The 2021/22 Women’s Champions League will usher in a new era for the competition. For starters, for the first time since 2016, Lyon have been pushed off the podium, with Barcelona clinching their inaugural title after a 4-0 win over Chelsea in Gothenburg. Lluís Cortés’s side will kick off their campaign in the all-new 16-team group stage, a major innovation designed to increase the standard of and interest in the competition.
Barcelona set an example for the rest to follow with a whirlwind first half, jumping to a 4-0 lead before cruising to the title in the second half. It was sweet reward for the Blaugrana, who were beaten 4-1 by Lyon in the 2019 final. “I’m very proud of this team because we deserve it,” said Aitana Bonmatí, scorer of Barcelona’s third. “We've been working hard since the final in Budapest [in 2019] and we set ourselves a challenge, which was to get to another final and win it. And that’s what we did.”
Never before has a club won both the men’s and women’s Champions League and Barcelona will now defend their title with the eyes of the continent upon them. “It’s what the players have wanted for a long time,” said Manchester City and England defender Lucy Bronze of the new approach. “It’s what the teams have wanted and it’s the best thing for women’s football now – to get more of the top teams playing, and having more games with these top teams playing against each other more consistently.
The 2021/22 Women’s Champions League will usher in a new era for the competition. For starters, for the first time since 2016, Lyon have been pushed off the podium, with Barcelona clinching their inaugural title after a 4-0 win over Chelsea in Gothenburg. Lluís Cortés’s side will kick off their campaign in the all-new 16-team group stage, a major innovation designed to increase the standard of and interest in the competition.
Barcelona set an example for the rest to follow with a whirlwind first half, jumping to a 4-0 lead before cruising to the title in the second half. It was sweet reward for the Blaugrana, who were beaten 4-1 by Lyon in the 2019 final. “I’m very proud of this team because we deserve it,” said Aitana Bonmatí, scorer of Barcelona’s third. “We've been working hard since the final in Budapest [in 2019] and we set ourselves a challenge, which was to get to another final and win it. And that’s what we did.”
Never before has a club won both the men’s and women’s Champions League and Barcelona will now defend their title with the eyes of the continent upon them. “It’s what the players have wanted for a long time,” said Manchester City and England defender Lucy Bronze of the new approach. “It’s what the teams have wanted and it’s the best thing for women’s football now – to get more of the top teams playing, and having more games with these top teams playing against each other more consistently.
“It’s important to include the lower-ranked nations as well. They need the exposure and it’s a balance between getting the top teams playing and making sure we don’t leave anybody behind. We want to grow women’s football together.”
That aim will be furthered by the news of a new broadcasting partnership with sports streaming platform DAZN, who will show all games from the group stages onwards for the next four years. And for the first two of those years, all 61 of those matches will be available for free on their YouTube channel.
“There will be a lot of attention on the group stage, a set of games that are going to be the most competitive in women’s football, with the biggest stars,” said Chelsea captain Magdalena Eriksson. “It’s a really exciting time to be a female footballer.”
Qualifying begins 28 July, building up to Matchday 1 of the new group stage on 5 and 6 October. The final will be at the Juventus Stadium on 22 May. Ready?
The 2021/22 Women’s Champions League will usher in a new era for the competition. For starters, for the first time since 2016, Lyon have been pushed off the podium, with Barcelona clinching their inaugural title after a 4-0 win over Chelsea in Gothenburg. Lluís Cortés’s side will kick off their campaign in the all-new 16-team group stage, a major innovation designed to increase the standard of and interest in the competition.
Barcelona set an example for the rest to follow with a whirlwind first half, jumping to a 4-0 lead before cruising to the title in the second half. It was sweet reward for the Blaugrana, who were beaten 4-1 by Lyon in the 2019 final. “I’m very proud of this team because we deserve it,” said Aitana Bonmatí, scorer of Barcelona’s third. “We've been working hard since the final in Budapest [in 2019] and we set ourselves a challenge, which was to get to another final and win it. And that’s what we did.”
Never before has a club won both the men’s and women’s Champions League and Barcelona will now defend their title with the eyes of the continent upon them. “It’s what the players have wanted for a long time,” said Manchester City and England defender Lucy Bronze of the new approach. “It’s what the teams have wanted and it’s the best thing for women’s football now – to get more of the top teams playing, and having more games with these top teams playing against each other more consistently.
The 2021/22 Women’s Champions League will usher in a new era for the competition. For starters, for the first time since 2016, Lyon have been pushed off the podium, with Barcelona clinching their inaugural title after a 4-0 win over Chelsea in Gothenburg. Lluís Cortés’s side will kick off their campaign in the all-new 16-team group stage, a major innovation designed to increase the standard of and interest in the competition.
Barcelona set an example for the rest to follow with a whirlwind first half, jumping to a 4-0 lead before cruising to the title in the second half. It was sweet reward for the Blaugrana, who were beaten 4-1 by Lyon in the 2019 final. “I’m very proud of this team because we deserve it,” said Aitana Bonmatí, scorer of Barcelona’s third. “We've been working hard since the final in Budapest [in 2019] and we set ourselves a challenge, which was to get to another final and win it. And that’s what we did.”
Never before has a club won both the men’s and women’s Champions League and Barcelona will now defend their title with the eyes of the continent upon them. “It’s what the players have wanted for a long time,” said Manchester City and England defender Lucy Bronze of the new approach. “It’s what the teams have wanted and it’s the best thing for women’s football now – to get more of the top teams playing, and having more games with these top teams playing against each other more consistently.
The 2021/22 Women’s Champions League will usher in a new era for the competition. For starters, for the first time since 2016, Lyon have been pushed off the podium, with Barcelona clinching their inaugural title after a 4-0 win over Chelsea in Gothenburg. Lluís Cortés’s side will kick off their campaign in the all-new 16-team group stage, a major innovation designed to increase the standard of and interest in the competition.
Barcelona set an example for the rest to follow with a whirlwind first half, jumping to a 4-0 lead before cruising to the title in the second half. It was sweet reward for the Blaugrana, who were beaten 4-1 by Lyon in the 2019 final. “I’m very proud of this team because we deserve it,” said Aitana Bonmatí, scorer of Barcelona’s third. “We've been working hard since the final in Budapest [in 2019] and we set ourselves a challenge, which was to get to another final and win it. And that’s what we did.”
Never before has a club won both the men’s and women’s Champions League and Barcelona will now defend their title with the eyes of the continent upon them. “It’s what the players have wanted for a long time,” said Manchester City and England defender Lucy Bronze of the new approach. “It’s what the teams have wanted and it’s the best thing for women’s football now – to get more of the top teams playing, and having more games with these top teams playing against each other more consistently.
“It’s important to include the lower-ranked nations as well. They need the exposure and it’s a balance between getting the top teams playing and making sure we don’t leave anybody behind. We want to grow women’s football together.”
That aim will be furthered by the news of a new broadcasting partnership with sports streaming platform DAZN, who will show all games from the group stages onwards for the next four years. And for the first two of those years, all 61 of those matches will be available for free on their YouTube channel.
“There will be a lot of attention on the group stage, a set of games that are going to be the most competitive in women’s football, with the biggest stars,” said Chelsea captain Magdalena Eriksson. “It’s a really exciting time to be a female footballer.”
Qualifying begins 28 July, building up to Matchday 1 of the new group stage on 5 and 6 October. The final will be at the Juventus Stadium on 22 May. Ready?
The 2021/22 Women’s Champions League will usher in a new era for the competition. For starters, for the first time since 2016, Lyon have been pushed off the podium, with Barcelona clinching their inaugural title after a 4-0 win over Chelsea in Gothenburg. Lluís Cortés’s side will kick off their campaign in the all-new 16-team group stage, a major innovation designed to increase the standard of and interest in the competition.
Barcelona set an example for the rest to follow with a whirlwind first half, jumping to a 4-0 lead before cruising to the title in the second half. It was sweet reward for the Blaugrana, who were beaten 4-1 by Lyon in the 2019 final. “I’m very proud of this team because we deserve it,” said Aitana Bonmatí, scorer of Barcelona’s third. “We've been working hard since the final in Budapest [in 2019] and we set ourselves a challenge, which was to get to another final and win it. And that’s what we did.”
Never before has a club won both the men’s and women’s Champions League and Barcelona will now defend their title with the eyes of the continent upon them. “It’s what the players have wanted for a long time,” said Manchester City and England defender Lucy Bronze of the new approach. “It’s what the teams have wanted and it’s the best thing for women’s football now – to get more of the top teams playing, and having more games with these top teams playing against each other more consistently.
