CAF Women's Champions League Draw, New Coaching Hires, and Gender Policy Debates Headline Busy Day
Today's women's soccer roundup features major developments across club and international competitions. The 2025 CAF Women's Champions League group stage draw has been unveiled, promising balanced and exciting matchups with AS FAR and TP Mazembe both learning their opponents. JKT Queens and Asec Mimosas are set for intriguing battles as East and West African teams prepare for the competition. In the NWSL, significant debate continues over the league's lack of a comprehensive gender eligibility policy, with calls from both players and observers for more defined standards to ensure fair competition and continued growth for the league. Coaching news saw Barrera appointed as the first head coach of Hartford’s new women’s soccer team, a sign of growing investment in women’s clubs nationwide. Meanwhile, on the international stage, all eyes turn to the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, where Nigeria's Flamingos are set for a high-stakes Round of 16 clash with Italy. Domestically in collegiate soccer, brackets and weekly awards have been released for the OVC and CUNYAC conferences, while Canada previews its OUA women’s soccer championship. Lastly, England and Australia are set to face off in a widely anticipated women’s international friendly, underscoring the packed global calendar that is fueling the sport’s rapid momentum.