England is the pioneer of women’s football and sets an example in many areas. It is where investment continues to grow, and the Women’s Super League is often presented as proof of how far the women’s game can progress. Yet even in the country of the reigning two-time European champions, not everything is perfect as the recent case involving third-tier side Plymouth Argyle Women highlighted.

Women's Super League has been rocked by what may be the most controversial transfer in modern women’s football history. And the transfer window does not even open yet until 18 June. At the same time, club football has taken a back seat to the international game, with European nations battling for places at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027. Germany have already secured direct qualification, while England suffered their heaviest defeat under Sarina Wiegman. So, what else happened in women’s football this week?

In January 2028, the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup will take place, marking a historic milestone for the women’s game. The tournament will feature 16 clubs from across FIFA’s confederations. The host nation has yet to be announced, but Qatar has already expressed interest in hosting the competition. The proposal has drawn attention given that Qatar’s women’s national team is currently unranked by FIFA, has not played an official international match in more than a decade, and operates within a political and social environment that many argue conflicts with the values of inclusion and equality that women’s football seeks to promote.

June is Pride Month, and few areas of sport embrace queer visibility as openly as women’s football. Compared to the men’s game, female footballers are far more likely to be openly LGBTQ+, while clubs themselves often actively speak about inclusivity and make it clear that everyone is welcome at their matches, regardless of identity.

In the capital of Italy, a potential new leader for both Le Azzurre and Le Giallorose is coming to the fore. Eighteen-year-old Giulia Galli recently won the Italian league title with AS Roma and is eagerly looking forward to the new season, in which she could take on a bigger role on the team.

Salaries in women’s football remain one of the sport’s most frequently discussed topics. Across many clubs and leagues, players are still not fully professional, despite competing at the highest levels and, in some cases, representing their national teams. Yet, as in many other industries, the landscape is changing rapidly and for the better.

In 2021, the NWSL launched the Nationwide Community Impact Award, an annual honor given to a player for their work off the pitch. In 2024, the league announced that the award would be renamed to the Lauren Holiday Impact Award to honor former USWNT and NWSL player Lauren Holiday for her work on and off the pitch. Each year, one player from each club is nominated for their work with a community partner. 

This may well have been the craziest week in women’s football history. And the transfer window hasn’t even opened. The headline story, of course, was Alexia Putellas’ departure from Barcelona. But La Reina won’t be the only star leaving the Catalan club this summer. Mapi León and Ona Batlle are both reportedly on their way to London, signalling the end of an era at Barça Femení. But there are another stories to tell In Austria, Austria Vienna ended St. Pölten’s domestic reign, while significant developments across Europe continued to shake up the women’s game.

Alexia Putellas is one of the biggest names in the world of football. On the pitch, the Barcelona Femení player has become a legend and one of the best players in the world after winning Ballon d’Or twice. She was the first Spanish woman to win a Ballon d’Or, a milestone she repeated a year later, alsoo being the first player to win two awards of this type in a row. Any trophy or individual distinction was too small for her: she won everything she could and more.