QB weekly: 27. 4. - 3. 5. 2026

It has been an incredibly turbulent week in women’s football. We now know who is heading to Oslo for  Women's Champions League final  as well as the winners of the first ever Europa Cup. We’ve seen players confirm their futures, some staying, others moving on, while one has even brought her career to an end. Elsewhere, the Serie A champions have been crowned, and in WSL 2, promotion to the top tier for next season has been decided.

Leah Williamson is here to stay

We expected it but we are still more than happy to see it confirmed. Leah Williamson has signed a new contract with Arsenal. A player who joined the club at the age of nine and has never worn another jersey, the childhood Gooner has now spent two decades in north London. And yet, in her own words, she is not done. Already a club legend, Williamson is far from finished. And everybody in North London loves her. 

She marked the occasion in style, too: scoring her first-ever goal at the Emirates in a win over Leicester.

All roads lead to Rome as Serie A crown returns

Both Italy’s Serie A and Japan’s WE League have crowned their champions.

In Japan, INAC Kobe are celebrating the title, while in Italy, AS Roma have reclaimed the crown. The trophy returns to the Italian capital after two years. Juventus lifted it last season, but this time it is the Giallorosse who celebrate.

The decisive points were secured by none other than Manuela Giugliano, who scored twice in a crucial win over Ternana.

Millie Bright and Laura Coombs annouced their retirement

Chelsea have lost their captain. After stepping away from international football ahead of last year’s Euros, Millie Bright has now decided to bring her playing career to an end altogether, announcing her retirement on 29 April 2026.

Bright last appeared on the pitch on 8 February against Tottenham and has since been sidelined with an ankle injury. She will say her final goodbye to the fans during Chelsea’s last game of the season against Manchester United.

There was also a farewell in Manchester, where Laura Coombs is set to leave Manchester City at the end of the season. The 35-year-old has also chosen to retire, bringing an end to her time at the club she has represented since 2019.

End of an era at Tottenham as captain England departs

Tottenham have been undergoing a clear rebuild this season, with a focus on youth and a wave of Scandinavian signings arriving in January. A similar approach can likely be expected in the summer, especially after a number of departures were confirmed this week.

Among them is captain Bethany England, whose contract was not renewed by the club. England described Spurs, where she arrived from Chelsea three seasons ago, as “a place that was helping put me back together.”

She has scored seven goals so far this season, including one against Arsenal at the Emirates, and was also part of the squad that reached the club’s first-ever FA Cup final.

Who is heading to Oslo?

Barcelona and OL Lyonnes will meet in Oslo at the end of May after two gripping and hard-fought semi-finals. OL Lyonnes, who will be chasing their ninth consecutive title, produced a dramatic comeback at home against reigning champions Arsenal. The decisive moment came late, with Jule Brand scoring the winner in the 88th minute to seal their place in the final.

The other semi-final between Barcelona and Bayern delivered even more tension, played in front of a packed Camp Nou. Bayern refused to back down against the favourites. After a 1:1 draw in the first leg at the Allianz Arena, they pushed Barcelona all the way in the return leg as well.

In the end, it was captain Alexia Putellas who made the difference, scoring twice to send Barcelona through to yet another final.

Häcken are first ever Europa Cup title holders

While the Champions League winner is yet to be decided, the inaugural UEFA Women’s Europa Cup already has its champions. Häcken came out on top in the two-legged final against their Damallsvenskan rivals, defeating Hammarby 3:2 on the night (4:2 on aggregate) in a thrilling decider on home soil in Göteborg.

The match was decided by a hat-trick from Felicia Schröder, currently one of the brightest stars in Swedish football, and increasingly a key figure for the national team as well.

As for the story behind their head coach, Elena Sadiku.  We’ll be diving into that later this week in our Strong Story feature.

Birmingham is heading to WSL

Leicester’s 0:7 defeat away at the Emirates on Thursday confirmed the Foxes’ fate, as they now head into a relegation play-off to retain their place in the WSL. Their opponents will be Charlton, who are set to finish third in the WSL 2. 

Birmingham City have secured automatic promotion to the top flight, sealing first place thanks to a brace from Wilma Leidhammar. They will be joined by Crystal Palace, who return to the WSL after finishing second, just a season after their relegation. As a result, the WSL will expand to include two new clubs from the 2026/27 season.

Arsenal's starchild with bright future

Arsenal’s midweek clash with Leicester belonged to their Nordic stars. Frida Maanum opened the scoring in what was also her 100th appearance in red and white. She then set up Smilla Holmberg, who celebrated her first Arsenal goal. But that was only the beginning for the 19-year-old Swede, who was making her first appearance on the right wing - she usually plays as right back. 

Holmberg added a second goal in the second half and capped off a standout performance with a pinpoint cross onto Leah Williamson’s head, which led to another goal. It was a display worthy of Player of the Match honours. In doing so, Holmberg became only the second teenager after Georgia Stanway in 2017,  to be directly involved in three goals in a single WSL game.