Welcome back to Matildas Abroad, where I analyse the performances of all our Aussies playing overseas! The end of the 2025–26 football season may be coming to an end soon, but we've still had plenty of goals!
America (NWSL & USL Super League) — all Aussies defeated in the American leagues
Cortnee Vine (pictured) has played just 88 minutes this season across two appearances. Is it time for the World Cup penalty shootout hero to come home? Image source: Instagram (@cortneevine).
Both Aussies suffered defeats away from home in the NWSL this week. First was Mackenzie Arnold, who played the entire game between the sticks for Portland Thorns in their 3–1 loss to Racing Louisville. Meanwhile, Cortnee Vine watched North Carolina Courage play from the bench, with the Courage falling 1–0 to Orlando Pride thanks to a late goal by Zambian superstar Barbra Banda. The Thorns stay first on the ladder by a point over Washington Spirit, while the Courage sit 13th. That being said, Macca remains equal third in the race for the Golden Glove, and is the highest-rated goalie and third highest-rated player overall in the entire NWSL per Sofascore ratings, having a save percentage of 80.0% so far this season.
Morgan Aquino (pictured) and DC Power have finished their season. Her contract expires in June and is yet to be renewed. Image source: Instagram (@rlyoungsports).
In the USL Super League, both Aussies also saw defeat, this time at home. Morgan Aquino was again benched for DC Power in their 1–0 loss to Sporting Jacksonville. Meanwhile, Sophie Harding was used as an injury replacement in Fort Lauderdale United's 3–0 loss to Carolina Ascent. The Power are sixth in the league while FL United sit in last place (ninth). Both teams have been eliminated from playoffs contention going into the final day, as the Power have played all their matches while United are physically unable to finish higher than seventh (and even then their goal difference is far worse than Brooklyn FC's so realistically they could only overtake Tampa Bay Sun and come eighth).
England (WSL & Women's FA Cup) — Brighton and Man City make comebacks to reach Brighton’s first cup final
Clare Wheeler (pictured) and Everton were denied points against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium after Swedish striker Stina Blackstenius scored a winner in the third minute of stoppage time. Image source: Instagram (@evertonwomen).
Arsenal had a catch-up game to kick the weekend off, winning 3–0 away from home over Aston Villa. Caitlin Foord came on as a late substitute, while Steph Catley and Kyra Cooney-Cross remain out for the season with an injury and for personal reasons respectively. In their other catch-up game midweek, Arsenal managed to secure a very late albeit controversial win over Everton. Caitlin again was subbed on for the Gunners (this time much earlier in the second half), while Clare Wheeler played the full match for the Toffees, picking up a yellow card. The Gunners sit second on the ladder, now above Chelsea, and have secured Champions League qualification, meaning all three places have been decided and Man United will not be playing European football in 2026–27.
Charlize Rule (front) and Brighton, managed by Dario Vidošić, are heading to Wembley for the first time ever. The Seagulls are now just 90 minutes away from winning their first major piece of silverware and their first FA Cup for either of the Albion's senior teams (men's and women's). Image source: Instagram (@charlierulee):
The Arsenal match was the only WSL match this weekend as it was an FA Cup weekend. The first semi-final was Liverpool versus Brighton, managed by Dario Vidošić. After being 2–0 down, the Seagulls made an incredible comeback to win 3–2 with a winner in stoppage time, sending them to their first ever women's cup final. Charlize Rule played the entire match for the Wembley-bound Seagulls in their historic victory that shows "Darioball" can achieve great things, even at small clubs.
Mary Fowler (pictured) played a crucial role in securing a comeback victory for Manchester City in extra time. The WSL champions will be attempting to secure a domestic double, up against a history-chasing Brighton side. Image source: Instagram (@matildas and @mancitywomen).
The second semi-final was a classic showdown between the second and first placed WSL teams, with Chelsea taking on Man City. In a similar fashion to Brighton, City came back from 2–0 down to draw 2–2 and send the match to extra time, in which City won 3–2 after extra time. One of Chelsea's goals was from Sam Kerr, who started and scored before coming off as a sub, despite having almost scored a hat-trick given two of her goals were ruled out. Ellie Carpenter played the entire match for the Blues, having helped set up the two disallowed goals. The other Aussie goalscorer was Mary Fowler, who made an instant impact after coming off the bench by scoring just a minute after coming on. The goal was her first at club level since returning from her ACL injury.
The FA Cup final will be held on 1 June at 12:00am AEST and livestreamed on Stan Sport in Australia for those with a subscription. City will be chasing a domestic double (having already secured the WSL title) and their fourth FA Cup trophy (having last won the title in 2019-20), while Brighton will be chasing their first ever peace of major silverware for either the men's or women's team. A victory for the Seagulls would also make them the first team outside the Big Four (Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City and Man U) to win the FA Cup since Birmingham defeated Chelsea on penalties in 2011–12. While City will be the clear favourites, Brighton have shown over the past two seasons that they can beat anyone at home so a good turnout from their fans at Wembley Stadium could result in an upset. In the WSL this season, their head-to-head record is even Steven, with Man City having won 2–1 at Joie Stadium in Bradford, Manchester while Brighton won 3–2 at their home ground of Broadfield Stadium in Crawley.
Germany (Frauen-Bundesliga & 2. Frauen-Bundesliga) — Nuremberg safe, Frankfurt and Hoffenheim continue to fight for Europe
Leia Varley (pictured) and Nuremberg will be in the Frauen-Bundesliga for another season, having confirmed their safety from relegation. Image source: Instagram (@leia.varley).
Nuremberg kicked off the week in the Bundesliga with a 3–0 win at home over Essen who are almost certain to be relegated. The win sees Nuremberg remain in 11th place but has confirmed their safety from the drop going into the final day, confirming another season of top-flight football for the Club. Leia Varley played the entire game, and was watched in the stands by her sister, Central Coast Mariners backup goalkeeper Sophia Varley.
Hayley Raso (right) and Eintracht Frankfurt suffered a blow in their race for European football, losing 2–0 to Bayern Munich, the German double winners, in the Bavarian capital. Image source: Instagram (@hendrikknipst).
Heading further south in Germany, Eintracht Frankfurt were defeated 2–0 away from home by champions Bayern Munich, who lead Wolfsburg (Sharn Freier's parent club) by 16 points, showing that Bayern's dominance in German football is not only not slowing down, but is quickly growing, with the club going unbeaten domestically with just one league game and the DFB Pokal final to go. Back to Frankfurt, Hayley Raso came off the bench in the loss, which leaves the Adler still fighting for the third European spot (as they cannot claim the second as Wolfsburg have secured that place), with Bayer Leverkusen and Hoffenheim also in contention for the spot going into the final day.
Jamilla Rankin (left) and Hoffenheim are still in the race for Europe, having secured a 2–0 win over Union Berlin in the German capital. Image source: Instagram (@tsghoffenheimfrauen).
Speaking of Hoffenheim and the race for Europe, they picked up three points on the road with a 2–0 win over Union Berlin thanks to an early pair of goals. Jamilla Rankin played the entire match for Hoffenheim. Down in the 2. Bundesliga, Lara Kirkby was subbed on for Bochum, who lost 4–1 at home to Borussia Mönchengladbach and remain in eighth place.
Italy (Serie A Femminile) — Heatley named in Team of the Week as champions Roma defeat Sassuolo
Alex Chidiac (centre) and Como have become used to goalless draws, having drawn their fourth match without scoring or conceding this season. Image source: Instagram (@comowomen).
This week of the Serie A was kicked off by Como, who drew 0–0 with Napoli, seeing the club drop to eighth place on the table. Como have now gone six games without a win, having drawn four of those with three ending in goalless draws (with Como having played out a total of four goalless draws across the entire season, all of which were in 2026). Alex Chidiac played the entire match up front. In loosely related news, Chids and FC Como will have a rival in the 2026–27 season, with it being confirmed that Genoa have been relegated to the Serie B while Como 1907 (a club Chloe Berryhill spent a few months at before returning home to retire at Western Sydney Wanderers) have been promoted from the same division. Como 1907's men's team have established themselves in the Serie A, but are only just starting to break through in the women's game, being promoted to the top flight for the first time ever this season. FC Como Women however are a standalone women's club. Meanwhile, Anna Rasmussen was once again an unused sub for Juventus, who drew 3–3 at home with Inter Milan in the Derby d'Italia. Juve will be playing in the second qualifying round of the Champions League as the third-placed Serie A team, while Inter will play in the third qualifying round as the runners-up and Roma in the league phase as the champions.
Wini Heatley (pictured) was named in Team of the Week for her outstanding defensive work against Sassuolo. The former Nordsjælland captain has won the scudetto with Roma in just her first season at the club. Image source: Instagram (@asromawomen).
Newly-crowned Italian champions Roma were greeted to a guard of honour by Sassuolo away from home, before coming away with three points on the road with a 3–0 victory over the Neroverde. Wini Heatley played a solid full game for the Giallorosse in their back four, which was enough to earn her a spot in the official Team of the Week. On the other side of the pitch, Jess Nash was an unused sub, but cruelly so as Sassuolo really struggled in defence and could've potentially made a difference at centre back in the Neroverde's back three. Jacynta Gala was also an unused sub, though while their midfield wasn't perfect it wasn't as leaky as their defence. Sassuolo are ninth and now safe from relegation as Genoa have officially been relegated back down to the Serie B after just one season in the top flight, and will be replaced next season by Como 1907 who have been promoted to the Serie A for the first time in their history after clinching the Serie B title.
Portugal (Liga BPI) — Damaiense relegated on the final day, Marítimo to play in the relegation playoff
Margaux Chauvet (pictured) and Valadares Gaia won 1–0 over Marítimo on the final day, an ultimate reward having won their final match and celebrating a successful season on the popular holiday island of Madeira. Image source: Instagram (@valadaresgaiafeminino).
The final day of the Campeonato Nacional has arrived and delivered heartbreaking but long-expected news for Damaiense, who have officially been relegated to the II Divisião for next season, after it was confirmed that they would finish in last place. The club, who have won just one game in the entire season, suffered a 3–1 defeat away to Torreense to wrap up what was an uphill battle to stay up. On a positive note, Carla Wilson finally returned to playing, coming on as a sub. Meanwhile, the other match was an Aussie derby between Marítimo and Valadares Gaia, with Gaia making the trip over to Madeira to win 1–0 away from home and take the three points back to Mainland Portugal. For the second match in a row, Margaux Chauvet started and played the entire match as a centre-back in Valadares' back three, while Leah de Oliveira started before coming off after a poor performance for Marítimo. With Gaia having finished fourth, they're the only team with an Aussie player confirmed to be safe, with Marítimo's ninth place finish forcing them to play the relegation playoff against Rio Ave who finished in eighth place.
Sweden (Damallsvenskan & Elitettan) — Siemsen scores but Rosengård and Vittsjö fall after horror season starts, Häcken beat Malmö in a giant clash in Gothenburg
Remy Siemsen (left) has found her form at FC Rosengård, though the team themselves are in trouble of relegation. Could Remy be their saviour? Image source: Instagram (@fcrosengard).
Rosengård kicked off the week in the Damallsvenskan with a 2–1 away loss to Piteå, with Remy Siemsen scoring Rosengård's goal (her second of the season already) and playing the entire match up front. Sweden's most successful women's football club, coming off the back of their worst season ever, are in big trouble this season. While it's early days yet, FCR are dead last and have only picked up one point in their first five games, showing that it's highly probable that they'll at least flirt with relegation once again, if not be severely threatened with it. On a positive note for Remy, in addition to having scored twice so far this season, she also is a close second in the list of players with the highest average shots on target per match.
Daniela Galić (left) has been put in the role of a striker this season. A bright attacking talent, her ability to play either in the middle or up front is a key reason why fans like myself want her in the Matildas squad. Next to her is her close friend another bright Matildas talent from Melbourne City, Alexia Apostolakis (right), who may also move overseas after this season. Image source: Instagram (@danielagalic).
Speaking of trouble, another team needing to lock in is Vittsjö, who suffered a 3–0 loss on the road to newly-promoted Uppsala. Contrasting with a decent season last year, Vittsjö now sit 12th in the Damallsvenskan, a league in which two teams are relegated directly while one plays a promotion/relegation playoff, and that playoff spot goes to the team that finishes 12th. Daniela Galić started the match before coming off in the middle of the second half, this time playing as a centre forward. Dani has been put in multiple different positions this season.
Despite a short A-League Women career interrupted by her time at Stanford University, Amy Sayer (left) is one of the most remarkable players in the Matildas setup. Having been played as an attacking midfielder or a winger for the national team, her club Malmö FF have recently started playing her in a deeper role that still allows her to score goals. Could this be an experiment for the friendlies against Mexico in Newcastle and Sydney? Image source: Instagram (@amysayer_).
In the biggest game of the weekend, Malmö played Häcken at home in a top of the table clash between two heavyweights in the Swedish women's game. Häcken ran out winners with a 2–1 victory on the road, securing the top spot for a day before Hammarby took it the following day on goal difference and pushed them back into second, both with games in hand. Malmö are third on the table. As for the match itself, Aivi Luik played the entire match for Getingarna while the Blåe subbed on Courtney Nevin and Amy Sayer at the same time in the second half. One of the biggest reasons why Amy is so great is her ability to play in various midfield positions. Describing herself as a playmaker, she plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for the Matildas, but at club level has played a deeper role for the Himmelsblått and has still managed to score goals, indicating this could be something Joe Montemurro experiments with in the lead up to the World Cup next year.
Polly Doran (pictured) and Linköping FC are part of an exciting promotion race in the Elitettan, the second division of Swedish women's football. Image source: Instagram (@polly.doran).
In the Elitettan, Polly Doran vice-captained Linköping for the entirety of their 3–2 win over KIF Örebro at home. LFC remain in third place (the playoff spot), behind second place Umeå on goal difference only and behind league leaders Elfsborg by two points.
Other leagues — Lyon lift the Coupe de France title after thumping PSG in the final
Sydney FC fan favourite Tori Tumeth (centre), who captained the U23 Matildas to senior ASEAN Championship glory against Myanmar's senior national team in the final, recently became the second Australian to play in Canada's new Northern Super League, the first ever professional national women's soccer league in Canada (a country known for its long history in the women's game). Image source: Instagram (@vancouverrisefc).
In Canada's NSL, Tori Tumeth started before coming off in Vancouver Rise's heavy 4–0 loss on the road to Ottawa Rapid. Kahli Johnson's Calgary Wild had a bye and thus didn't play this week. The Wild and Rise are fifth and sixth respectively, being the only remaining teams in the six-team NSL to have zero points this season so far with the former having a game in hand.
OL Lyonnes (pictured) lifted the Coupe de France Féminine title last weekend. Unfortunately, Teagan Micah could not celebrate the title with the team due to her injury. Image source: Instagram (@team.avsports).
In France's Coupe de France Féminine, Lyon lifted the title after an emphatic 4–1 victory over PSG (who were also last season’s runners-up) in the final at Stade de Hainaut in Valenciennes, pushing them ever so close to what seems like an inevitable unbeaten domestic treble (having already secured the inaugural Coupe LFFP title) and possibly even a quadruple (though not quite an unbeaten one). The title marks Lyon's 11th since the cup was created in 2001, illustrating Lyon's dominance across French women's football for almost 20 years. Teagan Micah was unfortunately unable to celebrate with the team as she is out injured for the remainder of the season.
Is Greece's Women's A Division, Shivani Battaglia's Nees Atromitou picked up a 2–1 home win over Trikala, with the club sitting 12th on the ladder. Meanwhile, Erin Kontousikos' Kifisia won 4–0 away Volos, a win that sees Kifisia move up to ninth place.
Emily Gielnik (pictured) have advanced to the liguilla final of the Liga MX Femenil's clausura stage. She is now 180 minutes away from winning silverware with Monterrey. Image source: Instagram (@rayadas).
In Mexico's Liga MX Femenil, Monterrey booked their place in the liguilla final against Club América with a 4–3 aggregate win over Pachuca in the semi-finals. In the first leg, Rayadas suffered a 2–0 loss away from home, but extraordinarily made a stunning comeback in the return leg at home by winning 4–1. Emily Gielnik came on as a sub in the first leg but was benched without game time in the second. Like the quarters and semis, the final will be held over two legs, with the first being at Monterrey's Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe and the second at América's Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes in Mexico City. In the clausura stage, the Águilas finished first while the Rayadas finished second.
Former Perth Glory and Sydney FC star Hana Lowry has finally made her début for Vålerenga IF, coming on as a substitute in the Norgesmesterskapet for kvinner. Image source: Instagram (@grabthemomentphoto).
In Norway's Toppserien, Vålerenga were without Hana Lowry, but nevertheless the Bohemene got the job done 3–0 on the road against Hønefoss, now sitting second on the table and three points behind Brann after seven matchdays. However, she did finally make her début in the Norwegian Women's Cup second round, coming on as a sub in Vålerenga's 8–1 win on the road over HamKam (yes, that is a real club name; well, it's short for Hamkameratene but still).
Milly Boughton is loving life on loan at Motherwell so far, having finally gotten needed minutes she failed to get at Hibernian. Image source: Instagram (@milly_boughton).
In Scotland's SWPL 1, Emma Ilijoski played the entirety of Aberdeen's 4–0 win over relegated Hamilton Accies. Aberdeen sit ninth on the ladder (third in the relegation group). Meanwhile, Milly Boughton started before coming off in Motherwell's 2–1 win over Montrose away from home, with the Women of Iron being seventh in the league (top of the relegation group). In the SWPL 2, Emma McMurdo's Spartans drew 2–2 on the road with Gartcairn, now dropping to second in the league but only a point lower than third in an intense promotion battle against Kilmarnock.
Transfer Talk — Gorry, Kerr and Whyman announce departures, Foord likely to leave, Arnold extends
Jada Whyman (pictured) has made a shock departure from her club AIK Stockholm. She will be taking a temporary break from football and returning home while she recovers from her injury. Image source: Instagram (@jadawhyman).
In the twilight of the season, we're starting to hear who's leaving and who's staying at clubs in leagues that follow the August to May calendar. But we did have one surprise announcement in a March to November league first, with Jada Whyman announcing she would be leaving AIK Stockholm midseason due to ongoing injury problems. The uncapped Matildas keeper also stated that she'll be taking a break from football while she remains injured and will return home to Australia for that period of time, but will not be returning to AIK.
Mackenzie Arnold (pictured) has been rated as one of the best goalkeepers in the NWSL over the past two seasons. Now she's extended her contract with Portland Thorns until the end of next season. Image source: Instagram (@broomstickbabyphotography and @cascadia.fc).
Speaking of Matildas goalkeepers in March to November leagues, another talking point this week has been Mackenzie Arnold's signing of a new contract at Portland Thorns. Regarded as one of the best goalies in the NWSL, Macca has confirmed she'll be staying at the club until at least the end of the 2027 season, keeping her at the club until after the World Cup in Brazil (which the Tillies qualified for by beating North Korea in the quarter-finals at the Asian Cup on home soil).
Katrina Gorry (pictured), captain of West Ham United, will be departing the club at the conclusion of the season. Many are speculating a potential return to Brisbane Roar in the A-League Women. Image source: Instagram (@westhamwomen, @westham, @matildas and @katrinagorry10).
Now for some departures, West Ham captain Katrina Gorry confirmed yesterday that she'll be leaving the club after she declined to extend her contract for another season, citing family reasons as she is now a married mum of two young kids. The midfielder, affectionately known by her height-based nickname "Mini", delivered an emotional goodbye to the fans in a video posted to the club's social media pages, describing the club as one of only a few that made her truly feel at home, stating that she'll be leaving with an even bigger family than the one she had when she arrived. She also described her privilege of wearing the captain's armband for the Hammers as the "greatest honour". Mini has previously spoke very positively of the club, describing it as a "family club" and having overcome various challenges and opened up about others during her stint at the club. It's unclear where she will be heading to next, but an emphasis for family could indicate a return to her girlhood club Brisbane Roar, which would be a major signing for the A-League club that could be a major crowd-bringer. Mini will play her final game for West Ham tomorrow night against Man City at home.
Sam Kerr (pictured) has finally confirmed an open secret: that she will be departing Chelsea at the end of the season. She leaves the club with an incredibly impressive record, solidifying herself as not just a Chelsea legend, but as one of the greatest players of all time. Image source: Instagram (@barclayswsl and @chelseafcw).
Another major departure that was an open secret for quite some time is Sam Kerr, with the Matildas captain set to be leaving Chelsea at the end of the season. Widely regarded as one of the greatest women's soccer players of all time, the Chelsea legend leaves with an incredible record, having won five WSL titles, three FA Cups, three League Cups and a Community Shield, as well as having recently broken the record as the club's all-time leading goalscorer in the WSL, with 64 league goals and 115 goals in 157 appearances across all competitions. While it's unconfirmed where Sam will go alongside her wife and son, the star striker has been widely linked to clubs in the NWSL, with 10 News reporting in April that she would be joining expansion franchise Boston Legacy (the club from her wife Kristie Mewis' home state of Massachusetts), though a few days later she denied that the move was finalised. Sam will play her final game tomorrow night against Man United at home, a rematch of last season's FA Cup final (which she did not play in). She will not be playing in Chelsea's August friendlies against the A-League All Stars in Sydney and an invitational Auckland FC XI in Auckland.
Arsenal legend Caitlin Foord (pictured) may also be departing at the end of the season, with her partner Katie McCabe (a defender who captains the Ireland national team) having confirmed her departure. Caitlin is still contracted until June and is yet to confirm her future. Image source: Instagram (@wchampionsleague and @caitlinfoord).
For a quick wrap-up of the transfer window so far, Charli Grant has been confirmed to be leaving Tottenham at the end of the expiry of her contract. Arsenal's Caitlin Foord remains out of contract but will likely leave as it was confirmed that her partner, Irish defender and captain of the Ireland national team Katie McCabe, would be departing the club at the end of the season. Arsenal's final match of the season will be against Liverpool away tomorrow night. Of the other players out of contract, we are yet to receive any reliable updates on Morgan Aquino (DC Power), Kyra Cooney-Cross (Arsenal), Leah de Oliveira (Marítimo), Emily Gielnik (Monterrey) or Teagan Micah (Lyon). We are also yet to receive updates on Sharn Freier, whose loan spell from Wolfsburg at Brisbane Roar ends in June, nor have any A-League players announced their departures overseas yet this window with the exceptions of Sydney FC's Hana Lowry (who's joined Vålerenga) and Tori Tumeth (who's joined Vancouver Rise). Furthermore, we are yet to receive any official updates on Canberra United's financial situation.
Player of the Week — Mary Fowler
This week's Player of the Week award goes to Mary Fowler for her crucial goal in Man City's FA Cup semi-final win over Chelsea! Well done Maz!
Conclusion
That's all for this week, but stay tuned for next week! As always, feel free to jump into the comments with any questions or to discuss the weekend's matches. Thanks for reading, hopefully you found this helpful, and once again, congrats to our trophy winners!
America (NWSL & USL Super League) — all Aussies defeated in the American leagues
Cortnee Vine (pictured) has played just 88 minutes this season across two appearances. Is it time for the World Cup penalty shootout hero to come home? Image source: Instagram (@cortneevine).
Both Aussies suffered defeats away from home in the NWSL this week. First was Mackenzie Arnold, who played the entire game between the sticks for Portland Thorns in their 3–1 loss to Racing Louisville. Meanwhile, Cortnee Vine watched North Carolina Courage play from the bench, with the Courage falling 1–0 to Orlando Pride thanks to a late goal by Zambian superstar Barbra Banda. The Thorns stay first on the ladder by a point over Washington Spirit, while the Courage sit 13th. That being said, Macca remains equal third in the race for the Golden Glove, and is the highest-rated goalie and third highest-rated player overall in the entire NWSL per Sofascore ratings, having a save percentage of 80.0% so far this season.
Morgan Aquino (pictured) and DC Power have finished their season. Her contract expires in June and is yet to be renewed. Image source: Instagram (@rlyoungsports).
In the USL Super League, both Aussies also saw defeat, this time at home. Morgan Aquino was again benched for DC Power in their 1–0 loss to Sporting Jacksonville. Meanwhile, Sophie Harding was used as an injury replacement in Fort Lauderdale United's 3–0 loss to Carolina Ascent. The Power are sixth in the league while FL United sit in last place (ninth). Both teams have been eliminated from playoffs contention going into the final day, as the Power have played all their matches while United are physically unable to finish higher than seventh (and even then their goal difference is far worse than Brooklyn FC's so realistically they could only overtake Tampa Bay Sun and come eighth).
England (WSL & Women's FA Cup) — Brighton and Man City make comebacks to reach Brighton’s first cup final
Clare Wheeler (pictured) and Everton were denied points against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium after Swedish striker Stina Blackstenius scored a winner in the third minute of stoppage time. Image source: Instagram (@evertonwomen).
Arsenal had a catch-up game to kick the weekend off, winning 3–0 away from home over Aston Villa. Caitlin Foord came on as a late substitute, while Steph Catley and Kyra Cooney-Cross remain out for the season with an injury and for personal reasons respectively. In their other catch-up game midweek, Arsenal managed to secure a very late albeit controversial win over Everton. Caitlin again was subbed on for the Gunners (this time much earlier in the second half), while Clare Wheeler played the full match for the Toffees, picking up a yellow card. The Gunners sit second on the ladder, now above Chelsea, and have secured Champions League qualification, meaning all three places have been decided and Man United will not be playing European football in 2026–27.
Charlize Rule (front) and Brighton, managed by Dario Vidošić, are heading to Wembley for the first time ever. The Seagulls are now just 90 minutes away from winning their first major piece of silverware and their first FA Cup for either of the Albion's senior teams (men's and women's). Image source: Instagram (@charlierulee):
The Arsenal match was the only WSL match this weekend as it was an FA Cup weekend. The first semi-final was Liverpool versus Brighton, managed by Dario Vidošić. After being 2–0 down, the Seagulls made an incredible comeback to win 3–2 with a winner in stoppage time, sending them to their first ever women's cup final. Charlize Rule played the entire match for the Wembley-bound Seagulls in their historic victory that shows "Darioball" can achieve great things, even at small clubs.
Mary Fowler (pictured) played a crucial role in securing a comeback victory for Manchester City in extra time. The WSL champions will be attempting to secure a domestic double, up against a history-chasing Brighton side. Image source: Instagram (@matildas and @mancitywomen).
The second semi-final was a classic showdown between the second and first placed WSL teams, with Chelsea taking on Man City. In a similar fashion to Brighton, City came back from 2–0 down to draw 2–2 and send the match to extra time, in which City won 3–2 after extra time. One of Chelsea's goals was from Sam Kerr, who started and scored before coming off as a sub, despite having almost scored a hat-trick given two of her goals were ruled out. Ellie Carpenter played the entire match for the Blues, having helped set up the two disallowed goals. The other Aussie goalscorer was Mary Fowler, who made an instant impact after coming off the bench by scoring just a minute after coming on. The goal was her first at club level since returning from her ACL injury.
The FA Cup final will be held on 1 June at 12:00am AEST and livestreamed on Stan Sport in Australia for those with a subscription. City will be chasing a domestic double (having already secured the WSL title) and their fourth FA Cup trophy (having last won the title in 2019-20), while Brighton will be chasing their first ever peace of major silverware for either the men's or women's team. A victory for the Seagulls would also make them the first team outside the Big Four (Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City and Man U) to win the FA Cup since Birmingham defeated Chelsea on penalties in 2011–12. While City will be the clear favourites, Brighton have shown over the past two seasons that they can beat anyone at home so a good turnout from their fans at Wembley Stadium could result in an upset. In the WSL this season, their head-to-head record is even Steven, with Man City having won 2–1 at Joie Stadium in Bradford, Manchester while Brighton won 3–2 at their home ground of Broadfield Stadium in Crawley.
Germany (Frauen-Bundesliga & 2. Frauen-Bundesliga) — Nuremberg safe, Frankfurt and Hoffenheim continue to fight for Europe
Leia Varley (pictured) and Nuremberg will be in the Frauen-Bundesliga for another season, having confirmed their safety from relegation. Image source: Instagram (@leia.varley).
Nuremberg kicked off the week in the Bundesliga with a 3–0 win at home over Essen who are almost certain to be relegated. The win sees Nuremberg remain in 11th place but has confirmed their safety from the drop going into the final day, confirming another season of top-flight football for the Club. Leia Varley played the entire game, and was watched in the stands by her sister, Central Coast Mariners backup goalkeeper Sophia Varley.
Hayley Raso (right) and Eintracht Frankfurt suffered a blow in their race for European football, losing 2–0 to Bayern Munich, the German double winners, in the Bavarian capital. Image source: Instagram (@hendrikknipst).
Heading further south in Germany, Eintracht Frankfurt were defeated 2–0 away from home by champions Bayern Munich, who lead Wolfsburg (Sharn Freier's parent club) by 16 points, showing that Bayern's dominance in German football is not only not slowing down, but is quickly growing, with the club going unbeaten domestically with just one league game and the DFB Pokal final to go. Back to Frankfurt, Hayley Raso came off the bench in the loss, which leaves the Adler still fighting for the third European spot (as they cannot claim the second as Wolfsburg have secured that place), with Bayer Leverkusen and Hoffenheim also in contention for the spot going into the final day.
Jamilla Rankin (left) and Hoffenheim are still in the race for Europe, having secured a 2–0 win over Union Berlin in the German capital. Image source: Instagram (@tsghoffenheimfrauen).
Speaking of Hoffenheim and the race for Europe, they picked up three points on the road with a 2–0 win over Union Berlin thanks to an early pair of goals. Jamilla Rankin played the entire match for Hoffenheim. Down in the 2. Bundesliga, Lara Kirkby was subbed on for Bochum, who lost 4–1 at home to Borussia Mönchengladbach and remain in eighth place.
Italy (Serie A Femminile) — Heatley named in Team of the Week as champions Roma defeat Sassuolo
Alex Chidiac (centre) and Como have become used to goalless draws, having drawn their fourth match without scoring or conceding this season. Image source: Instagram (@comowomen).
This week of the Serie A was kicked off by Como, who drew 0–0 with Napoli, seeing the club drop to eighth place on the table. Como have now gone six games without a win, having drawn four of those with three ending in goalless draws (with Como having played out a total of four goalless draws across the entire season, all of which were in 2026). Alex Chidiac played the entire match up front. In loosely related news, Chids and FC Como will have a rival in the 2026–27 season, with it being confirmed that Genoa have been relegated to the Serie B while Como 1907 (a club Chloe Berryhill spent a few months at before returning home to retire at Western Sydney Wanderers) have been promoted from the same division. Como 1907's men's team have established themselves in the Serie A, but are only just starting to break through in the women's game, being promoted to the top flight for the first time ever this season. FC Como Women however are a standalone women's club. Meanwhile, Anna Rasmussen was once again an unused sub for Juventus, who drew 3–3 at home with Inter Milan in the Derby d'Italia. Juve will be playing in the second qualifying round of the Champions League as the third-placed Serie A team, while Inter will play in the third qualifying round as the runners-up and Roma in the league phase as the champions.
Wini Heatley (pictured) was named in Team of the Week for her outstanding defensive work against Sassuolo. The former Nordsjælland captain has won the scudetto with Roma in just her first season at the club. Image source: Instagram (@asromawomen).
Newly-crowned Italian champions Roma were greeted to a guard of honour by Sassuolo away from home, before coming away with three points on the road with a 3–0 victory over the Neroverde. Wini Heatley played a solid full game for the Giallorosse in their back four, which was enough to earn her a spot in the official Team of the Week. On the other side of the pitch, Jess Nash was an unused sub, but cruelly so as Sassuolo really struggled in defence and could've potentially made a difference at centre back in the Neroverde's back three. Jacynta Gala was also an unused sub, though while their midfield wasn't perfect it wasn't as leaky as their defence. Sassuolo are ninth and now safe from relegation as Genoa have officially been relegated back down to the Serie B after just one season in the top flight, and will be replaced next season by Como 1907 who have been promoted to the Serie A for the first time in their history after clinching the Serie B title.
Portugal (Liga BPI) — Damaiense relegated on the final day, Marítimo to play in the relegation playoff
Margaux Chauvet (pictured) and Valadares Gaia won 1–0 over Marítimo on the final day, an ultimate reward having won their final match and celebrating a successful season on the popular holiday island of Madeira. Image source: Instagram (@valadaresgaiafeminino).
The final day of the Campeonato Nacional has arrived and delivered heartbreaking but long-expected news for Damaiense, who have officially been relegated to the II Divisião for next season, after it was confirmed that they would finish in last place. The club, who have won just one game in the entire season, suffered a 3–1 defeat away to Torreense to wrap up what was an uphill battle to stay up. On a positive note, Carla Wilson finally returned to playing, coming on as a sub. Meanwhile, the other match was an Aussie derby between Marítimo and Valadares Gaia, with Gaia making the trip over to Madeira to win 1–0 away from home and take the three points back to Mainland Portugal. For the second match in a row, Margaux Chauvet started and played the entire match as a centre-back in Valadares' back three, while Leah de Oliveira started before coming off after a poor performance for Marítimo. With Gaia having finished fourth, they're the only team with an Aussie player confirmed to be safe, with Marítimo's ninth place finish forcing them to play the relegation playoff against Rio Ave who finished in eighth place.
Sweden (Damallsvenskan & Elitettan) — Siemsen scores but Rosengård and Vittsjö fall after horror season starts, Häcken beat Malmö in a giant clash in Gothenburg
Remy Siemsen (left) has found her form at FC Rosengård, though the team themselves are in trouble of relegation. Could Remy be their saviour? Image source: Instagram (@fcrosengard).
Rosengård kicked off the week in the Damallsvenskan with a 2–1 away loss to Piteå, with Remy Siemsen scoring Rosengård's goal (her second of the season already) and playing the entire match up front. Sweden's most successful women's football club, coming off the back of their worst season ever, are in big trouble this season. While it's early days yet, FCR are dead last and have only picked up one point in their first five games, showing that it's highly probable that they'll at least flirt with relegation once again, if not be severely threatened with it. On a positive note for Remy, in addition to having scored twice so far this season, she also is a close second in the list of players with the highest average shots on target per match.
Daniela Galić (left) has been put in the role of a striker this season. A bright attacking talent, her ability to play either in the middle or up front is a key reason why fans like myself want her in the Matildas squad. Next to her is her close friend another bright Matildas talent from Melbourne City, Alexia Apostolakis (right), who may also move overseas after this season. Image source: Instagram (@danielagalic).
Speaking of trouble, another team needing to lock in is Vittsjö, who suffered a 3–0 loss on the road to newly-promoted Uppsala. Contrasting with a decent season last year, Vittsjö now sit 12th in the Damallsvenskan, a league in which two teams are relegated directly while one plays a promotion/relegation playoff, and that playoff spot goes to the team that finishes 12th. Daniela Galić started the match before coming off in the middle of the second half, this time playing as a centre forward. Dani has been put in multiple different positions this season.
Despite a short A-League Women career interrupted by her time at Stanford University, Amy Sayer (left) is one of the most remarkable players in the Matildas setup. Having been played as an attacking midfielder or a winger for the national team, her club Malmö FF have recently started playing her in a deeper role that still allows her to score goals. Could this be an experiment for the friendlies against Mexico in Newcastle and Sydney? Image source: Instagram (@amysayer_).
In the biggest game of the weekend, Malmö played Häcken at home in a top of the table clash between two heavyweights in the Swedish women's game. Häcken ran out winners with a 2–1 victory on the road, securing the top spot for a day before Hammarby took it the following day on goal difference and pushed them back into second, both with games in hand. Malmö are third on the table. As for the match itself, Aivi Luik played the entire match for Getingarna while the Blåe subbed on Courtney Nevin and Amy Sayer at the same time in the second half. One of the biggest reasons why Amy is so great is her ability to play in various midfield positions. Describing herself as a playmaker, she plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for the Matildas, but at club level has played a deeper role for the Himmelsblått and has still managed to score goals, indicating this could be something Joe Montemurro experiments with in the lead up to the World Cup next year.
Polly Doran (pictured) and Linköping FC are part of an exciting promotion race in the Elitettan, the second division of Swedish women's football. Image source: Instagram (@polly.doran).
In the Elitettan, Polly Doran vice-captained Linköping for the entirety of their 3–2 win over KIF Örebro at home. LFC remain in third place (the playoff spot), behind second place Umeå on goal difference only and behind league leaders Elfsborg by two points.
Other leagues — Lyon lift the Coupe de France title after thumping PSG in the final
Sydney FC fan favourite Tori Tumeth (centre), who captained the U23 Matildas to senior ASEAN Championship glory against Myanmar's senior national team in the final, recently became the second Australian to play in Canada's new Northern Super League, the first ever professional national women's soccer league in Canada (a country known for its long history in the women's game). Image source: Instagram (@vancouverrisefc).
In Canada's NSL, Tori Tumeth started before coming off in Vancouver Rise's heavy 4–0 loss on the road to Ottawa Rapid. Kahli Johnson's Calgary Wild had a bye and thus didn't play this week. The Wild and Rise are fifth and sixth respectively, being the only remaining teams in the six-team NSL to have zero points this season so far with the former having a game in hand.
OL Lyonnes (pictured) lifted the Coupe de France Féminine title last weekend. Unfortunately, Teagan Micah could not celebrate the title with the team due to her injury. Image source: Instagram (@team.avsports).
In France's Coupe de France Féminine, Lyon lifted the title after an emphatic 4–1 victory over PSG (who were also last season’s runners-up) in the final at Stade de Hainaut in Valenciennes, pushing them ever so close to what seems like an inevitable unbeaten domestic treble (having already secured the inaugural Coupe LFFP title) and possibly even a quadruple (though not quite an unbeaten one). The title marks Lyon's 11th since the cup was created in 2001, illustrating Lyon's dominance across French women's football for almost 20 years. Teagan Micah was unfortunately unable to celebrate with the team as she is out injured for the remainder of the season.
Is Greece's Women's A Division, Shivani Battaglia's Nees Atromitou picked up a 2–1 home win over Trikala, with the club sitting 12th on the ladder. Meanwhile, Erin Kontousikos' Kifisia won 4–0 away Volos, a win that sees Kifisia move up to ninth place.
Emily Gielnik (pictured) have advanced to the liguilla final of the Liga MX Femenil's clausura stage. She is now 180 minutes away from winning silverware with Monterrey. Image source: Instagram (@rayadas).
In Mexico's Liga MX Femenil, Monterrey booked their place in the liguilla final against Club América with a 4–3 aggregate win over Pachuca in the semi-finals. In the first leg, Rayadas suffered a 2–0 loss away from home, but extraordinarily made a stunning comeback in the return leg at home by winning 4–1. Emily Gielnik came on as a sub in the first leg but was benched without game time in the second. Like the quarters and semis, the final will be held over two legs, with the first being at Monterrey's Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe and the second at América's Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes in Mexico City. In the clausura stage, the Águilas finished first while the Rayadas finished second.
Former Perth Glory and Sydney FC star Hana Lowry has finally made her début for Vålerenga IF, coming on as a substitute in the Norgesmesterskapet for kvinner. Image source: Instagram (@grabthemomentphoto).
In Norway's Toppserien, Vålerenga were without Hana Lowry, but nevertheless the Bohemene got the job done 3–0 on the road against Hønefoss, now sitting second on the table and three points behind Brann after seven matchdays. However, she did finally make her début in the Norwegian Women's Cup second round, coming on as a sub in Vålerenga's 8–1 win on the road over HamKam (yes, that is a real club name; well, it's short for Hamkameratene but still).
Milly Boughton is loving life on loan at Motherwell so far, having finally gotten needed minutes she failed to get at Hibernian. Image source: Instagram (@milly_boughton).
In Scotland's SWPL 1, Emma Ilijoski played the entirety of Aberdeen's 4–0 win over relegated Hamilton Accies. Aberdeen sit ninth on the ladder (third in the relegation group). Meanwhile, Milly Boughton started before coming off in Motherwell's 2–1 win over Montrose away from home, with the Women of Iron being seventh in the league (top of the relegation group). In the SWPL 2, Emma McMurdo's Spartans drew 2–2 on the road with Gartcairn, now dropping to second in the league but only a point lower than third in an intense promotion battle against Kilmarnock.
Transfer Talk — Gorry, Kerr and Whyman announce departures, Foord likely to leave, Arnold extends
Jada Whyman (pictured) has made a shock departure from her club AIK Stockholm. She will be taking a temporary break from football and returning home while she recovers from her injury. Image source: Instagram (@jadawhyman).
In the twilight of the season, we're starting to hear who's leaving and who's staying at clubs in leagues that follow the August to May calendar. But we did have one surprise announcement in a March to November league first, with Jada Whyman announcing she would be leaving AIK Stockholm midseason due to ongoing injury problems. The uncapped Matildas keeper also stated that she'll be taking a break from football while she remains injured and will return home to Australia for that period of time, but will not be returning to AIK.
Mackenzie Arnold (pictured) has been rated as one of the best goalkeepers in the NWSL over the past two seasons. Now she's extended her contract with Portland Thorns until the end of next season. Image source: Instagram (@broomstickbabyphotography and @cascadia.fc).
Speaking of Matildas goalkeepers in March to November leagues, another talking point this week has been Mackenzie Arnold's signing of a new contract at Portland Thorns. Regarded as one of the best goalies in the NWSL, Macca has confirmed she'll be staying at the club until at least the end of the 2027 season, keeping her at the club until after the World Cup in Brazil (which the Tillies qualified for by beating North Korea in the quarter-finals at the Asian Cup on home soil).
Katrina Gorry (pictured), captain of West Ham United, will be departing the club at the conclusion of the season. Many are speculating a potential return to Brisbane Roar in the A-League Women. Image source: Instagram (@westhamwomen, @westham, @matildas and @katrinagorry10).
Now for some departures, West Ham captain Katrina Gorry confirmed yesterday that she'll be leaving the club after she declined to extend her contract for another season, citing family reasons as she is now a married mum of two young kids. The midfielder, affectionately known by her height-based nickname "Mini", delivered an emotional goodbye to the fans in a video posted to the club's social media pages, describing the club as one of only a few that made her truly feel at home, stating that she'll be leaving with an even bigger family than the one she had when she arrived. She also described her privilege of wearing the captain's armband for the Hammers as the "greatest honour". Mini has previously spoke very positively of the club, describing it as a "family club" and having overcome various challenges and opened up about others during her stint at the club. It's unclear where she will be heading to next, but an emphasis for family could indicate a return to her girlhood club Brisbane Roar, which would be a major signing for the A-League club that could be a major crowd-bringer. Mini will play her final game for West Ham tomorrow night against Man City at home.
Sam Kerr (pictured) has finally confirmed an open secret: that she will be departing Chelsea at the end of the season. She leaves the club with an incredibly impressive record, solidifying herself as not just a Chelsea legend, but as one of the greatest players of all time. Image source: Instagram (@barclayswsl and @chelseafcw).
Another major departure that was an open secret for quite some time is Sam Kerr, with the Matildas captain set to be leaving Chelsea at the end of the season. Widely regarded as one of the greatest women's soccer players of all time, the Chelsea legend leaves with an incredible record, having won five WSL titles, three FA Cups, three League Cups and a Community Shield, as well as having recently broken the record as the club's all-time leading goalscorer in the WSL, with 64 league goals and 115 goals in 157 appearances across all competitions. While it's unconfirmed where Sam will go alongside her wife and son, the star striker has been widely linked to clubs in the NWSL, with 10 News reporting in April that she would be joining expansion franchise Boston Legacy (the club from her wife Kristie Mewis' home state of Massachusetts), though a few days later she denied that the move was finalised. Sam will play her final game tomorrow night against Man United at home, a rematch of last season's FA Cup final (which she did not play in). She will not be playing in Chelsea's August friendlies against the A-League All Stars in Sydney and an invitational Auckland FC XI in Auckland.
Arsenal legend Caitlin Foord (pictured) may also be departing at the end of the season, with her partner Katie McCabe (a defender who captains the Ireland national team) having confirmed her departure. Caitlin is still contracted until June and is yet to confirm her future. Image source: Instagram (@wchampionsleague and @caitlinfoord).
For a quick wrap-up of the transfer window so far, Charli Grant has been confirmed to be leaving Tottenham at the end of the expiry of her contract. Arsenal's Caitlin Foord remains out of contract but will likely leave as it was confirmed that her partner, Irish defender and captain of the Ireland national team Katie McCabe, would be departing the club at the end of the season. Arsenal's final match of the season will be against Liverpool away tomorrow night. Of the other players out of contract, we are yet to receive any reliable updates on Morgan Aquino (DC Power), Kyra Cooney-Cross (Arsenal), Leah de Oliveira (Marítimo), Emily Gielnik (Monterrey) or Teagan Micah (Lyon). We are also yet to receive updates on Sharn Freier, whose loan spell from Wolfsburg at Brisbane Roar ends in June, nor have any A-League players announced their departures overseas yet this window with the exceptions of Sydney FC's Hana Lowry (who's joined Vålerenga) and Tori Tumeth (who's joined Vancouver Rise). Furthermore, we are yet to receive any official updates on Canberra United's financial situation.
Player of the Week — Mary Fowler
This week's Player of the Week award goes to Mary Fowler for her crucial goal in Man City's FA Cup semi-final win over Chelsea! Well done Maz!
Conclusion
That's all for this week, but stay tuned for next week! As always, feel free to jump into the comments with any questions or to discuss the weekend's matches. Thanks for reading, hopefully you found this helpful, and once again, congrats to our trophy winners!
