Upfront - A Women's Football Podcast

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...

We’re back after England came out on the wrong side of a tussle with France - should we accept that this is part of the harder qualification process we asked for? Or is there cause for concern… We also recap some impressive performances from Scotland and Ireland, see Emma Hayes make her debut as the USWNT manager and discuss FIFA’s new maternity protocols that are definitely an improvement - but d...

Brazil is set to become the first-ever South American country to host a Women’s World Cup, as they’ve won the 2027 bid! So what will this World Cup look like? Brazilian football journalist Júlia Belas Trindade joins us to discuss the response to this announcement back home in Brazil, as well as the background behind their bid. And finally, they tackle the million-dollar question: could Brazil lift...

Barcelona toppled the mighty Lyon for the very first time on Saturday! Chloe and Rachel react to an epic spectacle and the fairytale ending to a difficult season for Alexia Putellas. Plus, we discuss who should start in midfield for the Lionesses against a tricky France side and Chair of Goaldiggers Gaia Lailder joins us to talk about a growing problem in grassroots football. Follow us on  Tw...

Who was our player of the season? Who was our manager of the season? And – most importantly of all – what was our WTF moment of the season?! The prestigious Upfront Awards are back. Join Chloe and Rachel to relive a glorious and dramatic season of WSL football! Follow us on  Twitter ,  Instagram , and  YouTube ! Email us show@upfrontpod.com . Sign up for the Football Ramble Patreon...

On the final day of the WSL season, Chloe and Rachel spoke to a range of Chelsea voices around Old Trafford about Emma Hayes, what she means to them, and her and the club’s future. They catch up with Mark and Prue, two of the founders of the Chelsea Women’s Supporters Group who remember times when there was just four(!) of them turning up at away games. We also chat with Tracy Brown, chair of Chel...

Chloe and Rachel reflect on the final weekend of the WSL and discuss the season’s winners and losers. Did Manchester City bottle it and how can they avoid the same slip-up next season? Will Arsenal’s decision to let Vivianne Miedema go turn the fans against Jonas Eidevall? And what’s the future for managerless Aston Villa and rudderless Brighton? We’ve got (some) of the answers to a...

Clo and Rach give their reactions to an astonishing day at Old Trafford and a fairytale ending for Emma Hayes. From Mayra Ramírez’s incredible display, to Fran Kirby’s emotional goal – we had a front seat and share all our insights from outside the stadium! Come join us. And don’t worry: we’ll be back as usual on Tuesday to look back on the final weekend across the WSL! Follow us on  Twitter...

The sun was out, the good times were flowing, Chloe and Rachel were back together at Box Park… the weekend felt like Euro 2022 all over again! And then - for Spurs - reality struck. Clo and Rach react to a huge victory for Manchester United to lift their first major trophy. Could this change the trajectory of their summer transfer window? And how do Spurs – especially Becky Spencer – come back fro...