QB weekly: 6. 4. - 12. 4. 2026

There were no competitive matches this week. Domestic leagues are on pause, players are away on international duty, and European teams are preparing for World Cup qualification, which gets underway in the coming days.That said, there’s still been plenty going on, so let’s take a look at the key stories from the week.

Blackstenius is new Sweden captain

The Sweden national team has been hit by a major setback after long-time captain Kosovare Asllani suffered an injury in a WSL match. Unfortunately, it has been confirmed as an ACL injury, ruling her out until at least the end of the year.

Her usual deputy, Nathalie Björn, is also unavailable as she continues to recover from a lingering injury sustained in the League Cup final, and did not join up with the squad.

Head coach Tony Gustavsson has therefore handed the captain’s armband to one of Sweden’s biggest stars, Stina Blackstenius.

Off the pitch, a heartwarming story has also been making the rounds online. Sweden defender and Blackstenius’ Arsenal teammate Smilla Holmberg shared that she has been “almost adopted” by her captain. Since joining Arsenal in January, the 19-year-old has been looked after by Blackstenius, who has been driving her to training sessions and taking her out for dinners.

Marie-Louise Eta made history

This story doesn’t come directly from women’s football, it’s from the Bundesliga and Union Berlin’s men’s team,but it absolutely deserves a place here at Queenballers.

Marie-Louise Eta has made history by becoming a coach of Union Berlin’s men’s side, making her the first woman ever to coach a team in one of Europe’s top five leagues. However, she is no stranger to the role. Since 2023, Eta has been working as an assistant coach and has already stepped in to lead the team during a touchline ban for the head coach — meaning she brings valuable, hands-on experience into her new position.

Congratulations. We’ll be cheering on you and watching you. 

USA beat Asian Cup champions Japan in friendly

While European teams still have to fight for their place at the 2027 World Cup, Japan have already secured qualification by winning the Asian Cup and are using the international break for a high-profile friendly against the United States.

However, it was the Americans who came out on top, defeating the reigning Asian champions thanks to goals from Rose Lavelle and captain Lindsey Heaps, as well as a strong defensive performance.

World champions in 2015 and 2019, the USWNT will once again be among the favourites when the tournament kicks off in Brazil next year.

Endemann moved to Liverpool

The transfer window hasn’t even opened yet, but moves are already starting to take shape. After struggling for much of the season, Liverpool strengthened significantly in the winter window and have slowly begun to turn things around.

Now, the Reds have confirmed that Vivian Endemann will join the club from July 1, ahead of the new season. After three seasons at Wolfsburg, the German forward is set to experience football outside Germany for the first time.

She will arrive at Liverpool as a free agent following the expiration of her contract.