The Womens Champions League is back, this time bigger and, with a new 18-team format and a single group stage table, potentially more competitive than ever.
Matches will be streamed on Disney+ in the UK and Paramount+ in the U.S. The first round of fixtures begins Tuesday, with holders Arsenal facing eight-time winners OL Lyonnes and last seasons finalists Barcelona hosting German giants Bayern Munich.
The Athletic walks you through the big talking points for the week, from the change in format to the potential fortunes of the three English clubs on Europes greatest stage.
The Womens Champions League switches to the Swiss model this season, mirroring the mens competition, which has used the format since last season.
The new model replaces the former traditional group stage with one league phase, in which every point counts towards progression to the knockout rounds.
The 18 qualified teams were split into pots of three, according to their UEFA coefficient, and were drawn against two teams from each pot, with three matches away and three at home.
Teams finishing in the top four progress directly to the quarter-finals. Teams finishing between fifth and 12th advance to Februarys knockout round play-offs, where they will compete to complete the last-eight line-up.
The decision to move to a Swiss model was undertaken to increase the jeopardy of the competition, particularly as the quality of teams increases across the game.
While there is acknowledgement that smaller teams, such as Norways Valarenga, could be on the receiving end of heavy defeats with the shift in format, the benefits of seeing top seeds clash early in the competition mean more overall interest. One high-ranking UEFA delegate also pointed to The Athletic that it offered an opportunity for exposure for smaller teams when facing larger teams more regularly, both on the pitch and off it.
Its worth remembering that Arsenal were underdogs heading into last seasons final against three-time European champions Barcelona, and their historic 1-0 win represented the first time in 18 years that an English club had lifted the trophy, when Arsenal did so in 2007.
Many will have tipped Arsenal to be one of the favourites this season, particularly with the permanent signing of England winger Chloe Kelly and the historic £1million ($1.3m) signing of Canada international Olivia Smith from Liverpool.
However, Arsenals 3-2 Womens Super League (WSL) defeat by Manchester City over the weekend extended Arsenals winless run to three matches, dropping them to fifth in the WSL table and further exposing flaws in defensive solidity and execution in the final third.
As far as recovery matches go, a clash with eight-time winners OL wouldnt be the preferred choice. Arsenal can at least find confidence in recent history. It was last season in the Champions League semi-finals when Arsenal overcame a 2-1 home defeat by OL with a resounding 4-1 second-leg victory in France.
That OL team looks different from the one Arsenal will face on Tuesday. Owned by Michele Kang, OL have been busy in the transfer market, signing ex-Paris Saint-Germain striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto, ex-Wolfsburg attacker Jule Brand, and USWNT internationals Korbin Shrader and Lily Yohannes.
The most influential acquisition this summer arrives in the dugout in former Barcelona coach Jonatan Giraldez. Arriving from OLs sister club, Washington Spirit, Giraldez boasts a pedigree in Europe few else can, having led the Spanish giants to back-to-back Champions Leagues. The challenge for Giraldez will be moulding all of the talent at his disposal into a cohesive unit.
Arsenal represent a significant litmus test for just that, though the early signs are positive. OL sit top of the French Premier Ligue after four matches, with a 6-1 victory over rivals PSG already.
Pressure will be high in this opening match, on Arsenal to turn around their domestic form, and on Giraldez to deliver on the European stage fast given the summers business.
Arsenal vs OL, Tuesday, October 7 (8pm BST / 3pm ET). Streamed on Disney+ in the UK and the U.S..
The question that comes to haunt every season. Domestic treble winners, WSL champions six years running, yet ineffably incapable of finding triumph in Europe.
Former OL boss Sonia Bompastor was hired last season to finally help Chelsea claim the title that eluded former manager Emma Hayes for 12 years. However, Chelsea instead crashed out in spectacular fashion in the semi-finals, losing 8-2 on aggregate against Barcelona to mark the third successive season they failed to make it past the last four.
And so Chelsea have regrouped and restocked. Enter: right-back Ellie Carpenter from OL, USWNT winger Alyssa Thompson from Angel City, the return of striker Sam Kerr to fitness following her 22 months out with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, and the ongoing rise of forward Aggie Beever-Jones.
While Chelseas perfect start to the WSL season came to an end on Friday against Manchester United, Bompastors side showed they have a competitive edge that few others can match and remain the side to beat.
Chelsea face the spectre of Barcelona in the coming weeks, a test as much of Chelseas credentials for the future as their ability to shake off the past. Their league phase draw is favourable in helping Chelsea work to that point, starting with a familiar opposition in FC Twente, whom Chelsea defeated 9-2 on aggregate in last seasons group stages.
Twente vs Chelsea, Wednesday, October 8 (5.45pm BST / 12.45 ET)
Qualifying for Europe represents a major milestone in Manchester Uniteds ongoing quest to be a big-name player in the womens game. But they arrive as underdogs, their first-ever European campaign already casting doubts about whether United have not only the mettle to compete, but the bodies to do so.
United, who finished third in the WSL last season, signed just three players this summer, in England midfielder Jess Park from Manchester City, left-sided attacker Fridolina Rolfo on a free from Barcelona, and midfielder Julia Zigiotti Olme from Bayern Munich.
All three signings have already proven shrewd and worthwhile, with United still undefeated in the WSL and just two points off leaders Chelsea. Yet, its hard to argue that Uniteds squad strength goes deeper than 12 or 13 players, making competing on multiple fronts a challenge.
Uniteds league phase casts them against big names, from Juventus, OL, Wolfsburg and PSG, which will see United face former goalkeeper Mary Earps.
In this way, Uniteds debut campaign could end up being a crucial signal to club ownership of the self-imposed ceiling if more investment is not provided.
United have a relatively kind baptism to their European campaign on Wednesday, with a home match against Norwegian side Valerenga, who have only been in the competition once before and finished bottom of their group. But United will feel a need to prove they deserve to be in this competition from the start.
Manchester United vs Valeranga, Wednesday ( 8pm BST / 3pm ET)
What do you do when you lose the Champions League final by a one-goal margin? Apparently, if youre Barcelona, you enter into cost-cutting mode.
That Barcelona, who reached a fifth successive Champions League final last season, reduced their squad number because of a need to save money sparked outrage. You can read more here about what happened at the Spanish giants this summer from our Barcelona correspondent, Laia Cervello Herrero.
The reality is Barcelona headed into the 2025-26 season with just 17 first-team players, with another 17 lost in the market, including Jana Fernandez and Lucia Corrales to London City Lionesses, Rolfo to United and Ingrid Engen to OL.
It is disconcerting to see words such as frail or thin in such close proximity when writing about Barcelona. Its worth mentioning that most of Barcelonas big players are still very much wearing the shirt and, at least domestically, still doing pretty well. They are top of the Primera Division, with six wins from six and a total of 31 goals scored and one conceded.
But Barcelona have lost depth and any key injuries could leave them in serious trouble as the season progresses.
Barcelona face Bayern Munich on Tuesday. It is a tasty clash, not least because Bayern have been dealt one of the harshest draws of anyone, with Barcelona, Arsenal, PSG and Juventus all on the cards. It means Bayern, who completed their first German double last season but failed to impose themselves in Europe, will be looking to start this campaign with a statement. The return of German midfielder Lena Oberdorf to fitness after a year out with an ACL injury is a huge boost.
Barcelona vs Bayern Munich, Tuesday (8pm BST / 3pm ET)
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Champions League, Women’s Soccer
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