The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League set its quarterfinal matchups this week, after this month's two-leg Round of 16 ties yielded a competitive field full of familiar foes.
Reigning UWCL champion Arsenal advanced via a 7-1 aggregate drubbing of Belgium side OH Leuven on Wednesday, with the Gunners joined in the winners column by fellow WSL titan Manchester United, who ousted Atlético de Madrid on a 5-0 aggregate, and Spain's Real Madrid, who outlasted Paris FC 5-2 across their two matches.
After lodging a 2-2 first-leg draw with Juventus last week, Frauen-Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg also booked a spot in the quarterfinals with a 2-0 win over the Italian side on Thursday.
This week's victors will now join the four already-qualified challengers in next month's quarterfinals — with two heated rivalries taking center stage.
Arsenal will face reigning six-time WSL champion Chelsea FC for the first time in the Champions League knockouts, while Real Madrid takes on fellow Liga F powerhouse Barcelona in an El Clásico rematch.
As for Manchester United, the Red Devils will face Germany's Bayern Munich, while Wolfsburg has drawn perennial French champion OL Lyonnes.
How to watch the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League quarterfinals
UWCL action will return with the first matches of the two-leg quarterfinal round on Tuesday, March 24th.
All 2025/26 Champions League matches will stream live on Paramount+.
ESPN is doubling down on the women's game, with the network announcing on Thursday that it will replace Sunday Night Baseball with Women's Sports Sundays starting this summer.
Calling it "a bold commitment to incomparable competition, consistency and storytelling," the new show will spotlight 12 top NWSL and WNBA matchups over a nine-week span, as the broadcast giant invites "longtime fans and newcomers alike into a reimagined summer primetime tradition."
"Women's sports are experiencing continued momentum, and Women's Sports Sundays is ESPN's next step in meeting that demand," ESPN EVP of programming and acquisitions Rosalyn Durant said in the network's Thursday announcement. "This franchise is about more than showcasing games — it's about building a consistent, high-profile destination that reflects the passion, excellence, and cultural impact of women's sports today, while giving athletes and leagues the stage they deserve."
In addition to the live game coverage, Women's Sports Sundays will also include studio shows, digital storytelling, and social coverage.
Speaking to Variety, ESPN VP of women's sports programming Susie Piotrkowski is already eyeing an extension of the new show into other leagues, seasons, and tentpole events, with the broadcast behemoth also owning rights to other top women's sports entities like NCAA basketball and the recently expanded Athletes Unlimited Softball League.
ESPN will announce additional details surrounding Women's Sports Sundays, including specific games, broadcast talent, and the new program's kickoff schedule, at a later date.
USWNT coach Emma Hayes announced her 26-player roster 2026 SheBelieves Cup roster on Tuesday, blending European and NWSL talent as the US prepares for World Cup qualifiers this fall.
Seven Europe-based players join 19 NWSL stars on the USWNT roster. Reigning NWSL champion Gotham FC leads all teams with four selections, with Rose Lavelle, Emily Sonnett, Jaedyn Shaw, and Lilly Reale all receiving call-ups.
"Three quality games in quick succession allow us to replicate conditions that will prepare us for the World Cup qualifying campaign this fall," Hayes said in Tuesday's US Soccer statement. "As always, we want to keep developing our player pool to be more and more prepared."
The USWNT roster notably excludes several big names due to injuries and fitness concerns ahead of next month's NWSL kickoff.
Portland Thorns forward Sophia Wilson remains in post-pregnancy return-to-play protocol. Chelsea's Catarina Macario sits out with a heel injury. Additionally, midfielder Croix Bethune, defenders Avery Patterson and Emily Sams, and forward Michelle Cooper remain unavailable due to preseason knocks.
Hayes Leans on Experience in Latest USWNT Roster Drop
The selection marks a significant strategic shift for the USWNT. Hayes features zero uncapped players for the first time since the 2025 SheBelieves Cup, instead leaning into experience ahead of the 2027 World Cup qualifiers.
The SheBelieves Cup roster averages 30.4 caps per player, contrasting sharply with the 6.6 average during January's friendlies. Veterans Lindsey Heaps (170 caps), Rose Lavelle (116 caps), and Emily Sonnett (113 caps) anchor the group.
Trinity Rodman headlines the roster, as the recently re-signed Washington Spirit star gears up to earn her 50th USWNT cap.
The USWNT opens SheBelieves Cup play March 1st against Argentina in Nashville. Hayes's side then faces Canada on March 4th in Columbus, before the tournament concludes March 7th against Colombia in Harrison, New Jersey.
England's Football Association wants to overhaul the Women's FA Cup — and the proposals are drawing sharp criticism from across the women's football pyramid.
Three main changes headline the FA's 2024-28 growth strategy. First, the top four clubs from the previous WSL season would receive seeding. Secondly, the traditional draw would give way to a World Cup-style bracket starting from the final 32 — the round where WSL clubs enter the FA Cup. Lastly, tier seven clubs would lose the right to compete entirely.
The FA argues the bracket format creates clearer narratives, helps broadcast planning, and builds fan anticipation en route to Wembley. They also claim the seeding system produces higher-quality late-round FA Cup matches.
Supporters groups have subsequently pushed back, saying the reforms erode sporting merit in favor of elite clubs.
"The FA has repeatedly committed to expanding the women's football pyramid and ensuring ‘football is for all,’" a source told The Athletic. "Removing tier seven clubs from the FA Cup feels like a step backwards from this mission."
Lower clubs also list grievances. The FA Cup entry fee tripled from £25 to £75, a significant financial burden for grassroots clubs. Four lowest-tier sides reached the FA Cup's first-round this season: Leyton Orient, South London Women FC, Maidstone United, and Millbrook. One source went so far as to describe the proposed ban as pulling up a drawbridge on the women's game.
According to the Greater London Women's Football League chairman, just one of the region's 50 tier-seven clubs was consulted before the proposal circulated. The FA declined to comment on this claim.
The Women's FA Cup final is set for May 31st at London's Wembley Stadium.
The NWSL upped the midfield ante on Wednesday, reshuffling the league's 2026 landscape with a pair of high-profile — and history-making — trades involving USWNT midfielders Claire Hutton and Croix Bethune.
Bethune — the 2024 NWSL Rookie and Midfielder of the Year — is departing the Washington Spirit for the Kansas City Current in a $1 million deal, while Hutton heads to Bay FC for $1.1 million after leading the Current to the 2025 Shield.
Both rank among the top three intra-league transfers in NWSL history, trailing only USWNT striker Jaedyn Shaw's $1.25 million move to reigning champion Gotham FC last fall.
The current CBA requires player consent for all transactions, with 24-year-old Bethune reportedly requesting the trade while 20-year-old Hutton's involvement remains unknown.
"Croix is an exceptional playmaker with limitless potential," Kansas City GM Ryan Dell said in the club's Wednesday announcement. "Her elite creativity and passing ability combined with her tactical versatility — plus her resilience and passion — make her a great fit for our club, on and off the pitch."
"Claire is an important signing for us," said Bay FC head coach Emma Coates in a statement. "Despite her age, she brings experience and a strong mentality, and we believe she has the potential to become one of the best midfielders in the world."
Wednesday's trade news follows January's landmark Trinity Rodman re-signing, when the Spirit used the new salary cap-exceeding High Impact Player rule to make Rodman the world's highest-paid women's footballer.
While neither Kansas City nor Bay FC disclosed salary information, both Bethune and Hutton did qualify for HIP status.
Defending Champions League winner Arsenal is back on the pitch on Wednesday, when the WSL club opens the 2025/26 UWCL Round of 16 against Belgium side Oud-Heverlee Leuven — the same team the Gunners beat 3-0 during December's league phase.
Arsenal's UWCL path hasn't been the smoothest, after an early collapse saw the title-holders slip out of the European tournament's top ranks, forcing the club to fight for playoff survival.
That said, the Gunners have momentum on their side after winning this month's inaugural FIFA Champions Cup final before topping WSL frontrunner Manchester City 1-0 last Sunday.
Wednesday's first-leg clash, however, will likely see Arsenal facing the Belgium league-leaders without goalkeeper Anneke Borbe or forwards Stina Blackstenius and Beth Mead, after recent injuries sidelined the standout trio.
"We respect who they are," Gunners head coach Renée Slegers said of OH Leuven on Tuesday. "So even though we came away with a 3-0 win here last time, we're very humble for the challenge tomorrow."
How to watch Arsenal in the 2025/26 UWCL Round of 16
Arsenal will visit OH Leuven at 12:45 PM ET on Wednesday before hosting the Belgian side for the pair's second-leg match at 3 PM ET on February 18th, with the winner set to face reigning WSL champion Chelsea FC in the UWCL quarterfinals on March 24th.
All 2025/26 Champions League matches will stream live on Paramount+.
Manchester United kicks off its UEFA Champions League knockout campaign on Thursday, traveling to Atletico Madrid for the playoff round's first leg.
The two clubs met earlier this season in the league phase, with Manchester United claiming a 1-0 victory in October. Fridolina Rolfo scored the winner that day, with the WSL side holding firm despite Dominique Janssen's first-half red card forcing the Reds to finish the match with 10 players.
Atletico finished below United in the league phase standings, earning a home game for the first leg. The pair's second leg kicks off February 19th back in Manchester, with Bayern Munich awaiting the winners in the quarter-finals.
United heads into Thursday's match in strong form, riding a nine-game unbeaten streak across all competitions after last weekend's 2-0 win over Leicester City. Julia Zigiotti and Elisabeth Terland scored at the King Power Stadium, lifting the Reds to within eight points of league-leaders Manchester City with seven games remaining.
Marc Skinner's side will be without Ella Toone and Leah Galton due to injury, though Galton could return later this month. Midseason arrivals Hanna Lundkvist, Lea Schuller, and Ellen Wangerheim are all eligible to make their European debuts.
How to watch Manchester United at the Champions League knockouts
Manchester United kicks off Thursday's first-leg match at 3 PM ET, live on Paramount+.
The team will also host a watch-along via Man U's official YouTube channel.
NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo is buying into the women's soccer game, with the Milwaukee Bucks forward purchasing a stake in reigning six-time WSL champion Chelsea FC over the weekend.
The 2021 NBA champion and two-time MVP joins an investment group that includes Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian — husband of tennis legend Serena Williams — after Ohanian purchased a 10% stake in the top-flight UK club last year.
Calling Chelsea FC "a historic club built on passion, excellence, and a winning culture," Antetokounmpo wrote on social media that the team's "history speaks for itself."
"I'm excited to contribute to the future by supporting continued growth and impact in women's sport," the 31-year-old said in his Saturday announcement. "This is about ambition, legacy, and pushing the game to new heights. Up the Chels!"
Blues double down on Bompastor
While Antetokounmpo was buying into Chelsea, the WSL powerhouse made an investment of their own, extending manager Sonia Bompastor's contract until 2030.
Bompastor had an "immediate and significant" impact on Blues, leading Chelsea to a domestic treble in her debut WSL season, with sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley saying in last week's club statement that "renewing her contract reflects our belief in her leadership, her vision, and the stability she brings to the club."
Given that Paul Green exited the club after 13 years as the head of women's football on Monday, the front office will hope that Bompastor's "stability" can lead the third-place Blues up the 2025/26 WSL table, where Chelsea currently sits nine points behind league leaders Manchester City.
How to watch Chelsea FC in 2025/26 WSL play
Now entering the final third of the 2025/26 WSL season, the Blues will look to make up ground with a win over No. 11 Liverpool on Sunday.
The clash kicks off at 7 AM ET, airing live on ESPN+.
International soccer fans should start saving airline miles, as organizers for the LA Olympics announced on Tuesday that the 2028 Summer Games' soccer tournament will play out in seven stadiums across the US.
Giving the competition a coast-to-coast footprint, organizers tapped venues in New York, Columbus, Nashville, St. Louis, San Jose, and San Diego to host both men's and women's matches, before returning to the Rose Bowl in LA for both tournament finals.
All six venues outside LA house MLS clubs, with San Diego's Snapdragon Stadium and San Jose's PayPal Park also serving as home pitches for the NWSL's Wave and Bay FC, respectively.
"Bringing Olympic Football group-stage and knockout matches to stadiums across the United States means more fans will witness this global event and experience the Olympic spirit firsthand," said LA28 chief of sport and games delivery officer Shana Ferguson in a Tuesday statement.
Joining several other off-site LA 2028 events including Oklahoma City's softball tournament and canoe slalom races, the Summer Olympics' expanded soccer competition will likely kick off before the Opening Ceremony.
The tournament will also follow a progressive east-to-west itinerary to minimize travel demands for the teams, with dates and match distribution set to drop this April.
The LA Olympics' women's football final will take place on July 29th, 2028 — the Summer Games' penultimate day of competition.
While SC Corinthians fell just short of the inaugural intercontinental title on Sunday, the 2026 FIFA W Champions Cup final did prove a massive success for the Brazil league's champions, scoring the highest viewership for a women's club match in the South American country's history.
Brazilian network CazéTV covered the competition's semifinals and final, with the broadcaster registering more than 1 million concurrent streams during Sunday's championship match — a viewership that rivals Brazil's 2023 World Cup group-stage games.
Perhaps even more impressive, Sunday's 3-2 extra-time loss to WSL side Arsenal also coincided with Corinthians' men's team's Brazil Super Cup battle, stressing the growing popularity of the club's women's squad.
"It doesn't matter if it's basketball or football, women's or men's, I'm a Corinthian supporter," a traveling Brazilian fan told The Athletic, with many news outlets reporting on the team's sizable fan support at the FIFA tournament in London last week.
Sunday's Champions Cup viewership also reflects the Brazil club's overall rising attendance, with the team featuring in every one of the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A1 league's five highest-attended matches — and winning the Top 4.
Claiming seven of the last eight league championships — including the last six straight trophies — Corinthians' 2024 title match against São Paulo saw 44,529 fans pack Neo Química Arena, netting the largest crowd at a women's club soccer match in South American history.
The fan clamor for Corinthians bodes well for another upcoming FIFA tournament, with Brazil preparing to host the first-ever World Cup in South America in 2027.
"Football is about love and Brazil loves football," said Brazilian soccer legend Marta in a video for a 2027 World Cup event just last month. "Our country is ready to embrace the women's game with pride, emotion and belief."