Domestic and International Women's Football

Women's football operates across multiple levels - from iconic global tournaments to weekly domestic league fixtures. Understanding how these competitions fit together helps make sense of the sport's fast-growing global structure.

Competition Level	Example Competitions	Type	Organised By	Cadence
Global Tournaments	FIFA Women's World Cup, Olympic Games	National teams	FIFA, IOC	Every 4 years
International Clubs	UEFA Women's Champions League	Club teams (Europe)	UEFA	Annual
Continental Teams	UEFA Women's EUROs	National teams	UEFA	4 years
Domestic Leagues	Barclays Women's Super League, NWSL (USA)	Club teams	National FAs / Leagues	Annual (seasonal)
Domestic Cups	FA Women's Cup, Copa de la Reina	Knockout club tournaments	National FAs	Annual

Women's Football On TV

Catch the biggest moments in women's football live and free on Eurovision Sport. From the UEFA Women's EUROs to the AFC Women's Champions League, plus highlights from Europe's top leagues, it's your all-access pass to the game's most exciting matches wherever you are.

Growth Of Women's Football

The rise of women's football is no longer a future goal - it's happening now. Across the globe, new leagues are launching, historic structures are being professionalised, and more players than ever are stepping into full-time careers. Here are just a few key milestones driving the game forward:

League	Region	Launch	Info
USL Super League	USA	August 2024	10+ new pro teams across U.S. cities
Northern Super League	Canada	April 2025	Canada's first professional women's league
AFC Women's Champions League	Asia	2024-25 season	New continental club competition in Asia
Saudi Women's Premier League	Saudi Arabia	2022 (launched), 2024-25 (10 teams)	Rapid expansion since launch
France LFFP	France	2024	Top two divisions professionalised under LFFP

These leagues are helping drive global visibility, investment, and career pathways in women's football. The women's game is no longer emerging - it's thriving.

When Does The Women's Football Season Start

The start of the women's football season varies by country:

Country	League	Season Start
England	WSL	September-October
Spain	Liga F	Early September
France	Division 1	Late August
USA	NWSL	March
Germany	Frauen-Bundesliga	August-September

Cup competitions like the FA Women's Cup, UEFA Women's Champions League, and Olympic qualifiers often run alongside domestic fixtures.

International Women's Football

International tournaments are where the world watches. From the World Cup and Olympics to newer competitions like the UEFA Women's Nations League, these events define legacies, crown champions, and elevate the visibility of women's football around the globe. Below, you'll find key tournaments broken down by format, significance, and recent milestones.

Women's Football World Cup

The FIFA Women's World Cup is the premier international tournament in women's football, held every four years. It showcases the world's best national teams and has grown into one of the most-watched events across global sports.

	Info
Founded	1991
2023 Champions	Spain (first title) - beat England 1-0 in Sydney
Teams	32 teams (expanded from 24 in 2019)
Schedule	Every four years (last: July-August 2023; next: 2027)
Top Nations	USA (4 titles), Germany (2), Japan, Norway, Spain
Record Attendance	90,185 at 1999 final; avg ~30,911 per match in 2023
Prize Money	$10.5M USD to Spain; $110M total pot (tripled from 2019)

Women's Football Olympics

Women's football at the Olympic Games has become one of the sport's most prestigious international stages. Held every four years, it features national teams and offers global visibility equal to the World Cup.

	Info
First Held	1996 (Atlanta Olympics)
Current Champions	United States - Gold medal winners at Paris 2024
Teams	12 national teams (group + knockout stages)
Schedule	Every 4 years (last: Paris 2024, next: Los Angeles 2028)
Qualification	Based on continental competitions (e.g. EUROs, CONCACAF, AFC)
Top Nations	USA (5 golds), Germany, Norway, Canada
Prize Money	No official prize pot from IOC; bonuses paid by individual federations

Women's Euros

The UEFA European Women's Championship (Women's EUROs) is the premier international tournament for national teams in Europe. Held every four years, it showcases the best of European women's football.

	Info
Founded	1984
Current Champions	England (2022)
Teams	16 national teams
Season	Every 4 years (current: July 2025 in Switzerland)
Top Nations	Germany (8 titles), Norway, England, Netherlands
Prize Money	€16 million total (2022); expected to increase in 2025

UEFA Women's Nations League

Launched in 2023, the UEFA Women's Nations League is a new competition for European national teams, created to offer more competitive, meaningful fixtures and help determine qualification for major tournaments like the UEFA Women's EUROs and the Olympics.

By contrast, the UEFA Women's Champions League is a long-running club competition featuring Europe's top domestic teams. Here's how they compare:

	UEFA Women's Nations League	UEFA Women's Champions League
Type of Competition	International (national teams)	Club (domestic league champions & top qualifiers)
Who Competes	European national teams (e.g. England, France, Spain)	European club teams (e.g. Barcelona, Chelsea, Lyon)
Organised By	UEFA	UEFA
First Edition	2023	2001 (as UWCL since 2009)
Held	Every 2 years	Annually (Autumn-Spring)
Current Champions	Spain	Arsenal
Purpose	Improve competitiveness & link to Olympic/EURO qualifying	Determine the top club team in Europe
Final Format	Teams play in leagues (divisions), then semi-finals and a one-off final	Group stage - knockouts (home and away) - single match final

Women's International Club Competitions

While national leagues build weekly consistency, continental club competitions elevate the best teams across borders. These tournaments - like the UEFA Women's Champions League and the newly launched AFC Women's Champions League - offer elite matchups and the chance for clubs to earn global recognition.

Here's how the top continental competitions are shaping the women's game.

UEFA Women's Champions League

The UEFA Women's Champions League (UWCL) is Europe's premier club competition, featuring the continent's best teams competing for the highest honour in women's club football.

	Info
Founded	2001 (rebranded as UWCL in 2009)
Current Champions	Arsenal (2025)
Teams	16 in group stage, with qualifying rounds across Europe
Season	Autumn to spring, with a single-leg final
Top Clubs	Lyon, Barcelona, Wolfsburg, Chelsea
Prize Money	Up to €1.4 million for winners (performance-based)

AFC Women's Champions League

The AFC Women's Champions League is Asia's newly launched top-tier women's club competition, introduced in the 2024-25 season by the Asian Football Confederation. It was created to raise the competitive standard of women's football in Asia and give elite clubs across the continent a platform to compete internationally.

	Info
First Season	2024-25
Current Champions	Wuhan Jiangda (China) - defeated Melbourne City in the final
Teams	8 in group stage (with regional qualifiers)
Schedule	August 2024 - May 2025
Final Venue	Wuhan Sports Centre Stadium (China)
Where to Watch	Eurovision Sport
Format	Group stage followed by knockout rounds (quarter-finals to final)

Women's Club World Cup

The FIFA Women's Club World Cup is a long-anticipated global tournament set to bring together the best women's club teams from every continent from 2028. The competition would mirror the men's format - pitting top clubs from Europe, Asia, the Americas, and beyond against each other on a world stage.

Domestic Women's Club Competitions

These are competitions that take place within a single country and form the backbone of weekly women's football. They include both league-based formats (like the WSL and NWSL) and knockout-style tournaments (like the FA Cup).

Women's FA Cup

The FA Cup is England's premier domestic cup competition in women's football. Open to teams across all tiers, it's known for its history, drama, and knockout-style format.

	Info
Founded	1970
Current Champions	Chelsea (2025)
Teams	Over 400 entered in 2023-24
Season	November - May
Final Venue	Wembley Stadium
Prize Money	£430,000 for winners (2023-24); £6M total pot

Women's Super League

The Barclays Women's Super League (WSL) is the top professional women's football league in England. It features some of the world's best players and clubs, and continues to lead in investment, viewership, and competitiveness.

	Info
Founded	2010 (fully professional since 2018)
Current Champions	Chelsea (2024-25 season)
Teams	12 clubs
Season	September - May
Top Clubs	Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City
Prize Money	Approx. £500,000 for the champions (2023-24 season)

NWSL

The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is the top professional women's football league in the U.S., known for its elite talent and competitive play.

	Info
Founded	2012
Current Champions	Orlando Pride
Number of Teams in NWSL	14 (e.g. Portland Thorns, San Diego Wave, Angel City FC)
Season	March to November (includes playoffs and a final)
International Talent	Players from USA, Brazil, Canada, Australia & more

The NWSL is a global hub for elite women's football, known for its high energy, physicality, and passionate fan bases.

Best Women's Football Team

Teams like the USA, Germany, and Norway have led the way in international women's football, winning multiple titles across the World Cup, Olympics, and continental tournaments.

Nation	World Cup Titles	Olympic Golds	UEFA Women's EUROs	Other Continental Titles	Notable Facts
USA	4 (1991, 1999, 2015, 2019)	5 (1996, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2024)		CONCACAF W Championship: 9	Most decorated team in women's football
Germany	2 (2003, 2007)	1 (2016)	8 (1989, 1991, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2013)		Record holders in European competition
Norway	1 (1995)	1 (2000)	2 (1987, 1993)		Early pioneers in global women's football
Spain	1 (2023)				Youth dominance, first WC title in 2023
Japan	1 (2011)			AFC Women's Asian Cup: 2	First Asian team to win the World Cup
England			1 (2022)		Hosts and winners of EURO 2022
Brazil			Copa América Femenina: 8		South America's most dominant women's team