Are young English players being failed in the women's game?Number of minutes played by homegrown teenagers in top women's leagues.🏴1,897🇪🇸17,806🇩🇪13,657🇫🇷11,030🇮🇹6,323A broken loan system has seen several youngsters move abroad. Long-read here:https://t.co/NgsoA9cLiX— Kathryn Batte (@KathrynBatte) April 4, 2026 Rachel Maltby accounts for 846 of those minutes. Katie Reid and Michelle Agyemang, who both suffered ACL injuries last year, account for much of the rest. https://t.co/7UX87qr7HO— Kathryn Batte (@KathrynBatte) April 4, 2026 Sonia Bompastor said last month that Chloe Sarwie was the only academy player currently capable of training and playing for Chelsea’s first team. Thoughts from Lauren Smith and Evie Rabjohn on the loan market here too. https://t.co/7UX87qr7HO— Kathryn Batte (@KathrynBatte) April 4, 2026
No Leah Williamson for Arsenal’s FA cup match today. So she will be going in cold if she is straight back starting against Spain,
Only 1 English starter for Liverpool women, Mia Enderby. Brighton only started with 2, Fran Kirby and Maisie Simmonds. Arsenal had 4. Lotte Wuben-Moy, Taylor Hinds, Beth Mead and Chloe Kelly. The lack of English minutes is going to catch up eventually. The WSL is only European league that has such a low % of domestic minutes.
Does WSL have bigger budgets than even strongest European leagues? Having won at International level; consecutive European championships plus a World Cup silver medal, doubt very much it's simply lack of talent being produced in England. Agyemang barely playing for Arsenal tells a story. WSL expansion might not improve % but it will provide more potential squad places obviously. Fully expect they're not really planning to stop with 14 clubs either as these changes always seem to ultimately add more and more teams. England lost opening game at Montaigu on 30 March 1-0 to China and then couple of days later lost by same score to Japan. Last group game was a goalless draw with France. Placement round saw Japan beat China in the final to lift the trophy. Would've been nice for England to have played a different nation (Portugal and Mexico were also competing) but the way tournament works they faced hosts France again, and England finished with a 2-1 victory. Squad (Move your mouse to reveal the content) Squad (open) Squad (close) Believe this was our squad: 01 Victoria Rudz (Chelsea) 02 Ella-Rose Boothe (Chelsea) 03 Amie Bush (Tottenham) 04 Zohal Roshad (Brighton) 05 Sophie Leach (Chelsea) 06 Annie Joy Boichat (Chelsea) 07 Ayomide Junaid (Benfica) 08 Naile Yemeru (Man City?) 09 Ella Carr (Sting Austin) 10 Queenie Barnes (Chelsea) 11 Tia Brooks 12 Neeve McDonald 13 Hannah Kirk (Leicester) 14 Izzie Breen (Liverpool) 15 Iwelu Onyechukwumemefu 16 Vanessa Komarnicka (Sheffield United) 17 Eva Doyle (Chelsea) 18 Ella Abayomi (Chelsea) 19 Macy Bangura (Durham) 20 Angelina Bramble (QPR?) 21 Chloe Marchal (Manchester United) 23 Jamalia Toure (Crystal Palace) 24 Betty Fisher (Chelsea)
couple of reasons for those poor numbers is that from top to bottom, the WSL is the only real professional women’s league in all of Europe. The other top leagues like France & Germany usually filter out by the time they get half way down the line & usually either got kids going to college or even high school as well as players that work part time jobs to make ends meet(or got rich parents) Also the WSL is intend to be the next woso league in the world(which I think they are now), so they keep buying all the elites (and this what English terns have to compete with for playing time. Currently Australia Japan Sweden. Netherlands & whole a lot more are using the WSL as their own flagship league for their NT’s to play in.
Keira Barry and Niamh Charles have been called up for our upcoming @FIFAWWC qualifiers against Spain and Iceland.Read our #Lionesses squad update ⤵️— Lionesses (@Lionesses) April 7, 2026 Tuesday 7 April, 11am Keira Barry and Niamh Charles have been called up to the England squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. Forward Barry, currently with Bay FC in the NWSL and originally selected for the WU23s squad, receives her first senior call-up having represented the Lionesses throughout the pathway. Charles, capped 31 times and part of the EURO 2025 winning squad, has returned from injury after featuring in Chelsea’s last three games. Freya Godfrey has withdrawn with a shoulder injury and will remain at London City Lionesses for treatment. Barry will be replaced in the WU23s by Vivienne Lia as their European competition campaign concludes and a semi-final against the Netherlands awaits. A senior squad of 24-players will arrive at St. George’s Park later today in preparation to face Spain on Tuesday 14 April at Wembley Stadium, connected by EE, before travelling to Reykjavik to play Iceland in the historic 500th game for the Lionesses on Saturday 18 April. Jessica Pegram has also been called into the England WU19s squad for round two of qualifying for the UEFA Women’s Under-19 EUROs. The defender replaces Simone Sherwood who has withdrawn with injury. Lauren Smith’s side will play three ties in Switzerland during the April international window, as they vie for a place in this summer’s finals. A first #Lionesses call-up! 🙌Congratulations to Keira Barry 💪 pic.twitter.com/g9LpiecnAQ— Lionesses (@Lionesses) April 7, 2026 Keira Barry played in each of Bay FC’s four games this season and scored her first goal at the end of March.A sign for young players not getting game time in English clubs that taking the chance on a move abroad can bring rewards. https://t.co/xaoo1S6v1H— Kathryn Batte (@KathrynBatte) April 7, 2026
Major structural changes to the Women's National League, including four Women's Super League academy sides entering tier three of the pyramid from 2027 and the introduction of a mid-season split similar to that used in Scotland, have been proposed by the Football Association - The Guardian
England U19s kick off their #WU19Euro Round 2 qualification against Latvia this afternoon. Kick off 16:30 BST.Here’s how Lauren Smith’s side line up: pic.twitter.com/cUeb1HNXTN— Girls on the Ball (@GirlsontheBall) April 9, 2026
#YoungLionesses | All over in Biel and England U19s come away with a dominant 5-0 victory over Latvia.Liverpool's Zara Shaw + Villa's Rachel Maltby scored in the first half.Layla Drury (Man Utd), Chloe Hylton (Carolina Ascent) + Vera Jones (Bristol City/Chelsea) added 3 more… pic.twitter.com/e1F50aItiD— Girls on the Ball (@GirlsontheBall) April 9, 2026 Good start.
FT | England U19s 2-3 Wales U19All over in Vevey and it is Wales who earn a huge win over England. Scarlett Hill's double added to Emily Cole's finish proved too much for Lauren Smith's side.This is where qualification gets complicated:- Switzerland will head to the Euros… pic.twitter.com/Px4TSvVYrV— Girls on the Ball (@GirlsontheBall) April 12, 2026 Disastrous performance.
Updated possibilities. FT | England U19s 2-3 Wales U19All over in Vevey and it is Wales who earn a huge win over England. Scarlett Hill's double added to Emily Cole's finish proved too much for Lauren Smith's side.This is where qualification gets complicated:- Switzerland will head to the Euros… pic.twitter.com/OiquymeLKN— Girls on the Ball (@GirlsontheBall) April 12, 2026
To correct the below, he permutations are complicated and my little maths brain shouldn't have even tried. Essentially, a 2-0 win for England vs Switzerland should send them through whatever. But a big if. https://t.co/upTy5kU2aH— Girls on the Ball (@GirlsontheBall) April 12, 2026
A big matchday for our U23 #YoungLionesses! 👊🆚 Netherlands🏟️ Murcia Stadium🕒 3pm (UK)📺 Live on YouTube— Lionesses (@Lionesses) April 13, 2026 Sarina Wiegman on Leah Williamson: "Well, of course she’s a question mark for tomorrow. She will be on the pitch today. We’ll make a decision after this training session."— Emma Sanders (@em_sandy) April 13, 2026
Our U23 #YoungLionesses to face the Netherlands 🦁Good luck, girls 💪 pic.twitter.com/Bw7eWHQCYw— Lionesses (@Lionesses) April 13, 2026 Goodwin smashes the ball home! 🙌Our #YoungLionesses take the lead immediately after the restart 👏 pic.twitter.com/cCVCu61igl— Lionesses (@Lionesses) April 13, 2026 Our #YoungLionesses are through to Friday's final! 🎉 pic.twitter.com/JFWagaz2iO— Lionesses (@Lionesses) April 13, 2026 Into the final. Pretty good performance.
Chloe Sarwie is your #YoungLionesses Player of the Match, connected by @EE! 💫 pic.twitter.com/hbsOYyNYj8— Lionesses (@Lionesses) April 13, 2026 Commentary raved about her. Left footed future senior left back was their hope.
No Willamson tonight according to UEFA’s squad list. Walsh will therefore captain on her 100th appearance. Not entirely sure who will partner Greenwood.
Your #Lionesses to take on Spain! 💪 pic.twitter.com/VbyaMeoiQ4— Lionesses (@Lionesses) April 14, 2026 So Grenewood at left back and Wubben-Moy and Morgan at centre?. Kendall also gets a big start.