league over the last four seasons, as well as contributing €32m in support funding.

In addition, Liga F also received the last of its ‘professionalisation funding’ from the Spanish government last year.

Without that support and without the prospect of significantly increased broadcast revenues – as seen in England’s Women’s Super League – Liga F was forced to seek a new funding model in order to keep its clubs afloat.

The deal with Gasol16 Ventures still represents a huge commercial risk for Spanish women’s club football. It will limit its long-term commercial growth in favour of helping Liga F remain solvent in the present. If Real Madrid’s claims are accurate, anywhere up to half of the league’s central commercial revenue – such as its broadcast rights and sponsorship income – will now be sent an external investor until 2051.

The partial uptake by clubs means that Gasol16 Ventures will only put investment into 12 Liga F clubs, distributing less than €4m to each club to further help with professionalisation and facility costs. Liga F will take €12m out of the overall €55m to assist with operational costs, while another €3m will go toward player image rights.

Details around the image rights element of the deal are fuzzy, but the big-picture strategy is for Liga F players to now take a central role in promoting the league through content, advertising and branding. The image rights pot is designed to ensure players are paid to advertise, market and promote Liga F, rather than just themselves, their clubs and their brand sponsors.

Spanish sports business outlet 2Playbook reports that Liga F has immediately gone to market to sell its domestic and international media rights from the 2026-27 season onward, having ended its deal with DAZN a season early.

The league is not guaranteed to earn as much as DAZN has been paying. DAZN is widely thought to have significantly overpaid for the rights back in 2022, and if similar rights fees aren’t forthcoming from the subscription streamer market, Liga F is likely to seek strong free-to-air exposure in Spain to boost exposure, interest and sponsorship revenue.

What does Alexia Putellas bring to London City Lionesses? The short answer is everything. Goals, creativity, control, leadership, experience and, perhaps most importantly, a higher ceiling.

Few players in the history of the women’s game can change the outlook of a club with a single signing, but Putellas belongs firmly in that category. Even at 32, after years spent competing for Champions League titles and Ballon d’Or awards with Barcelona, she remains one of the most influential midfielders in world football.

For a recently promoted London City side that exceeded expectations last season but still finished some distance from the WSL’s established elite, this signing feels highly promising about accelerating their project.

Solving London City’s biggest attacking issue

The most immediate impact Putellas could have comes in the final third.

Although London City showed plenty of encouraging signs during their first WSL campaign, they struggled to consistently match the attacking output of the teams above them, scoring only 28 goals to Tottenham’s 35 and Manchester United’s 38, not even considering the 40+ goals campaign by the top three teams. Much of their offensive production came from wide areas and forward players, while the midfield contributed relatively little in open play compared to the league’s top sides.

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It didn’t take long for Lia Godfrey to emerge in the NWSL.

In the San Diego Wave rookie’s second professional appearance, she positioned herself well to receive the ball inside the box and buried home a low corner finish. Opposing Utah Royals players raised their hands, pleading for off…

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This is part four of our FM26 save, as The Cutback’s Max Radwan tries to win it all as a WSL side in the latest edition of Football Manager. Catch up on the rest of the series.

A big game against Manchester City was next up as we set out for revenge against Andrée Jeglertz’s team after losing in our first meeting. For a large par…

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Having suffered their first defeat of the Radwan era, Arsenal had little time to dwell on it with the UEFA Women’s Champions League resuming just days later. Looking to manage the squad, I rotated heavily for the opening match of our continental title defence, but the changes disrupted our rhythm. Falling behind early, I was forc…

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In the thick heat of June, during the biggest World Cup in history, a Brazilian star is navigating fans, press and influencers in midtown Manhattan. But, its not the player many fans may expect to see in New York.

While the Seleção kicked off their campaign for world title number six with a 1-1 draw against Morocco in New Jersey on Saturday night, Manchester City forward Kerolin is in town on commercial duties for Rexona (Sure deodorant to those of us in the UK), a 2026 World Cup and 2027 Women’s World Cup sponsor.

The 26-year-old looks slick and confident in her Rexona branded gear, which she’s accessorised with some Louis Vuitton stud earrings. She arrives in New York off the back of helping guide Manchester City to a domestic double of an FA Cup and a first WSL title in 10 years.

But now, the forward is in supporter mode, backing the men’s team. The atmosphere she’s already sampled at Brazil’s opening game has given her a taste of what is to come when Brazil host the Women’s World Cup next summer.

“I think we’re on a good track”, she says of Brazil’s preparations for next summer. “I do think we need to keep working because a year is a long time, and the other national teams are working super hard to win as well”.

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“Honestly, I would love to hear a male football player speaking publicly about the situation”, Italian defender Elena Linari defiantly tells The Cutback. “Men have a bigger platform than we do. Just one player can make the difference.”

The London City Lionesses player is speaking just as th…

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