QB weekly: 13. 4. - 19. 4. 2026

A week without domestic football still delivered plenty of action, with two rounds of international fixtures taking centre stage. In Europe in particular, they offered an early glimpse of which teams are on track for direct qualification — and which may be heading for the play-offs.

Big day for the Lionesses

The Lionesses had a crucial international window, facing their biggest European rivals, Spain. England hosted the world champions at Wembley. The last team to have beaten them, doing so in the Euro 2025 final to lift the trophy.

And once again, it was England who came out on top. They struck early, with Lauren Hemp opening the scoring in just the third minute: the fastest goal ever scored by England. The scoreline remained unchanged, but the Wembley crowd were treated to an intense and high-quality contest.

Their trip to Iceland proved just as significant. The match marked the 500th game in the history of the England women’s national team, celebrated with special warm-up shirts and, importantly, with a win that sees the Lionesses top their group.

It was also a milestone moment for Iceland, as captain Glódís Perla Viggósdóttir became the most capped player in the nation’s history.

New name to watch in the dutch squad? 

The Netherlands may have been without key players Vivianne Miedema and Kerstin Casparij during the international break, but they handled what was arguably their toughest test, a double-header against France, with impressive composure, securing a win at home and a draw away.

The standout story came in the first match, where young talent Renée van Asten stole the spotlight. It was her first call-up to the senior national team and she wasted no time proving she belongs. She marked her debut with a goal and, thanks to an outstanding performance, was named Player of the Match.

The Ajax centre-back, who turned down a move to Harvard to stay in the Eredivisie, is certainly one to watch.

Sweden is little bit strugling

Sweden are still finding their footing under new head coach Tony Gustavsson. After a surprising draw in Serbia, they suffered a home defeat to Denmark. A team they had beaten convincingly in recent years. This time, however, they dropped points in dramatic fashion, conceding in the 92nd minute through Janni Thomsen.

They did manage to bounce back in Stockholm, where a goal from captain Stina Blackstenius secured a win.

The match will be remembered as a special occasion for Liverpool’s Beata Olsson, who made her senior international debut. It also marked an emotional farewell to several Swedish legends: former head coach Peter Gerhardsson, who oversaw the team’s recent successes, and players Magdalena Eriksson, Linda Sembrant, Hanna Glas and Jonna Andersson, all of whom have now retired from international football.

Transfer rumors

The transfer window may still be some way off, but speculation is already gathering pace. Ona Batlle, whose contract at Barcelona is set to expire, has been linked with a move to Arsenal, where she was reportedly seen as a potential replacement for Katie McCabe. However, Chelsea and London City Lionesses have now also entered the race, while Barcelona are said to have offered the full-back a new deal.

At Arsenal, Dutch midfielder Victoria Pelova could be on the move. She has recently spoken about her frustration over limited playing time since returning from an ACL injury.

Several other high-profile contracts are also set to expire this summer, including Lucy Bronze and Hannah Hampton at Chelsea, Mary Earps at PSG, and Bunny Shaw at Manchester City with Chelsea reportedly interested in the latter.

It’s shaping up to be a fascinating transfer window.