Originally announced as a Division III league for 2025 before multiple delays and a change in status, the new competition now has 15 clubs committed across the United States. If it gets off the ground, it would create around 300 additional professional playing opportunities.
That is unquestionably positive, but significant questions remain over the league's long-term viability.
The geographical spread of clubs immediately raises concerns. Teams are located from California and Colorado to Texas, the Midwest and the East Coast, creating substantial travel demands at a time when airline costs have risen sharply. Recent examples, such as Spokane Zephyr's collapse in the USL Super League after struggling with travel costs, highlight the financial realities facing women's professional football in North America.
The WPSL has long prided itself on being an affordable amateur league since its launch in 1998, but operating a professional competition requires a very different level of organisation. Historically, WPSL clubs have frequently folded, withdrawn or altered schedules at short notice, with inconsistent standards across facilities and operations. Those issues cannot carry over into a professional environment if the league hopes to survive.
The opportunity is certainly there. The United States has never successfully established a nationwide Division II women's league, and the WPSL Pro could fill an important gap between amateur football and the country's two Division I competitions. Whether it can combine ambitious expansion with financial sustainability remains the central question.
Chelsea shine again in World Sevens Football
Another experimental competition also continues to search for its place in the women's football calendar.
The third edition of the World Sevens Football tournament was staged in London at Brentford's Gtech Community Stadium, although organisers significantly reduced prize money from previous events. Winners Chelsea collected $500,000, compared to the $2 million awarded in earlier tournaments.
Despite the lower financial incentives, the football again delivered entertainment.
Chelsea claimed the title after a dramatic 6-5 victory over Manchester United in the final, with England forward Aggie Beever-Jones producing a remarkable four-goal performance, including two strikes in the closing three minutes. She finished the tournament with eight goals and five assists to win both the Golden Ball and Golden Boot awards.
Manchester United's Melvine Malard and Jess Park also impressed among the leading scorers, while Aston Villa goalkeeper Sabrina D'Angelo collected the Golden Glove before subsequently joining AFC Toronto in Canada's Northern Super League.
The seven-a-side format continues to generate entertaining matches, with shorter games, unlimited substitutions and no offside law creating constant attacking football. However, questions remain over the tournament's commercial future. Attendances have remained modest despite television interest, and organisers still need to demonstrate that the concept can become more than a series of entertaining exhibition events.
UEFA weighs Women's Champions League final hosts
European football is also looking ahead, with UEFA set to decide the hosts of the 2028 and 2029 Women's Champions League finals later this year.
Bilbao, Lyon, Basel and Istanbul are competing for the 2028 final, while Dublin's Aviva Stadium has entered the race for 2029 alongside Lyon, Basel and Cardiff's Millennium Stadium. UEFA is expected to announce its decisions in September.
Gomez heads to Sweden as Mariners face uncertainty
In Australia, Matildas midfielder Izzy Gomez has secured a move to Swedish club Rosengard after winning the Julie Dolan Medal as the Ninja A-League Women's best player.
The 23-year-old leaves Central Coast Mariners after playing a pivotal role in their recent success and arrives at a Rosengard side battling against relegation after dominating Swedish football earlier this decade. Gomez joins fellow Australian Remy Siemsen in Sweden and will hope to help revive the club's fortunes during the second half of the Damallsvenskan season.
Australia and Mexico also shared honours during their June international series. Mexico claimed the opening match 1-0 thanks to an injury-time winner from Diana Ordonez before the Matildas responded with a convincing 3-1 victory three days later. Ellie Carpenter celebrated her 100th international appearance during the series, while Caitlin Foord captained Australia for the first time in her 150th match.
The biggest story in Australian women's football, however, continues to surround the uncertain future of Central Coast Mariners.
New investors Total Soccer Growth Holdings have completed their purchase of the Mariners, but only the men's team and academy structure form part of the acquisition. The Ninja A-League Women's side has been left behind, forcing Australian Professional Leagues officials into a race against time to find separate ownership before the new season begins.
Players and staff have spoken openly about their frustration, revealing they discovered the news through media reports and social media rather than directly from club management. Several players remain under contract but still have no clarity over whether they will even have a team to represent next season.
The situation becomes even more concerning when viewed alongside the uncertainty surrounding Canberra United and the already folded Western United women's programme. The APL is effectively trying to secure investors for three separate clubs at once, an unenviable task just months before the new campaign begins.
Women's football in Australia has enjoyed unprecedented international success through the Women's World Cup and the upcoming Women's Asian Cup, but those achievements contrast sharply with the instability affecting the domestic league. Unless ownership solutions are found quickly, the Ninja A-League risks shrinking further and encouraging more of Australia's leading players to pursue overseas careers at increasingly younger ages.
- Read the full version at Tim Grainey's Substack. His latest book is Beyond Bend it Like Beckham on the global game of women’s football. Get your copy today. Follow Tim on Twitter: @TimGrainey