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+.

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."

WSL club Arsenal earned some new silverware on Sunday, lifting the first-ever FIFA W Champions Cup after claiming a 3-2 extra-time win over Brazilian titans SC Corinthians in Sunday's final.

The South American side overcame two one-goal deficits in regulation, with Corinthians midfielder Gabi Zanotti first offsetting Arsenal forward Olivia Smith's 15th-minute opener in the 21st minute before midfielder Victória Albuquerque played hero with a last-gasp stoppage-time penalty to again equalize following Gunners defender Lotte Wubben-Moy's second-half strike.

Arsenal attacker Caitlin Foord sealed the deal in extra time, sinking a breakaway goal in the 104th minute to secure the reigning Champions League victors the inaugural world title.

"It feels good, just to get on the scoresheet," said Foord following the Gunners' intercontinental club victory. "As a forward, that's your job, but to do it in a moment like this is special.... I don't think it's really sunk in yet, but it's nice to write our names in the history books, that's for sure."

Arsenal did have a a couple notable advantages in the debut edition of the FIFA W Champions Cup, with the final hosted on the club's home pitch at London's Emirates Stadium as well as the fact that the WSL season is currently in full swing.

Meanwhile, both Corinthians and the NWSL's Gotham FC — who claimed a dominant 4-0 Sunday victory over Morroco's ASFAR to take third in the competition — entered the tournament during their winter offseasons.

"It is what it is," said Corinthians head coach Lucas Piccinato postgame. "We hope next time Arsenal will come to Brazil to play against us. I think it would be better if it was in a neutral venue."

Gotham FC's inaugural Champions Cup dreams ended on Wednesday morning, as Brazil's SC Corinthians upset the reigning NWSL champs 1-0 in the FIFA competition's London semifinal.

Corinthians captain Gabi Zanotti scored the match's lone goal in the 83rd minute, after Gotham standouts Gabi Portilho and Rose Lavelle exited with injury.

"We feel like we probably should have done better throughout the game and been more clinical in both boxes," Gotham defender Jess Carter said postgame. "There's not really much more to say other than probably a little bit disappointed by it."

Gotham was at a calendar disadvantage as the only Champions Cup team entering the semifinals during their offseason, causing the players some frustration as FIFA similarly eyes a January start for the 2028 Club World Cup.

"You're asking [NWSL] players to cut their offseason short when everyone's just had competitions and Euros and traveling across the world," Carter continued. "We all want to play, we want to give everybody the highest level of entertainment, and we can only do that if were all fully fit and that goes across the board for every single women's game."

Gotham will now face ASFAR for a shot at a third-place finish on Sunday, after UWCL winners Arsenal demolished the Moroccan champions 6-0 in Wednesday's second semifinal.

How to watch Gotham in the 2026 FIFA W Champions Cup third-place match

Gotham kicks off against ASFAR for third place at 9:45 AM ET on Sunday, hours before Arsenal takes on Corinthians in the 2026 FIFA W Champions Cup final at 1 PM ET.

Both Sunday matches will air live on CBS Sports.

Gotham FC steps back into the spotlight on Wednesday, when the reigning NWSL and Concacaf W Champions Cup winners take on SC Corinthians in the 2026 FIFA W Champions Cup semifinals in London.

"The hunger they have to win is unbelievable. It's in their nature," Gotham head coach Juan Carlos Amorós said of his team's continued title quest. "They win one competition and they're already thinking about the next one."

"This is where we want to be: competing in the semifinals, competing in the finals, competing to raise another trophy. That's the standard here at Gotham," defender Mandy Freeman echoed.

Further bolstering the US team is recent rookie signee Jordynn Dudley, who joins the NWSL club fresh off her own title-winning run at Florida State.

Hours after Gotham squares off against Brazil's 2025 Série A1 winners, UWCL champions Arsenal will face Moroccan Women's Championship titans ASFAR in the inaugural four-team competition's other semifinal.

The final and third-place matches will take place on Sunday, with a history-making $3.95 million total prize pool on the line.

The tournament winners will take home $2.3 million, while the runners-up net $1 million and each third-place team leaves with $200,000 — with $100,000 and $150,000 already sent to the clubs eliminated from the competition's play-in round.

How to watch the 2026 FIFA W Champions Cup semifinals

Gotham will kick off Wednesday's 2026 FIFA W Champions Cup semifinals against Corinthians at 7:30 AM ET, before Arsenal plays ASFAR at 1 PM ET.

Both clashes will air live on DAZN.

A young USWNT will kick off in California on Saturday, as the world No. 2 takes on No. 46 Paraguay in the first of two January friendlies to open the 2027 World Cup qualifying year.

"It's really exciting to see the opportunity presented to a lot of players in this camp," said midfielder Olivia Moultrie prior to Saturday's match, which will pull from a 26-player USWNT January lineup that boasts an average age of just 24.1 years old. "It's players that I've played with on youth teams, and just seeing kind of start coming into the league."

This month's camp falls outside an official FIFA window, leaving the US without both European club players and Gotham FC's squad as the 2025 NWSL champs prepare to contend in the first-ever FIFA Women's Champions Cup in London next week.

"There is no question we will keep — I hope — improving what we're doing," said USWNT manager Emma Hayes. "You don't do that gradually, you don't do that by changing things all of the time."

Additionally, Saturday's match will honor two-time World Cup champion Christen Press with a pregame ceremony, after the star forward announced her pro soccer retirement at the end of last season.

How to watch the USWNT vs. Paraguay on Saturday

The USWNT will take on Paraguay at 5:30 PM ET on Saturday, kicking off live on TNT.

The world No. 2 USWNT is getting the band back together, as head coach Emma Hayes named her 26-player roster ahead of the team's January friendlies against No. 46 Paraguay and No. 47 Chile.

Forward Trinity Rodman will join the squad for the first time since April 2025, after an MCL sprain limited her NWSL postseason availability last fall.

"When it comes to the playing front, I don't know where she's at [physically]," Hayes told reporters following Thursday's roster drop. "But if she gives me the thumbs-up, which she has done, to say, 'I'm good, I'm in a good place,' I have to take that at her word."

With the January USWNT camp taking place outside one of the official FIFA windows, only NWSL-based players were available for roster selection, with Gotham FC athletes also getting a pass due to their upcoming FIFA W Champions Cup commitments in London.

Averaging just 6.6 caps per player, this month's lineup continues Hayes's trend of elevating fresh talent, as the manager tapped four first-timers in forwards Maddie Dahlien (Seattle Reign) and Reilyn Turner (Portland Thorns), and midfielders Riley Jackson (North Carolina Courage) and Sally Menti (Seattle Reign).

"Once again, our roster presents opportunity, for the coaching staff to evaluate players and for some NWSL players we haven't seen as much in the National Team environment, as well as for some first-time call-ups, to show they can contribute in 2026, 2027, or beyond," said Hayes.

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The January 2026 USWNT roster

How to watch the USWNT friendlies this January

Hayes will first test her January roster against Paraguay at 5:30 PM ET on Saturday, January 24th, airing live on TNT.

The USWNT will then take on Chile at 10 PM ET on Tuesday, January 27th, with live coverage airing on TBS.

Gotham FC's 2026 dance card is filling up fast, with the Bats booking both the Concacah Champions Cup and FIFA Women's Champions Cup semis while also preparing for the 2025 NWSL Playoffs next month.

As the reigning Concacaf W Champions Cup winners, FIFA announced Saturday that Gotham will take on the just-qualified Brazilian side Corinthians at next year's first-ever Champions Cup.

The FIFA announcement comes just weeks after Gotham again punched their ticket to the Concacaf W Champions Cup semis, advancing through the 2025/26 competition to set up a semifinals rematch against Liga MX Femenil's Club América next May.

In response to the growing demand for international women's club competitions, the FIFA Women's Champions Cup will serve as a preview for the expanded Women's Club World Cup in 2028.

Gotham's side of the FIFA Champions Cup bracket sees the North and South American champions facing off for a Club World Cup ticket, with UEFA Champions League winners Arsenal battling either China's Wuhan Jiangda — winners of the AFC Women's Champions League — or the as-yet-undetermined winners of Africa's CAF Women's Champions League in the second semifinal.

Taking place in London, the Champions Cup semifinals will kick off on January 28th, before the third-place match and final takes the pitch on February 1st.

The increasingly crowded schedule reflects the Bats' continued success, as international competitions challenge Gotham to stay focused on their NWSL postseason campaign.

Gotham raised a continental trophy on Saturday, with the NWSL side toppling Liga MX's Tigres UANL 1-0 to claim the first-ever Concacaf W Champions Cup crown.

Powered by a goal from star striker Esther González in the match's 82nd minute, the win punched Gotham's ticket to two additional global tournaments: the inaugural FIFA Champions Cup in 2026 and the 2028 debut edition of the FIFA Women's Club World Cup.

"The other day, we talked about the first-ever champions of competitions like the UEFA Champions League, the Euro, the World Cup, and the Olympics," said Gotham head coach Juan Carlos Amorós following Saturday's victory. "Now, forever, the first team to win the Concacaf W Champions Cup will be Gotham FC."

"These players, with this coaching staff — we are incredibly proud of what they've accomplished."

Gotham wasn't the only NWSL club to claim a Saturday victory at the inaugural confederation tournament. Following a 2-0 loss to the Tigres 2-0 in Wednesday's semifinals, the Portland Thorns bounced back with a 3-0 win over Liga MX side Club América in Saturday's third-place match.

Now with hardware in tow, the Bats will have some ground to make up after the current international break, with Gotham slipping to ninth place in the NWSL standings during their absence from the league last weekend.

The Orlando Pride, Washington Spirit, and Gotham FC will represent the NWSL in the upcoming 2025/26 Concacaf W Champions Cup, the confederation announced alongside key details of the tournament's second iteration on Monday.

The top three 2024 NWSL finishers will join three clubs from Mexico's Liga MX, as well as one squad each from Canada, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Panama in the 10-team group stage, which will run from August 19th through October 16th of this year.

Mirroring the expansive schedule of the 2024/25 inaugural event, the second edition will see its four-match semifinal and final rounds taking place over a single weekend in May 2026.

Meanwhile, this year's battle to become North America's top club team is still ongoing, with Gotham FC qualifying for the 2025/26 competition all while advancing to this month's 2024/25 Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals alongside with fellow NWSL club Portland.

Both May 21st semis are NWSL vs. Liga MX affairs, with the Bats facing Club América before the Thorns take on Tigres UANL in Nuevo León, Mexico.

The semifinal victors will battle for the first-ever Concacaf Champions Cup on May 24th, with the winner earning both confederation bragging rights and automatic qualification into FIFA's 2026 Champions Cup and 2028 Club World Cup.

As interest in the women's game grows around the world, FIFA is looking to capitalize on the demand by launching new regional competitions — while also adding to an increasingly crowded schedule for some of its most successful teams.

How to watch the Concacaf W Champions Cup semifinals

Gotham FC will kick off the 2024/25 Champions Cup semis against Club América at 7:30 PM ET on Wednesday, May 21st, with Portland's clash with the Tigres immediately following at 10:30 PM ET.

Both semifinals will stream live on Paramount+.