It’s been another eventful week in women’s football, with plenty to celebrate, some heartbreaking news and more than a few surprising results. The WSL delivered its fair share of unexpected scorelines, while the U20 Women’s World Cup in Poland reached the end of the group stage. Here’s everything you need to know from the past week in QB Weekly.

Célia Chabod did not start playing football until she was 12. Before that, she had spent six years competing in athletics, and it was her older brother, a footballer himself, who inspired her to take up the game. Her rapid rise continues at this year’s tournament, where she will be pushing for her chance.

Portuguese women’s football continues to grow and produce players capable of making their mark on the world stage. Kika Nazareth is currently one of its leading figures, particularly following her move to Barcelona in 2024. Her flair and technical ability caught the attention of one of the biggest clubs in world football, eventually earning her a move away from Benfica.

In recent years, Polish women’s football has been experiencing a period that gives the domestic audience cause for optimism. The youth national teams are, in fact, measuring themselves against the best in Europe and the world with increasing regularity. 

Attacking midfielder from Costa Rica Sheika Scott is set to play at the U20 World Cup for the third time. In her first season in Europe with Paris FC, she showed her enormous potential and arrived at the tournament as one of Costa Rica’s star players.

The United States U20 women’s football team, coming from a historically strong nation, suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Italy last week. For 22 minutes of the game, however, the Americans were up 1:0 thanks to a goal from 18-year-old forward Micayla Johnson. What is there to know about Johnson?

Polish female players are starting to make their mark on world football. The movement was spearheaded by national team captain Ewa Pajor, who led Poland to their first-ever major international tournament. And now another hugely exciting generation is emerging, one that is currently competing at a U20 World Cup on home soil. Among them, there is one player you definitely should not miss: Weronika Araśniewicz.

The French overseas territory, home to just 264,000 people, begins its historic campaign against China, a country with a population of almost 1.5 billion. The contrast is fitting, New Caledonia’s journey to the world stage has been shaped by obstacles at almost every turn.

It’s here! It’s been a packed week. We now know all the teams competing in the UEFA Women's Champions League, the WSL has kicked off, and the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup has also got under way in Poland. There’s a lot to get through, so let’s recap it all.