Best women's football moments in 2025
A look back at the last 12 months in women's football
From major tournaments to epic finals, 2025 was full of shock and drama in women’s football.
Here’s a look back at some of the standout moments from the past 12 months. What were your favourite women’s football memories of 2025?
Chelsea go invincible
The 2024-25 season saw Chelsea claim a staggering undefeated domestic treble. The Blues not only claimed a sixth consecutive WSL title but they became the first side to do it without losing a game. They won the league by a whopping 12 points, a stark contrast to the previous season where they pipped Manchester City on goal difference on the final day.
The fact that it came in Sonia Bompastor’s first season in charge makes it even more impressive.
Last season’s title win felt different to what we had seen under Bompastor’s predecessor Emma Hayes, despite the continued theme of unstoppable dominance. Never before had a side managed to wrap up the title that early, with Chelsea wrapping it up with two games to go.
Chelsea’s title win was earmarked by a dominance over their rivals, picking up maximum points in all their games against Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United. The only points that Chelsea dropped all season were in a 2-2 draw with West Ham, such was the flawless nature of their campaign.
This season, Chelsea find themselves six points behind league leaders City with their ridiculous 34-game unbeaten run in the league finally coming to an end against Everton earlier this month.
The invincible Chelsea side from 2024-25 will go down as one of the greatest of all time in the WSL and in women’s football history.
Arsenal make history in Lisbon
If you talk to any Arsenal fan they would tell you that their favourite memory of 2025 was that unbelievable day in Lisbon. In fact, I’m pretty sure they would say it’s their best moment of the last decade.
In a blisteringly hot day in the Portuguese capital, Arsenal pulled off one of the biggest shocks in the history of the Champions League. Renée Slegers’ side defeated the often untouchable Barcelona and ended their recent stronghold on the competition.
Arsenal’s phenomenal victory, capped off by a Stina Blackstenius winner in the 74th minute, wasn’t just defined by what happened in the final, but the rollercoaster journey that the Gunners had to even get to that point.
They had to progress through qualifying, came back from a 2-0 deficit in the quarter-finals against Real Madrid, and defeat eight-time Champions League winners Lyon in the final four.
We didn’t know it in May, but Arsenal’s Champions League win was to be a precursor to English success against Spanish sides in 2025 – plus a sprinkling of luck. It all started on that sunny day in Lisbon. Will we see an English team take the trophy in May 2026?
England win Euro 2025
In July, the Lionesses retained their European title against all odds, and logic.
England’s Euro 2025 was so chaotic and unexpected that it still somehow feels like a fever dream.
Sarina Wiegman’s side entered the tournament in relatively poor form and despite being one of the favourites, the expectation was that world champions Spain were once again going to better the team in the latter stages in Switzerland.
The Lionesses got their tournament off to the worst possible start, losing 2-1 to France in uninspiring fashion. The opening game seemed like it was going to be the first chapter of England’s crash and burn tournament, little did we know there were several more entries to come.
Wins against the Netherlands and Wales followed to ensure that England made it out of the group, but heading into the quarter-final against Sweden, there was still an air of mediocrity around the team.
Conceding two quick goals in the first half against Sweden looked like it was going to confine England to a disappointing early exit, but somehow, thanks in part to the magnificent Michelle Agyemang, they would claw the game back to 2-2 and eventually win a gruelling penalty shootout.
The semi-finals, where England were more than overwhelming favourites against Italy, brought more of the same angst. Barbara Bonansea put Italy into a first-half lead and it took until the 96th minute for England to answer. Agyemang’s stoppage-time heroics forced the game into extra-time and Chloe Kelly’s penalty rebound somehow sent England into the final where they would meet their foe, Spain.
Even though Wiegman had proved the blueprint for beating Spain with a controlled 1-0 win in the Nations League in February, the expectation was that the world champions wouldn’t let that happen in a major final. But with everything that England had been through in Switzerland, they knew that there was always time for a miracle.
As was customary in Switzerland, England fell behind in the first half through a Mariona Caldentey goal, but this time it was a far more civilised 57th-minute equaliser from Alessia Russo that rescued the game for the Lionesses.
After another gruelling hour of football, it would take a penalty shootout for England to claim all the glory. Hannah Hampton did the work between the posts and Kelly dispatched one of the most famous penalties in English footballing history.
Does it feel just as unbelievable reading back over that ridiculous timeline as it does in remembering the rollercoaster?
England not only retained their European crown but they became the first English team to win a major tournament abroad.
Nigeria win WAFCON (again)
Much of the narrative of WAFCON 2025 was Nigeria’s search for a 10th title and whether they could reclaim their dominance in the region.
The quest for what Nigerian football called ‘Mission X’ was complete when they came back from 2-0 down to beat hosts Morocco 3-2 in July.
It was a heartbreaking defeat for Morocco who had been seen as the best performing side heading into the final, but Nigeria’s dominance eventually came through when they needed it most.
The manner of Nigeria’s comeback was also impressive, given they were up against a rowdy and expectant home crowd who thought they were about to see Morocco claim their first ever WAFCON title.
In the end, it was goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi, and a dramatic late winner by Joe Echegini that sealed a historic 10th title for Nigeria.
Next year, Nigeria will be heading back to Morocco to defend their WAFCON title, as the tournament returns, this time with World Cup-qualification up for grabs.
Gotham win a second NWSL championship
Gotham claimed a second NWSL title in three seasons in November.
They defeated Michele Kang’s Washington Spirit in a game that wasn’t a classic by any means. However, it was Gotham’s run to the trophy, and their joyful, and loose, celebrations afterwards that really captivated fans.
Juan Carlos Amorós’ side have become the masters of knockout football, twice navigating the tricky playoffs and defeating sides seeded higher. This year, they entered the postseason as the lowest-ranked team and knocked out favourites and NWSL Shield winners Kansas City Current on the way to the final.
It was poetic that it would be Rose Lavelle who would find the breakthrough and the winner for Gotham in the final. Many fans will remember her breathtaking performances during the 2019 Women’s World Cup, but much of her career has been impacted by injury since then. Her post-season performances for Gotham provided flashes of the Lavelle that is impossible to play against.
Gotham carried an underdog status with their seeding, but they have a team full of stars with Midge Purce, Jaedyn Shaw, Emily Sonnett, Esther González, Ann-Katrin Berger and Jess Carter, just some of the names that make up their roster. Even with those big names who have plenty of trophy-winning experience, Gotham had a togetherness that ran through their championship win in 2023 and 2025 too.
As Shaw herself exclaimed after they beat KC Current: “Underdog my ass”.
The cigar-smoking, beer-drinking scenes in the dressing room after the final, and the celebrations back in New York, were worthy of one of the great title-winning sides.