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UEFA Women’s Champions League, Quarter-Finals, Leg 1: Real Madrid Femenino vs Arsenal Women, 17:45 / 13:45. Arsenal have won seven of their last eight away games, while Madrid have claimed just one win in their last four and are chasing their first-ever Women’s UCL semi-final. Bayern Munich Women vs Lyon Women, 20:00 / 16:00. Bayern are unbeaten at home this season and have won seven straight matches, but Lyon arrive with five dominant wins in a row and are unbeaten in regular time all season as they chase a ninth European crown.

Results…

The international break is underway for the first time in 2025. During the break, the Uefa Nations League quarter-finals will begin on Thursday (Mar. 20) and the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign gets underway on Friday (Mar. 21).

The Nations League quarter-finals will be played over two legs, with the first leg on Thursday and the second leg on Sunday. Spain face the Netherlands, with Luis de la Fuente's side looking to win their third straight major title. Italy host Germany in the first leg, with the winner not only advancing to the last four but also confirming their status as host of the Nations League final. Meanwhile, Croatia take on France, while Denmark face Portugal. See the bracket here.

The 2026 World Cup qualifiers continue around the globe this week. During the international break, teams across all six FIFA confederations will play over 50 matches. Thomas Tuchel will take charge of England in his first game on Friday when the Three Lions host Albania at Wembley Stadium. See Europe’s qualifying fixtures here and South America’s qualifying fixtures here.

Host nations the United States, Canada and Mexico automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Lucas Paqueta’s betting charges hearing began on Monday as the FA seeks a lifetime ban for the West Ham midfielder. The hearing will last three weeks in one of the longest court proceedings in the FA’s history.

The Brazil international was charged with spot-fixing offences in four Premier League matches. While Paqueta didn’t place any bets, friends and family allegedly placed around 60 bets in total, mostly for small stakes. Paqueta is also facing two charges of failing to comply with the FA.

Paqueta denies any wrongdoing and vows to “fight with every breath to clear my name.” Dive deeper into Paqueta’s charges here.

The Premier League officially announces Puma as its Ball Supplier starting next season, ending a 25-year partnership with Nike. Puma replaced Nike as the Serie A ball supplier from the 2022-23 season and has also been La Liga’s official ball supplier since the 2019-20 campaign.

While it’s unclear which ball will be used next season, Serie A and La Liga both use Puma’s Orbita ball. It’s a highly rated ball described as feeling softer than most, flies consistently, and handles well in all weather. It’s also designed to be visible in low light. Watch a short review of Puma’s Orbita ball here.

Nike took over from Mitre as the Premier League supplier at the turn of the millennium with their debut Geo Merlin ball, which clocked up a total of 1,992 goals over two years. In 2004, Nike released the T90 ball with variations that would last four generations–it saw Everton's James Vaughan become the youngest ever Premier League goalscorer (see goal here) aged 16, 270 days, and West Ham’s Teddy Sheringham become the oldest player to score a Premier League goal aged 40, 268 days (see goal here).

See every Premier League matchday ball here.

> Manchester United are the second club, after Arsenal, in the Premier League to announce ticket prices will rise next season—prices will rise by 5% (More) | West Ham United forward Michail Antonio insists he will play football again when he recovers following a near-fatal road traffic collision (More)

> Preston striker Milutin Osmajic has been charged by the FA after being accused of racially abusing Burnley’s Hannibal Mejbri (More)

> Barcelona and Osasuna both disagree with the rescheduling of their postponed game for March 27 and plan to file an appeal against the decision (More)

> A Ligue 1 match was abandoned in the 63rd minute between bottom side Montpellier and fellow struggler Saint-Etienne when a fire broke out in a stand after flares were thrown by fans (More)

> A buyer has not been found for Scottish League One side Inverness Caledonian Thistle, putting the club at “significant risk” (More)

> Kevin Gameiro, 37, announces his retirement after 728 professional career matches (More)

> Lionel Messi scored for the first time this MLS regular season in a 2-1 victory at Atlanta United FC (Highlights); alternative angle of Messi’s goal (Watch) | Messi has also been left out of Argentina’s squad for World Cup qualifiers due to discomfort (More)

> Angel City FC and San Diego Wave drew 1-1 in their opener of the National Women’s Soccer League (Highlights): NWSL league table (More)

> Sergio Ramos collects his first red for Monterrey after kicking out at an opponent (Watch)

> El Salvador won the 2025 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship, earning a 2-1 win against Guatemala (More)

> A new report from FIFA showed that, while investment continues to increase in women's football, there remain vast global discrepancies in revenue and access to resources (More)

> Al-Nassr have been drawn to face Yokohama F Marinos from Japan in next month's quarter-finals of the Asian Champions League Elite (More)

Yesterday’s Poll: Can Kylian Mbappe go on to eclipse Cristiano Ronaldo’s legacy at Real Madrid?

🟨 🟨 🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ 🤩 Absolutely... (25%)

🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🙅‍♂️ Nope... (70%)

🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ✍️ Other... (5%)

Your punditry takes:

Visualising the distance Brazilian clubs travel for matches.

Club apologises for holding minute silence for ex-player who is still alive.

England’s North vs South fixture to go ahead.

Meet Lily Parr–the woman who scored 900 goals.

Which Premier League clubs will qualify for the UCL?

… and how 11th place could mean Europe.

Gatusso confronts Croatian pundit. (via X)

Analysing Man City’s poor defence on transition.

Adidas’ last Germany kit revealed. (video)

Players who have broken Guinness World Records.

BBC’s Premier League team of the week.

Question: Can you put these clubs in order of major trophies won in the history of English football? Highest to lowest.

Scroll below for the answer.

UEFA Women’s Champions League, Quarter-Finals

*All time in UK. ET -4. CST -5. PDT -7. MDT -6. CET +1.

Answer

Liverpool - 46. Manchester United - 44. Arsenal - 30. Manchester City - 27. Chelsea - 25. 

Read more about the most successful English clubs here.