Upfront - A Women's Football Podcast

Danish international Sofie Junge Pedersen is at the forefront of a powerful movement urging Fifa to end its sponsorship deal with Saudi oil giant Aramco over human rights violations and environmental concerns. Rachel sat down with Sofie to find out why her open letter - signed by over 100 players - is a crucial step forward in driving change, the power footballers have to make a real difference, a...

The season’s big showdown is almost here: Chelsea vs Manchester City. On today’s pod, Chloe and Rachel look at the numbers behind Chelsea’s sensational start – and whether Man City can stop them. Elsewhere, Arsenal surprise us pleasantly and – sadly – unpleasantly this week, while it was a difficult reality check for Brighton on Friday night. Plus, we meet the National League footballer who is try...

After a tough start to their first WSL campaign, Crystal Palace captain Aimee Everett is here to give us the lowdown on how they’ve steadied the ship, what’s surprised her most about the league and what it means - as a 23-year-old woman - to be a leader at this level. Plus, Aimee reveals which team she watches in her spare time - even if she is forced to - and tackles the all-important q...

Over a quarter of the way through the season and Aston Villa, West Ham and Everton are still winless. Who’s going to drag themselves out of the mire first?! Clo and Rach discuss that and put the WSL’s new TV rights deal under the microscope. What does it mean for the game and for the fans? Tune in to find out! Join the Official Upfront fantasy WSL league! Click here and enter the code IKNCM61. Fol...

To mark the final day of Black History Month, Chloe sat down with a true trailblazer in English football: the first black woman to play for the Lionesses, Kerry Davis. From being picked to play for England ‘out of the blue’ to holding the top goalscorer record and getting to that famous Euro 1984 final, Kerry revisits some of the standout moments that defined her storied career. Plus, she tells us...

Alright everyone, stay calm - the Lionesses have lost a game. Nothing to panic about. Chloe and Rachel pick through a chaotic Friday night at Wembley that finished Germany 4-3 England and ask what changes Sarina Wiegman should make ahead of their friendly against South Africa tonight. Elsewhere, Ireland turned on the style in Georgia but Wales struggled in their Euro 2025 qualifier - who’s going t...

The level of youth women's football is better than it's ever been. Rach is in the Dominican Republic for the U17 World Cup and sat down with England's head coach Natalie Henderson to find out more. Natalie reveals some of the biggest challenges preparing for this tournament, shares the toughest part about her job and explains why youth football's ever-improving level has been so important for her...

Karate Kaneryd struck on Sunday night with a stunning volley as Chelsea sunk Spurs 5-2. But it wasn’t a game without controversy! Chloe and Rachel discuss the return of the goal line technology debate after no one – linesman included, fans included, Rachel in sunny Dominican Republic included – managed to get a good angle of Hannah Hampton’s fumble. Elsewhere, we check in with Arsenal after two so...

Just as we were about to press record… Jonas Eidevall resigned as Arsenal head coach. What went wrong? Had things reached fever pitch with the Arsenal fanbase? Chloe and Rachel discuss that and reflect on how the negative environment around Arsenal points to a worrying shift in women’s football culture. Plus, are Manchester United proving people wrong? And we discuss what we learned from the openi...

Today, former Aston Villa manager Carla Ward joins Chloe and Rachel in the studio for a special, all-encompassing chat. We get the lowdown on her time in Paris working with Emma Hayes and the USWNT. And yes, their afterparty was as wild as we imagined! Elsewhere, Carla opens up about her reasons for leaving Villa, the need for more psychological support in the game and how she navigated the pressu...

Chloe and Rachel look back on two drama-filled games in the WSL, featuring some brilliant goals – looking at you, Marie Höbinger. Plus, we welcome the return of the Champions League with both open arms and worrying thoughts about Arsenal after their stinking performance against Everton. And is that… Chelsea vs Real Madrid? Again?! Join the Official Upfront fantasy WSL league! Click here and enter...

North Korea won the Under 20 Women’s World Cup for a third time last month, meaning they are now one of the most successful sides in the tournament’s history. So how has such a politically isolated country forged such a strong presence on the global stage? We’re joined by Tokyo-based sports journalist Alex Bishop, who talks us through that winning moment in Bogotá, their rise as a women’s football...

It was Rach’s birthday yesterday! And Chloe has a cake for her. And candles! Lots and lots of candles. After nearly burning down the studio, they discuss Spurs’ late comeback against Aston Villa which featured some proper vintage performances from some WSL golden-oldies. Plus, both Manchester clubs pick up three points – but neither of them impress. There’s also the small matter of Chelsea vs Man...

Everything is on the line for Arsenal and Jonas Eidevall tonight as they head into their decisive second leg qualifier. Can they turn it around? Today, Rachel is joined by Arseblog writer Tim Stillman, who breaks down what went wrong in the first leg, why patience for Jonas Eidevall is running thin and whether fans should be confident or concerned about Arsenal’s chances. Plus, Tim outlines the co...

The 2024/25 WSL season is officially underway! Chloe and Rachel are here to react to it all – including countless controversies (or so Chloe tells us) and a so-close-yet-so-far goal of the season contender from Sabrina D’Angelo. We see you, Sabs, going up for a corner in the 86th minute. And we respect you. Elsewhere, we share what we learned about Sonia Bompastor’s Chelsea and Robert de Pauw’s im...

And Chloe has hatched a plan. Why wouldn’t you want to pop yourself in the boot of Viv Miedema and Beth Mead’s car to find out what they’re talking about before Arsenal vs Man City? Chloe and Rachel have a bumper preview show for the return of the WSL. Will the Emirates edge give Arsenal the advantage, or will Miedema come back to haunt them?  Elsewhere, we ponder on what to expect from Chels...

It’s time. Chloe and Rachel put their flagpoles in the sand as they reveal their big WSL predictions ahead of the new season! Who will be this season’s overachievers? Which summer signing will be the league’s best newcomer? And who’s going to win the whole thing? Plus, why are we worried about West Ham and which striker can turn s*** into goals? There’s only one way to find out. Listen and subscri...

Rachel is joined by Spurs’ head coach Robert Vilahamn for a special, wide-ranging interview! He dials in from Spurs’ pre-season training camp to reflect on his first season in the WSL. He reveals his biggest high of the season – and the moment where he stopped being ‘that Swedish guy’ – and explains just how the squad bought into his ideas so quickly. Plus, Robert outlines the four pillars of ‘Bob...

That’s a wrap on the Olympics! And just 84 days after winning the WSL with Chelsea, Emma Hayes had a gold medal with the USWNT around her neck. Rachel was there in Paris and chats with Chloe all about the final – including a special goodbye for Marta. But as Spain head home medal-less, what happened to them? And did this tournament teach us some harsh lessons about player fatigue? Plus, Chloe and...

Come for a bumper Upfront, stay for Chloe’s impersonation of a drone. Chloe and Rachel are BACK! They discuss the story so far at Emma Hayes’ USA – with some mixed performances, but an Olympic semi-final under their belt already. Plus, they react to Ann-Katrin Berger’s heroics and Marta’s red card villainy. Har Johal also joins us to explain how spygate has gone down in Canada and where Bev Priest...

While some of football’s biggest names are being chased by elite clubs in Europe and beyond this summer, one story has shown the stark economic reality of women’s football: Reading FC Women. At the end of June, they notified the FA that they would not be able to compete in the Championship this season because of insufficient funds; now, they are re-entering the pyramid in the fifth tier. This week...

But do England fans need to start changing their expectations? Chloe and Rach react to that edgy 0-0 draw with Sweden in Gothenburg which secured the Lionesses’ qualification for Euro 2025. We discuss the Alessia Russo conundrum, whether Hannah Hampton can keep hold of the No.1 jersey, and what the qualification campaign as a whole has told us about next summer’s title defence. Plus, bloody hell I...

The Lionesses downed Ireland last week, but some familiar problems in front of goal left Chloe and Rachel longing for the days of Ellen White! We discuss why Sarina Wiegman’s England are missing that clinical edge and what needs to change ahead of a tough test against Sweden. Plus, we talk about the latest wicked whispers on the transfer market – including Lyon trying to snatch Katie McCabe and a...

We’re back! We’re separated by an ocean and haven’t spoken in a few weeks but we had to jump on for another episode, as the transfer market hots up and England prepare for some crucial Euro 2025 qualifiers. Today, we wonder what on Earth is going on at Man United, as legends like Mary Earps and Katie Zelem have let their contracts expire and left a club that seems unsure of what it needs to do nex...

We’re back with a bonus episode after England tried the exact same thing against France - but got a win! We celebrate some impressive performances from Hannah Hampton and Alessia Russo and wonder if England’s stuttering form is because they don’t have a tournament to conquer this summer. Plus, Ireland put in another good showing but will finish bottom of the group after losing to Sweden. Follow us...