QB weekly: 24. 8. - 30. 8. 2026

Although the world was hit by the sad news of the death of Harald V, in whose honour Norway’s players will wear black armbands in their first competitive match, there has been mostly good news in the world of women’s football. The final round of UEFA Women's Champions League qualifying has begun, Liga F has kicked off in Spain, Manchester United have a new signing, and much more.

The loudest applause at the Meadow Park

You might think that preseason friendlies rarely bring anything particularly interesting or important. But we’ll make an exception here. Arsenal’s preseason clash with WSL newcomers Charlton produced a very special moment.

Australian midfielder Kyra Cooney-Cross extended the Gunners’ lead to 3:1 in the second half. Her goal was celebrated across Meadow Park. Not because there was anything particularly important at stake in preseason, the goal simply underlined Arsenal’s dominance. But it still meant a lot.

Cooney-Cross spent the entire second half of last season away from the team. She returned to her home in Australia for family reasons to be with her ill mom, who sadly recently passed away due to cancer. The goal showed that Kyra is back and that Arsenal and their fans are there for her during such a difficult time.

New coach for the Seagulls

The changes are not only in the squad, but on the touchline as well. Chilean coach Arturo Ruiz is joining Brighton after previously managing Real Sociedad in Liga F. Although he had only been in charge of the Basque side since July 2025, he achieved historic success, leading the team into European competetions for the first time.

They are currently battling Chelsea for a place in the UEFA Women's Champions League, while defeat would see them enter the UEFA Europa Cup, which would still represent a major achievement. At Brighton, Ruiz will replace Dario Vidošić, who is leaving the club to pursue a new opportunity.

Who is gonna play in the UEFA Women's Champion's league?

Real Sociedad came very close to causing an upset at Stamford Bridge, opening the scoring against Chelsea and keeping pace with the favourites for a long time. The match remained level at 2:2 before new Blues signing Melvine Malard eventually made the difference, with Chelsea taking a 5:2 advantage to San Sebastián. Real Sociedad, however, will have home advantage in the second leg, and anything can happen.

The clash between Servette and last season’s Europa Cup semi-finalists Sparta Prague was also a thrilling one, with Sparta claiming a 3:2 victory. The Player of the Match was just 18-year-old Sparta goalkeeper Nikola Harantová, who produced a number of excellent saves.

Jusu Bah is a Red Devil

For a long time, it looked like Manchester United were sleeping through the transfer window while their rivals strengthened. In the end, they decided to turn to the very familiar territory of the Damallsvenskan, and more specifically Häcken, a club English teams frequently look to for new signings.

United’s latest arrival is 23-year-old forward and Sweden international Monica Jusu Bah. Jusu Bah won the league title with Häcken and has also started getting her first opportunities with the Swedish national team under Tony Gustavsson. This will be her first move outside Sweden.