Voted for by a combination of the public and a panel of industry experts, the successful individuals for the final month of 2025 are as follows.

Firstly, Manchester City’s Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw has been named as Player of the Month

The Jamaican scored a historic 100th goal in all competitions for City to become the first female player to reach a century for the club in the professional era, while she notched four times against Aston Villa and twice against Leicester City – coupled with an assist.

The striker saw off the challenge of her teammate Vivianne Miedema, Everton’s Honoka Hayashi, Tottenham Hotspur’s Olivia Holdt, Liverpool’s Beata Olsson and Arsenal’s Olivia Smith.

Manager of the Month meanwhile has been awarded to Shaw’s manager, Andrée Jeglertz, who makes it a hat-trick of successes in a row in this category having scooped the accolade in October and November.

City built on their superb league form to make it 10 wins from 11 Barclays WSL matches to end the year boasting a six-point lead at the top of the table, scoring nine goals in their two league outings.

Jeglertz was up against Arsenal’s Renée Slegers with the Gunners having enjoyed a successful December with back-to-back wins to move them into the top three, but the City boss was victorious once again.

Finally, Shekiera Martinez’s effort against Manchester United has been voted as Goal of the Month.

Olivia Smith (v Liverpool and Everton), Dominique Janssen (v West Ham United), Katie McCabe (v Everton), Honoka Hayashi (v Arsenal), Sandy Baltimore (v Brighton) and Ella Toone (v Tottenham Hotspur) were also in contention, but the German striker’s impressive bicycle kick came out on top in the voting polls.

With thanks to the WSL

As part of this partnership, Mercedes-Benz UK also becomes the Presenting Partner of the first ever play-off match. For this season, the third-placed Barclays WSL2 club could secure promotion to the top tier if they beat the club that finishes bottom of the Barclays WSL.

The partnership between Mercedes-Benz UK and WSL Football strengthens the brand’s commitment to supporting women’s sports on a global level. Mercedes-Benz AG has been an Official Patron of the Women’s Open golf tournament since 2024, and on 1 January 2026 entered into a long-term agreement with the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) to become both its Premier Partner and Exclusive Automobile Partner.

Olivier Reppert, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Mercedes-Benz UK, said: ” The Mercedes-Benz story began 140 years ago with a bold idea that changed the world. Now, that same spirit of innovation and ambition drives our partnership with WSL Football. We are proud to collaborate with WSL Football to inspire and engage the next generation of players and fans.”

Zarah Al-Kudcy, Chief Revenue Officer, WSL Football, said: “Partnering with Mercedes-Benz UK at this defining moment in the season reflects the scale, momentum and commercial potential of the women’s game. Bringing a brand of this calibre into WSL Football as our Official Automotive Partner will help us elevate the game, deepen engagement with fans and players and accelerate long-term growth across both leagues.”

The Barclays WSL and Barclays WSL2 season resumes after its winter break on 10 January, when Arsenal plays Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium in London and Southampton take on Portsmouth at St Mary’s Stadium in Southampton.

With thanks to WSL Football

The rapid growth of the women’s game has demonstrated that football venues, which have historically been built and designed for the male player and fan, need to be better equipped to cater towards the specific needs of female athletes and supporters to create a welcoming and inclusive environment, and consequently, become spaces that serve everyone, regardless of their gender.

To explore what women’s stadiums of the future could look like, WSL Football led a comprehensive consultation process alongside AFL Architects, Mott Macdonald and Forward Associates which involved supporters, clubs, current and former players, managers, matchday technical staff including medical professionals and match officials, media, broadcasters, governing bodies, engineers, sports architects and sustainability experts.

Several new approaches were highlighted including a focus on female-friendly changing rooms and toilet facilities, parent/guardian orientated spaces including family toilets and breastfeeding areas, accessibility for those with disabilities and futureproofing for environmental/climate change.

Other key design principles from the guidance document include:

• Inclusivity & Accessibility (Players/Supporters/Stakeholders)
• An appropriate number of WC provisions, moving from 80%/20% male/female to 45%/45%, with gender neutral facilities to be available (10%).
• The inclusion of baby changing facilities and family toilets for parents with children of the opposite gender.
• Specific rooms for players/staff/media and broadcast talent to breastfeed/care for their child.
• Provision of reflection/multi-faith spaces.

Changing Facilities (Players/Staff)

• Appropriate changing facilities with a consideration of squad size.
• Separate changing areas for Under-18s.
• An uplifted number of toilets, mirrors, power and lighting.
• Menstruation provisions in changing areas.
• Separate changing facilities for female and male managers/backroom staff.

Fan Experience (Supporters)

• Accessible provisions for disabled supporters, including changing places provisions, audio descriptive commentary and sensory rooms.
• Seat sizes and spacing in stands that are aligned to supporters’ needs.
• Offering supporters the option to sit in a separate area where alcohol is not available if preferred.
• Specified Fanzone area at each stadium.

Facilities & Safety (Players/Supporters)

• Providing safe and well-lit access travel routes to grounds, with clear signage and wayfinding.
• Accessibility, transport connectivity and minimal environmental impact at the heart of site selection.
• Future proofing for environmental/climate change both on and off the pitch.
• Providing water stations and areas of shade.
• Ensuring stadiums are well connected technologically – including internet access – for future developments.

Media/Broadcasters (Stakeholders)

• Appropriate spaces for broadcasters to conduct interviews pitchside.
• Designated presentation areas/TV studio spaces for broadcasters.
• Specific press conference spaces and mixed zone areas for media.

Hannah Buckley, Head of Safety, Sustainability and Infrastructure for WSL Football – who has led on the development of the guidance – said: “We’re thrilled to unveil this document – it was acknowledged that female specific stadiums were a blind spot in the industry, and the willingness of our stakeholders to come together with their expertise and insights has been inspiring.

“We have a ten-year stadia strategy at WSL Football, and this guidance is one element of that – we want to unlock main stadiums, enhance current assets, and then support our clubs in building new stadiums.

“The rapid growth of the women’s game in recent years has merely highlighted the need for the latter, and to have those spaces designed with the needs of female athletes and fans at the heart of it.

“For ourselves as a league, it is critical that new infrastructure is a part of our clubs’ future plans – to allow the game to continue to grow, stadium primacy – and venues built through the lens of our players – is key, and our hope is that this guidance will be a catalyst for change moving forwards.”

Kathleen Carthy, Architect for AFL Architects, added: “The WSL Stadium Guidance represents a bold and necessary evolution in how we design for the women’s game.

“It’s about creating environments that feel safe, inclusive and vibrant, where fans, players and communities feel a genuine sense of belonging.

“Developed by AFL’s dedicated women’s sports team, the guidance champions a human-centred approach that reflects the values of women’s football, from flexible layouts and equitable facilities to sustainable and welcoming architecture.

“At AFL, we’re proud to have worked alongside the WSL and its stakeholders to help shape a vision that will elevate the matchday experience and set a new standard for the women’s game.”

Technical Director for Buildings, Ruth Shilston, of Mott MacDonald said: “These new women’s stadium guidelines have been an opportunity to shape industry standards that will transform the way we design, build and experience football stadiums.

“We’re proud to have brought our decades of experience at the cutting edge of future-proofed building design to embed sustainability and climate resilience as design standards.

“We’re looking forward to seeing them adopted across the industry to help progress sports venues across the UK.”

The guidance document can be viewed in its entirety online at wslfootball.com.

With thanks to the WSL

A long-standing supporter of the women’s game in England, ahead of the kick-off of the new campaign this coming weekend, talkSPORT have reaffirmed their commitment to the Barclays WSL until 2028 with a new and extensive coverage plan.

There will be full commentary of 16 Barclays WSL games across the season, alongside the station having access to report live from each game throughout the campaign.

In addition to match coverage, all clubs across the league will be featured in at least two live interviews per season across the station’s Breakfast or Drive shows, with these to also be broadcast in and around game commentaries.

talkSPORT will additionally feature players and managers on their dedicated women’s football shows of Women’s Football Weekly Podcast and The Kick Back, alongside offering opportunities for media work and co-commentary on matches.

Zarah Al-Kudcy, Chief Revenue Officer for WSL Football, said: “talkSPORT are an important network for our secondary fans; fans who find women’s football through the men’s game.

“We’re pleased that they have committed to providing coverage of the Barclays Women’s Super League for a longer term of three seasons.

“As well as the existing shows they have for the women’s game, we are looking forward to the additional support and coverage they will be providing our clubs and players.”

Liam Fisher, Head of talkSPORT, added: “Football came home for England at the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025, so it’s fitting that talkSPORT will be home to the WSL on the radio for the next three years and expand our commitment to women’s football.”

With thanks to the WSL 

Starting from this season, the new partnership takes the game out of the stadium and onto the street via Ocean’s extensive network of large format DOOH screens which reaches audiences in 18 UK cities. Screens will amplify key moments throughout the season to significantly expand the profile and reach of women’s professional football
across the UK.

The BWSL and BWSL2 season kicks off this weekend and the new partnership was sealed with a 15-minute WSL Football domination displayed on Piccadilly Lights London, which is operated by Ocean on behalf of Landsec.

The display featured Mariona Caldentey of Arsenal, Chelsea’s Hannah Hampton and Jessica Naz from Tottenham Hotspur from the three London-based BWSL clubs who host home games this opening weekend.

Zarah Al-Kudcy, Chief Revenue Officer, WSL Football said: “This partnership with Ocean Outdoor provides a great opportunity to give visibility to elite women’s football and get the BWSL and BWSL2 in front of even more eyeballs over the next few years. Our sole priority is to grow the women’s game, and we hope the exposure this partnership provides will help us, and our clubs, build bigger fan bases and drive wider awareness to communities across the country.”

Director of Ocean Outdoor Partnerships Kevin Henry said: “This new agreement is a chance to significantly expand the reach of women’s professional football amongst younger audiences and light TV viewers in particular. Our partnership with Women’s Super League Football adds significantly to our sports portfolio which combines live coverage of the biggest tournaments with the presentation of official fan zones and immersive sports events.”

Ocean carried broadcast highlights from the Women’s Euros this summer with clips supplied by broadcast partner ITV appearing across DOOH screens in 11 UK cities. Ocean is managing the official Women’s Rugby World Cup fan zone in London which opens at Battersea Power Station on 13th September.

With thanks to the WSL

‘Watch This’ is a celebration of everything that makes the women’s game unique, epic and unmissable.

Whether it’s the thrilling competition, the world’s best players on show, a special community of fans and all the drama in between, the campaign is a call to arms and an invitation to witness the athleticism and power of female athletes and a celebration of the culture that surrounds women’s football.

Dropping just ahead of the new Barclays Women’s Super League (BWSL) and Barclays Women’s Super League 2 (BWSL2) season, the ‘Watch This’ campaign showcases the superstars within the league and includes BWSL Player of the year Mariona Caldentey, Hannah Hampton, Lucy Bronze, Jessica Naz, Katrina Gorry, Missy Bo Kearns, Jordan Nobbs, Neve Herron, Josie Green and Lucia Lobata.

The campaign will run across TV, VOD, social media and OOH and the hero film is voiced by legendary football figure Ian Wright, a long-time and passionate supporter of women’s football.

The ‘Watch This’ hero film is available here.

The new season of BWSL and BWSL2 football begins on 5th September and arrives at a pivotal moment, following the Lionesses’ UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 victory this summer. The campaign is designed to capture this national excitement and translate it into unprecedented support for the domestic leagues.

The new season follows a period of immense growth for the leagues, with the BWSL official YouTube channel becoming the second most-watched women’s sports property globally with nearly 40 million views in the 2024/25 season. Furthermore, BWSL clubs saw a 154% year-on-year increase in TikTok views, and the league’s Instagram engagements rose by 35%.

This launch follows the rebrand of the leagues in May, where WSL Football was revealed as the new company name, complete with new emblems and a dynamic visual identity all created by Anomaly. The new identity is now on all kits, balls, and stadiums as part of the roll-out.

Ruth Hooper, Chief Marketing Officer, WSL Football said “Watch This is an integrated campaign that celebrates everything that makes the women’s game unmissable. Whether it’s the competition, the players or the culture, by spotlighting what’s unique and entertaining about the women’s game, we’re inviting fans new and old to discover more, and showing those inspired by the Euros that they can watch their favourite stars every week in the BWSL and BWSL2.”

Clara Mulligan, Head of Design at Anomaly said “Women’s football has grit and grace in equal measure. And ‘Watch This’ captures both. It celebrates the swagger of the players, the passion of the fans, and the surge of a sport that’s leading culture. We want every fan, new and die-hard, to feel part of it.”

With thanks to WSL Football

Sweetman-Kirk has been an important player for Everton since her signing, from Doncaster Rovers Belles on deadline day, in September 2017. The striker was in fine form as she scored her first goal of the season against Birmingham City in the FA WSL Continental Tyres Cup before following up with another in a vital win over Yeovil Town in FA WSL 1.

Sweetman-Kirk fought off tough competition from a shortlist including Arsenal’s Jordan Nobbs and October’s FA WSL 1 Player of the Month winner, Fara Williams. Nobbs continued her fine form this season scoring two goals against Millwall and an unstoppable curling effort in her side’s win over Sunderland. Williams was also in goal-scoring form, finding the net three times for Reading, with a brace against former side Arsenal including an audacious long-range lob from kick-off.

The FA WSL Player of the Month award celebrates the best players in FA WSL 1, FA WSL 2 and FA WSL Continental Tyres Cup. Each month, three players will be shortlisted based on their performances before a media panel selects a winner for each league.

Presented with the FA WSL 1 Player of the Month award, Everton’s Courtney Sweetman-Kirk said, ‘The best moment of November for me was scoring the winner against Birmingham. It was a nice goal and my first for the club which is always special, and it’s always nice to score the winner. Winning the Player of the Month award has topped off a great month for me.’

Fans are able to get their FA WSL fix with a selection of live games on BT Sport, BBC Online and The FA’s WSL Facebook page as well as live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live.

For more information on the FA WSL and to get match tickets visit here.  Join the conversation on facebook.com/FAWSL/ and on Twitter @FAWSL using #FAWSL.

Report courtesy of the FA via Pitch

Murray was a key player in extending her team’s lead at the top of the FA WSL 2 table in November, scoring a diving header in an important win over Tottenham Hotspur, as well as netting another against FA WSL 1 side Birmingham City in a narrow FA WSL Continental Tyres Cup defeat.

Murray fought off some tough competition in a shortlist including last month’s FA WSL 2 Player of the Month winner, Ashlee Hincks, and Brighton & Hove Albion’s Kirsty Barton. Hincks continued to lead from the front as she helped Millwall come from behind to defeat London Bees with two vital goals in a seven goal thriller whilst Barton put in a number of standout performances, including a match-winning goal against Sheffield, to keep Brighton one point off the top of FA WSL 2.

The FA WSL Player of the Month award celebrates the best players in FA WSL 1, FA WSL 2 and FA WSL Continental Tyres Cup. Each month, three players will be shortlisted based on their performances before a media panel selects a winner for each league.

Presented with the FA WSL 2 Player of the Month award, Christie Murray said: “It is great to win this award because as an attacking player I feel that my role in the team is to make an impact. Whether that be creating chances for my teammates, doing work off the ball or scoring goals to help us win games and I feel like I’ve done that.”

Fans are able to get their FA WSL fix with a selection of live games on BT Sport, BBC Online and The FA’s WSL Facebook page as well as live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live.

For more information on the FA WSL and to get match tickets visit the FA here . Join the conversation on facebook.com/FAWSL/ and on Twitter @FAWSL using #FAWSL.

Report courtesy of The FA via Pitch

Sunday 17 December 2017

FA WSL Continental Tyres Cup

Arsenal                                3-1         Sunderland AFC Ladies

Bristol City Women          0-2         Manchester City Women

Chelsea Ladies FC             5-1         Liverpool Ladies FC

Saturday 16 December 2017

FA WSL Continental Tyres Cup

Everton Ladies FC             0-0         Reading FC Women

FA Women’s Premier League – 17 December 2017

Northern Division

Women’s Premier League Cup

Leicester City Women     3 – 1       Loughborough Foxes Women

County Cup

AFC Doncaster                  A – W     Huddersfield Town Ladies

Altofts Ladies                    P – P       Guiseley Vixens Women

Bolton Wanderers            1 – 5       Blackburn Rovers Ladies

Bradford City Women     15 – 0     Thackley AFC Ladies

Stoke City Ladies              2 – 1       Stoke City Ladies Reserves

Women’s FA Cup

Brighouse Town Ladies   6 – 3       Wolverhampton Wands Womens

Southern Division

Gillingham Ladies             P – P       Queens Park Rangers Ladies

West Ham United             0 – 2       Crystal Palace Ladies

Women’s Premier League Cup

Cardiff City Ladies            1 – 2       Plymouth Argyle Ladies

County Cup

Bexhill United Ladies       0 – 15     Lewes FC Women

Northern Division One

Mossley Hill Athletic        P – P       Hull City Ladies

Morecambe Ladies          2 – 4       Newcastle United Womens FC

Plate

Birm’ham & West Mid     3 – 1       Crewe Alexandra Ladies FC

Long Eaton United           0 – 2       Chorley Ladies

County Cup

Barnsley FC Ladies            H – W     AFC Dronfield

Bolton Wanderers            1 – 5       Blackburn Rovers Ladies

Chester le St Town           P – P       South Shields LFC

Leeds United                     1 – 1       Farsley LFC (Pen 4-5)

Women’s FA Cup

Brighouse Town Ladies   6 – 3       Wolverhampton Wands Womens

Midland Division One

Burton Albion Ladies        P – P       The New Saints LFC

Women’s Premier League Cup

Leicester City Women     3 – 1       Loughborough Foxes Women

Plate

Birm’ham & West Mid     3 – 1       Crewe Alexandra Ladies FC

Long Eaton United           0 – 2       Chorley Ladies

County Cup

Doncaster Belles               1 – 2       Rotherham United Ladies

Oughtibridge WMSC        P – P       Sheffield United Ladies

Sporting Khalsa                 18 – 0     Wyrley Ladies

South East Division One

Enfield Town Ladies         6 – 0       Haringey Borough Women

Leyton Orient WFC           P – P       AFC Wimbledon Ladies

South West Division One

Basingstoke Town            3 – 6       St Nicholas Ladies

Larkhall Athletic                0 – 6       Southampton Womens

Maidenhead United FC    3 – 2       Cheltenham Town Ladies

Women’s Premier League Cup

Cardiff City Ladies            1 – 2       Plymouth Argyle Ladies

Yeovil celebrate (Photo: Terry Fisher)

Following considerable hard work from all departments, an application was submitted that allowed Yeovil Town Ladies FC to fulfil the FA’s criteria for Tier 1 status.

The criteria meant that the club had to put plans into place, that were expected to take 2-3 years, in 2 months.

The club are delighted to have achieved this status but the hard work continues now as the club put this plan into action and are calling on your support in maintaining this status.

The club have extended their gratitude to all current partners: business, education, charity and others, for their support in this application and look forward to growing their community further in the coming months and years.

Finally, they give special mention to the YTLFC faithful. The club’s mantra, Achieve By Unity, has really been put into practice this season and this will form the foundation for the club’s future.

More details will follow about initiatives and plans that are incorporated into the application in due course.

Report courtesy of Yeovil Town Ladies FC