The latest episode of the Women's Football Weekly has landed.
Former Scotland defender Jen Beattie and England's record goalscorer Ellen White are with host Ben Haines as usual, this time to reflect on the first round of international games this week.
They also reveal who they believe is the unsung hero of the women's game.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Women's Super League has confirmed details for the end of this season and the start and finish points for the 2026-27 campaign.
Saturday, 16 May: All games kick-off at 13:00 BST
Saturday, 23 May: Play-off between third-placed side in WSL 2 and team that finishes last in WSL
4-6 September: Opening weekend of 2026-27 season
21-23 May: Final matches of 2026-27 campaign
As always, the BBC will bring you the best of the action.
Image source, Getty ImagesChelsea have confirmed the appointment of Phil Radley as women's team sporting director.
Radley will start work next month following nearly a decade at Danish side FC Nordsjaelland.
He replaces Paul Green, who was head of women's football at Chelsea before leaving the club earlier this month after 13 trophy-laden years.
"I'm very proud to be joining Chelsea FC Women," Radley said. "This is a team filled with talent and tenacity, that has an incredible record of success and an exciting future.
"I look forward to working closely with Sonia, the players and the rest of the football staff across the club to play a part in writing the next chapter of this club's great success story."
Chelsea say Radley's role will include performance strategy, squad planning and succession planning as well as overseeing player recruitment, contracts and all negotiations with players' agents and representatives.
Image source, Getty ImagesManchester City have triggered a one-year option in the contract of striker Vivianne Miedema to keep her at the club until 2027.
The Dutch forward has been exceptional this season, scoring eight goals to help City pull clear at the top of the Women's Super League.
She has also supplied five assists and forged a formidable partnership upfront with league top scorer Khadija Shaw.
"There is no place I'd rather be right now than at City," Miedama told the club website, external. "The steps we've made this season have been really good and I am really excited about what that will lead to.
"Since the day I walked in here, I've felt really welcomed and appreciated and that is now always a given.When I look at way we play, why wouldn't you want to join that right now."
The 29-year-old is currently on international duty with the Netherlands before games in Poland on Tuesday (17:00 GMT) and against the Republic of Ireland next Saturday, 7 March (19:45 GMT).
Twenty eight players spanning every club in the WSL will be at the Asian Cup, though they all play for either Australia (12) or Japan (16).
Any player whose nation reaches the final will miss matchdays 17 and 18 of the WSL season.
The final is also scheduled two days before the first leg of the last eight in the Women's Champions League for Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United.
Given the strength of both Australia and Japan, it is highly likely the players listed below will not be available for their clubs at a crucial stage in the season.
Some have proactively taken steps to counter this, with Manchester City moving in January for US star Sam Coffey to bolster their midfield in the absence of Yui Hasegawa.
"It's definitely a tough one," former Scotland and Arsenal defender Jen Beattie said on the Women's Football Weekly podcast. "The travel is pretty insane and even when the players come back they will take a few days to re-calibrate.
"But it is part of football. Clubs that sign these players know they will be missed when called up so have plans in place."
Australia: Steph Catley, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Caitlin Foord (Arsenal), Charlize Rule (Brighton & Hove Albion), Ellie Carpenter, Sam Kerr (Chelsea), Clare Wheeler (Everton), Emily van Egmond (Leicester), Alanna Kennedy (London City Lionesses), Mary Fowler (Manchester City), Clare Hunt (Tottenham Hotspur), Katrina Gorry (West Ham).
Japan: Maya Hijikata (Aston Villa), Moeka Minami, Kiko Seike (Brighton & Hove Albion), Honoka Hayashi, Rion Ishikawa, Hikaru Kitagawa (Everton), Fuka Nagano, Risa Shimizu (Liverpool), Saki Kumagai (London City Lionesses), Aoba Fujino, Yui Hasegawa, Ayaka Yamashita (Manchester City), Hinata Miyazawa (Manchester United), Maika Hamano, Toko Koga (Tottenham Hotspur), Riko Ueki (West Ham).
Read more on the Asian Cup here
The Women's Football Weekly team have been discussing the impact of the international break on teams in the Women's Super League with a two-and-a-half week gap until the next games.
Former Scotland and Arsenal defender Jen Beattie and England's record goalscorer Ellen White highlighted London City Lionesses and Everton as sides that could be most affected.
"When you get a new manager like London City have, all you want is time," explained Beattie. "You want more moments on the training ground, especially if a lot is being changed and I have heard quite a lot has done in terms of methodologies and day-to-day processes.
"This will give them more consistency with the manager and more time on the pitch.
"At the same time, after that loss to Tottenham [on penalties in the FA Cup], the first thing you want to do is play another game to erase that memory!"
Meanwhile, Everton have won three in a row in the WSL to escape from danger at the bottom of the league while some of their rivals have slipped back since the start of the year.
"They might be frustrated to lose momentum," said White. "Others such as Aston Villa and Leicester might value the chance to regroup."
Image source, Getty ImagesThe WSL champions and runners-up will enter the league phase of the Women's Champions League, with the third-placed side entering in the third round of qualifying.
If an English team wins the Champions League but finishes outside the top three, they will qualify for the league phase.
The bottom-placed WSL team will face a play-off against the third-placed WSL 2 team. With the WSL expanding to 14 teams for 2026-27, the top two teams in WSL 2 will earn automatic promotion.
Image source, Getty ImagesMillwall have apologised to their supporters club, fan advisory board and Millwall Lionesses after the scheduling of a London City Lionesses game at The Den on Saturday, 21 March (12:00 GMT)
The fixture between London City and Chelsea has been brought forward from the Sunday because of the latter's participation in the Champions League quarter-finals later that week.
And with Bromley, where London City usually play, also at home that day, the fixture has been moved to The Den under the Women's Super League's requirement that all clubs have a secondary stadium option for use as needed.
However, given London City were created after splitting from Millwall Lionesses in 2019, the club have recognised this arrangement has not been unanimously welcomed.
Last week, Millwall supporters club reacted to the news with a statement on social media, external, accusing London City of "stealing" Millwall Lionesses' position in the women's game and rejecting the deal, adding: "Some things are more important and worth more than money!"
With the game now confirmed, Millwall Football Club issued a statement, external of their own, acknowledging "more thorough consultation should have taken place" and saying they "sincerely apologise for the upset this caused".
They go on to say they are "fully aware" of the history between Millwall Lionesses and London City and understand "the strength of feeling".
While the game will take place as scheduled at The Den, Millwall say they currently have "no plans for further collaboration" with London City and pledge that all the revenue generated by the club from this fixture will be reinvested back into Millwall Lionesses.
They also make renewed commitments to their women's team, guaranteeing the fifth-tier side one game a season at The Den, enhancing marketing services and establishing a working group between the club, Millwall Lionesses and Millwall Community Trust.
Millwall's supporters club has welcomed the update, external, accepting the club's "acknowledgement that they were wrong not to have put [Millwall Lionesses] centre stage in their thoughts from the start".
They add: "From this, however, came an opportunity and we will work with our Lionesses and the club to ensure that the full potential of it is met."
Image source, Getty ImagesThe draw for the Women's FA Cup fifth round will take place on Monday, 23 February about 19:00 GMT.
It is scheduled to run just before London City Lionesses host Tottenham in the final game of the fifth round.
Numbers for the draw are below:
1 Manchester City or Sheffield United
2 Liverpool or Everton
3 Chelsea or Manchester United
4 Oxford United or Charlton Athletic
5 West Ham United or Brighton & Hove Albion
6 London City Lionesses or Tottenham Hotspur
7 Birmingham City or Chatham Town
8 Arsenal or Bristol City
