Here's a breakdown of the latest football news, focusing on Tottenham Hotspur, Alessia Russo's contract extension with Arsenal, and the commencement of the Women's Super League (WSL) season.
Tottenham Hotspur
Daniel Levy has stepped down as Tottenham Hotspur's Executive Chairman after nearly 25 years in the role. Sky Sports News reports that Spurs' majority shareholders, the Lewis family, are committed to the club's long-term future and are not looking to sell their shares. Levy stated he is incredibly proud of the work he has done with the executive team and all employees, building the club into a global heavyweight. He added that the club has built a community and he will continue to support the club passionately. Sky Sports News suggests that Levy may have been asked to step down by the Lewis family, who want more success on the pitch. There is a feeling that Levy was maybe holding them back a little bit. This summer, Levy appointed Thomas Frank as the club's new men's manager and Martin Ho for the women's side, following the departures of Ange Postecoglou and Robert Vilahamn respectively. During his tenure, Spurs won the League Cup and the Europa League, as well as reaching the Champions League final under Mauricio Pochettino.
Tottenham has left Mathys Tel, Radu Dragusin, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, and Yves Bissouma out of their Champions League squad for the league phase. Maddison and Kulusevski are both currently long-term absentees through injury. Tottenham has reached an agreement with PSG for the transfer of Randal Kolo Muani on loan. Tottenham has agreed a deal with Girona to sell Bryan Gil for around £8.65m.
Alessia Russo's New Arsenal Deal
Alessia Russo has signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal. The length of the contract is undisclosed. Russo said that "Arsenal feels like home," and that playing for Arsenal is an honor. She added that she feels empowered with the Arsenal badge on her chest. Arsenal Women head coach Renee Slegers said Russo is a really important part of their group and brings so much more than goals, working hard for the team and contributing to the team culture. Arsenal director of women's football Clare Wheatley said that Russo is one of the best strikers in world football and keeping players like her at the club is crucial to achieving their goals.
Since joining Arsenal in July 2023, Russo has scored 36 goals in 72 games. She helped the team win the League Cup in 2024 and the Champions League in May. Last season, Russo jointly claimed the WSL's Golden Boot with Khadija Shaw, with 12 goals, and was named the Football Writers' Association's women's footballer of the year. Russo has been shortlisted for the Ballon d'Or.
WSL Season Begins
The 2025-26 Women's Super League season will be the 15th season of the WSL. The season began on September 5, 2025, and will end on May 17, 2026. Chelsea are the defending champions. The WSL will be expanding to 14 teams from the 2026–27 season. The 2025-26 WSL2 season will promote two teams, while the bottom side WSL team will play in a promotion/relegation play-off against the 3rd placed WSL2 side.
The WSL season is kicking off with a blockbuster match: Chelsea vs Manchester City. The game is being shown on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football. It is also being shown on Sky Mix, a free-to-air channel. The key dates for both the 2025-26 Barclays Women's Super League and Barclays Women's Championship seasons have been confirmed. The Barclays Women's Championship's campaign will end on May 2-3, with the Barclays WSL coming to its conclusion a fortnight later on May 16-17. The winter break will run from December 22 for each division, with league fixtures returning on January 10-11. Additionally, the Subway® Women's League Cup group stages will begin in late September and run until mid-November, with the quarter finals scheduled for December 20-21, semi-finals across January 21-22, and the final due to be contested on the weekend of March 14-15.
