Who Will Reign Supreme? Breaking Down the Contenders, Drama, and Burning Questions in the 2025–26 Women's Champions League
Europe's elite women's football clubs are gearing up for battle as the UEFA Women's Champions League (UWCL) returns this week.
Beginning this week, 18 squads will compete for the prestigious title, culminating in the final on May 24, 2026 at Oslo's Ullevaal Stadion.
Following last season, the UWCL has grown from 16 to 18 teams. The tournament has also transformed from a group stage format of four pools with four teams each to an 18-team league structure where each club continues to play six matches (three at home and three away).
Let's explore some of the major storylines and clubs to monitor as the 2025–26 UWCL begins.
Can Arsenal defend their title?
Arsenal surprised many by defeating Barcelona 1-0 in last year's final in Lisbon. It marked Arsenal's first European title since 2007 and concluded an incredible finish to their turbulent 2024–25 campaign. The burning question now is: Can the Gunners successfully defend their crown?
Last year's fairy-tale journey that included dramatic comeback victories in the quarterfinals and semifinals was orchestrated by manager Renée Slegers, who initially served as interim boss after Jonas Eidevall stepped down in October 2024.
During the summer transfer window, Arsenal invested over $1 million to secure Canadian talent Olivia Smith from Liverpool, and she will provide additional exciting flair and courage on the flank. The Gunners also kept England Women's Euro 2025 star Chloe Kelly, who was on loan from Manchester City during the latter half of last season.
Arsenal are currently missing England captain and club icon Leah Williamson due to injury. However, the UWCL journey is lengthy, and early-round performances won't necessarily determine their tournament fate.
After all, if the Gunners find their rhythm, they could prove unstoppable.
Will this be the season Chelsea breaks their European jinx?
Few teams instill as much dread in West London supporters as Barcelona. That's because Chelsea's previous three campaigns have all concluded with semifinal losses to Barcelona.
The Blues have never claimed the UWCL trophy in their history. Their closest attempt came in 2021, when they fell to (predictably) Barcelona 4–0 in the final.
It's difficult to imagine a squad with Chelsea's depth from top to bottom. Sam Kerr is just recovering from a knee injury, and Chelsea have countered Mayra Ramírez's injury by investing over $1 million in USWNT talent Alyssa Thompson.
Meanwhile, in midfield, Sjoeke Nüsken and Erin Cuthbert have been competing for positions despite being two of the globe's most respected box-to-box players. Simultaneously, young Japanese prodigy Maika Hamano is developing into a world-class attacking force.
Chelsea's complete dominance in England since head coach Sonia Bompastor assumed control is remarkably impressive: three trophies secured and zero WSL matches lost. But is Chelsea's tactical versatility and playing style sharp enough to triumph on the continental stage?
The expectation will be reaching the semifinals at minimum, with a final appearance or maiden UWCL triumph predicted by many. This squad, in its second season under Bompastor, must elevate their performance from an already exceptional baseline.
High-spending Lyon commands attention
No team has matched Lyon's UWCL legacy. The complete supremacy and eight championships claimed by the French powerhouse between 2010 and '22 will likely remain unmatched.
Last year's semifinal against Arsenal was disastrous. After securing a 2–1 first-leg victory in North London, Lyon returned home only to suffer a crushing 4–1 defeat to the eventual champions. It was a chaotic encounter that sparked a significant response.
Summer acquisitions of superstars Ingrid Syrstad Engen, Ashley Lawrence and Jule Brand, alongside American prodigy Lily Yohannes has elevated this squad to unprecedented levels of elite talent and depth.
Lyon also secured former Barcelona manager and three-time Champions League winner Jonatan Giráldez. Here was the individual to maximize one of Europe's finest rosters, if not the world's.
Theoretically, nothing prevents Lyon from claiming a ninth title except themselves. The challenge is that it might be premature for this manager and player group to develop the tactics, structure and chemistry needed to capture the trophy in May.
Can Barcelona return to peak form?
The stunning defeat to Arsenal in Lisbon concluded Barcelona's two-year reign as European champions. Given that the Catalans also captured the UWCL in 2020–21 and reached the final against Lyon in 2021–22, there's no question they've been Europe's premier team over the past five years.
However, the loss to Arsenal certainly burst their bubble. It not only demonstrated that Barcelona are fallible but indicated that teams don't need to outplay Barcelona at their own style. Instead, disrupting their tempo and maintaining defensive discipline is sufficient. Once Barcelona exhausts their options, they become exposed.
During the summer, Barcelona retained many of their marquee players but lost several important squad contributors. Swedish international Fridolina Rolfö transferred to Manchester United, Engen moved to Lyon, while Spanish players Jana Fernández and Lucía Corrales both joined London City Lionesses. These departures were driven by financial considerations.
If Barcelona cannot access equivalent squad depth, it undermines their capacity to pursue a fourth UWCL title. The UWCL represents a marathon campaign that seldom allows a core starting XI to shoulder the burden alone.
Given the investment demonstrated by English clubs and Lyon, Barcelona's position this season will be extremely fascinating to observe.