WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Second-Half Blitz Lifts Manchester United Past Aston Villa in WSL
A second-half surge helped Manchester United comfortably defeat Aston Villa for their first victory in three Women’s Super League matches and move one point behind third-placed Arsenal.
Kirsty Hanson had cancelled out Julia Zigiotti Olme’s opener for United in the first half but goals from Elisabeth Terland, Jessica Park and Hanna Lundkvist after the restart ensured Marc Skinner’s side returned to winning ways.
United dominated possession in the early stages and were rewarded with the breakthrough at Villa Park.
Ellie Roebuck failed to deal with Zigiotti Olme’s inswinging corner, which flew over the Villa goalkeeper and straight into the top‑right corner to give the visitors a 1-0 lead in the 35th minute.
But their advantage lasted only two minutes as Hanson struck against her old side, finishing through the legs of Jayde Riviere to wrong-foot keeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce for her seventh league goal of the season.
Tullis-Joyce, however, was on hand to keep out Maya Hijikata’s curling effort late in the first half to make sure the score remained level at the interval.
United had to wait until the 71st minute to regain the lead when Hinata Miyazawa’s ball into the box was knocked down by Melvine Malard for substitute Terland to fire home a first-time effort.
Jess Park then drove into the box and finished past Roebuck to give United a two-goal cushion before she played in Lundkvist to score her first WSL goal and seal the victory.
The result means United sit fourth with 25 points while Villa are seventh with 16 points.
-BBC
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FIFA has announced record-breaking prize money for the inaugural FIFA Women’s Champions Cup™, underlining its commitment to accelerating investment and excellence in women’s club football worldwide.
The winners of the first-ever women’s intercontinental club championship will receive an unprecedented USD 2.3 million, the highest single payout ever awarded in women’s club football. The runners-up will earn USD 1 million for reaching the final, which will be played at Arsenal Stadium, London, on Sunday, 1 February 2026.
The prize structure further extends to the semi-finalists, with each of the two losing teams set to receive USD 200,000 in participation payments. The two clubs eliminated in the earlier rounds — Auckland United FC of New Zealand (OFC) and Wuhan Chegu Jiangda WFC of China PR (AFC) — will each receive USD 100,000.
In total, nearly USD 4 million will be distributed among the six participating clubs based on performance, a move FIFA says reflects its long-term belief in the growth and sustainability of women’s club football.
“A total payout of close to USD 4 million distributed among the six participants based on their performance is a clear statement of the belief in women’s club football and the players, teams and competitions driving its continued rise,” said FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström.
“It reflects the global growth of the women’s game and FIFA’s commitment to making targeted, meaningful investments that strengthen women’s club football for the long term.”
The FIFA Women’s Champions Cup 2026™ is part of a broader strategy to strengthen the women’s club game globally. Following the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™, FIFA distributed USD 11.3 million to 1,041 clubs worldwide through the Club Benefits Programme. These initiatives have been complemented by reforms to the Women’s International Match Calendar and the launch of new elite club competitions.
Looking further ahead, FIFA has confirmed that the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup™, scheduled to debut in 2028, will introduce training compensation, club solidarity mechanisms and minimum standards programmes aimed at boosting performance and ensuring long-term sustainability across women’s club football.
The maiden FIFA Women’s Champions Cup will bring together the champion clubs from each confederation to compete for the title of women’s intercontinental club champions. The final phase of the tournament will be staged in London from Wednesday, 28 January to Sunday, 1 February 2026.
The semi-finals will take place at Brentford Stadium on Wednesday, 28 January. Gotham FC of the United States, champions of Concacaf, will face SC Corinthians of Brazil, the CONMEBOL titleholders, at 12:30 GMT, followed by Arsenal Women FC, the reigning UEFA champions, taking on ASFAR of Morocco, winners of the CAF Women’s Champions League, at 18:00 GMT.
The tournament will conclude at Arsenal Stadium on Sunday, 1 February, with the third-place play-off at 14:45 GMT, followed by the final at 18:00 GMT, when the first-ever FIFA Women’s intercontinental club champions will be crowned.
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By Kunle Solaja, Casablanca
Rabat will take centre stage in African women’s football on Thursday, 15 January 2025, when the Final Draw for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Morocco 2026 is conducted.
The ceremony, scheduled for 14:00 local time (13:00 GMT / 15:00 Cairo), will also feature the announcement of winners in key women’s categories at the CAF Awards, underscoring a landmark day for the women’s game on the continent.
Organised by the Confédération of African Football, the draw represents a historic milestone for the competition, which will feature an expanded 16-team format for the first time.
The qualified teams for Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 are hosts Morocco alongside Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.
In addition to the draw, CAF will unveil the winners of three women’s football awards that were originally slated for the CAF Awards 2025 ceremony but postponed due to the ongoing CAF Women’s Champions League season. CAF recently reopened voting for the affected categories.
The awards to be announced are:
- CAF Women’s Coach of the Year
- CAF Women’s Interclub Player of the Year
- CAF Women’s Club of the Year
CAF clarified that while it oversees and coordinates the process, it does not participate directly in voting.
Voting panels vary by category, with the Women’s Interclub Player of the Year decided by media representatives as well as captains and coaches from the CAF Women’s Champions League. The Women’s Coach of the Year is voted on by media and Member Association coaches, while the Women’s Club of the Year is determined by media and the CAF Women’s Technical Committee.
Thursday’s events in Rabat are expected to set the tone for what promises to be a defining edition of Africa’s premier women’s football tournament.
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The 2025/26 Nigeria Women’s Football League (NWFL) Premiership resumed in emphatic fashion on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, as Matchday Five delivered nine fixtures across the country, producing four away victories and reaffirming the league’s growing competitiveness.
In Lagos, FC Robo Queens maintained their flawless start to the season with a slim but crucial 1–0 win over debutants Ahudiyannem Queens. Opeyemi Ajakaye struck within seconds of kick-off, a goal that proved decisive as the Lagos-based side recorded a fifth straight victory—the longest active winning streak in the league. Ahudiyannem Queens, meanwhile, are still searching for their maiden NWFL Premiership win.
Away from home, Osun Babes secured a vital 1–0 triumph over Confluence Queens in Iyahmo, deepening the hosts’ early-season struggles. Naimot Kazeem’s 62nd-minute strike sealed maximum points for the visitors.
Former champions Rivers Angels underlined their resurgence with an emphatic 3–0 away victory against Adamawa Queens in Makwada. Forward Abasiofon Uwah stole the spotlight with a second-half hat-trick, becoming the first player this season to score three goals in a single match.
In Ikenne, Nasarawa Amazons handed Remo Stars Ladies their first defeat of the campaign, grinding out a 1–0 win at the Remo Stars Stadium. Ayatsea Hembafan’s 11th-minute effort—striking the post before crossing the line—was enough to settle the contest.
Abia Angels also enjoyed success on the road, claiming a 2–0 victory over Sunshine Queens, with goals from Ekezie Onyedikachi and Winner David ensuring a comfortable outcome.
Home advantage counted in Asaba, where Delta Queens defeated Dannaz Ladies 2–0, courtesy of goals from Amarachukwu Onuorah and Rita Tsebee.
Defending champions Bayelsa Queens edged a closely fought South-South derby, beating Ibom Angels 2–1. First-half goals from Kesiena Ojiyovwi and Janet Akekeromowei proved decisive, despite a spirited second-half response from Helen David.
Elsewhere, Ekiti Queens, playing at their adopted home ground in Abeokuta, recorded a 1–0 win over Naija Ratels FC, with Ismail Zainab netting the winner in the 73rd minute.
The only drawn game of the round came in Ibadan, where Pacesetter Queens and Heartland Queens battled to a goalless stalemate.
As Matchday Five concludes, the NWFL Premiership continues to gather momentum, with early frontrunners asserting their title ambitions while others look to regroup ahead of the next round of fixtures.
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