On the first day of March the Women’s Asia Cup will kick off in earnest with no small amount of WSL talent ready to lace up their boots Down Under.
The start of a new year always brings fresh challenges for Barclays Women’s Super League sides. The January transfer window is in full swing and this month represents the last chance that teams can plan for a month without their Asian stars.
The impact on the league at large will be seismic. After England, Japan is the nation best represented in WSL minutes this term with Japanese footballers playing a cumulative total of 12,840. Australia also sit within the top ten nationalities with the most WSL minutes so far this season. That is before you consider the individual qualities of some of these players, qualities few can replicate.
Before kick off in Australia, The Halfway Line has taken a look at how each side in the WSL will be affected. With a potential domestic cup final and UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter finals due to clash with the Asia Cup window, there is plenty to discuss…
Arsenal
Players likely to be called up
Steph Catley [AUS], Caitlin Foord [AUS], Kyra Cooney-Cross [AUS]
At 978 minutes Steph Catley has been on the pitch more than any other Arsenal player in the league this term. Moving Catley to centre back has been one of the defining moments of Renée Slegers’ tenure in charge of the North London club, her influence on the side since has been history-making. Catley’s role in the side is widely recognised as that of a core member of the on field leadership group. Arsenal have depth at centre back, Lotte Wubben-Moy has stepped into the breach since the early season ACL injury to Katie Reid. Wubben-Moy has helped Arsenal turn their fortunes around. Leah Williamson also returned to make her first start at centre back just before Christmas. Laia Codina remains in reserve but for how much longer? Murmurs of a January move continue to find interested ears but the Asia Cup makes a move less likely. The concern for the Gunners at the back is not lost on Slegers who recalled 18 year old centre back Cecily Wellesley-Smith from her loan spell at Leicester City this month. The move was likely made for an abundance of caution but one injury in March at centre back could see Arsenal dangerously light.
Since signing for Arsenal in 2020 Caitlin Foord has made over 150 appearances and Arsenal’s reliance on her has rarely wavered. No winger has made more starts in the WSL under Slegers than Foord, and that remains true of this season, starting eight of the eleven matches so far. Foord does much of the unfashionable work a winger has to do and has had a couple of stand out performances this season. However after increasing her goal involvement output in the WSL and UWCL to 12 last term, so far this, the Australian only has one in both competitions. With extra depth in wide areas this season Arsenal may deal with her absence better than they could have this time last term.
The final Australian sure to be selected for the Asia Cup of a red and white persuasion in the WSL is diminutive midfielder Kyra Cooney-Cross. Cooney-Cross is difficult to place in Slegers’ plans, at times she seems integral to the Gunners moving forward, at others she seems to struggle for a look in. After the 23 year old from Queensland played in 19 of Arsenal’s league games last term it had been hoped she would take up a more regular starting place this season. And while the former Hammarby midfielder has only started three matches in the WSL so far, she has started in each of Arsenal’s last seven matches in all competitions. That run coincided with Arsenal’s upturn in fortunes, winning six and drawing one with Cooney-Cross named Arsenal’s Player of the Month for December. The Australian might be missed more keenly than initially anticipated.
Fixtures likely to be missed:
Potential Adobe Women’s FA Cup fifth round tie – 22nd February
London City Lionesses (A) WSL / Potential Subway Women’s League Cup final – 15th March
West Ham (H) WSL – 21st March
Potential UEFA Women’s Champions League tie – Chelsea (H) Quarter final first leg 24th – 26th March
Aston Villa
Player likely to be called up
Maya Hijikata [JPN]
Aston Villa’s summer signing Maya Hijikata is the only player in Aston Villa’s ranks likely to be called up in March. Hijikata has made five appearances for Japan scoring two goals, and ranks on the bubble for selection for the tournament by Nils Nielsen. As much as Hijikata has impressed in her brief cameos this term, Aston Villa managed the first half of the WSL season largely without her due to the forward’s injuries, they will be prepared to go without her for the Asia Cup.
Fixtures likely to be missed:
Potential Adobe Women’s FA Cup fifth round tie – 22nd February
Manchester City (H) WSL – 15th March/Potential postponement if opponent makes Subway Women’s League Cup final
Leicester City (A) WSL – 22nd March
Brighton
Players likely to be called up
Moeka Minami [JPN], Kiko Seike [JPN]
Eligible but doubts over their participation
Charlize Rule [AUS], Fuka Tsunoda [JPN]
Kiko Seike and Moeka Minami have both been consistent figures in the spine of the Japanese national team for the past few years. Seike and Minami have a combined total of 95 caps for Japan and they are well placed to add to that tally in March. Japan’s front four is regularly a combination of Kiko Seike, Maika Hamano, Aoba Fujino and Mina Tanaka with Bayern Munich’s Momo Tanikawa recently staking a claim of her own. If fit it seems inconceivable that Seike nor Minami, a relative constant in defence would not be picked.
Fuka Tsunoda is one of the brightest young talents in world football. The defensive midfielder played four matches at the Under 20s World Cup in September 2024, even captaining the side against Ghana in the groups. However Tsunoda is yet to receive a senior cap for Japan and with squad spaces at a premium coupled with the talent in the Japanese ranks, this tournament may come too soon.
Despite a prolific career at underage level with Australia, Charlize Rule has only made one senior appearance for the Matildas and that came back in 2023. The hope for Rule will be that a new head coach in Joe Montemurro will provide her with another look in. In Australia’s most recent camp, though Rule was omitted initially, after Charli Grant pulled out with injury Rule returned to the squad. However she did not see many minutes on the pitch but the call up demonstrated she was in the thoughts of the head coach. The former full back turned centre back has started nine of Brighton’s eleven WSL matches this term impressing with her consistency giving herself a chance of an Asia Cup spot. If she can continue that form she seems worthy of a place but it is not a journalist in London that she needs to convince.
Fixtures likely to be missed:
Potential Adobe Women’s FA Cup fifth round tie – 22nd February
Chelsea (A) WSL – 15th March/Potential postponement if opponent makes Subway Women’s League Cup final
Liverpool (H) WSL – 22nd March
Chelsea
Players likely to be called up
Ellie Carpenter [AUS], Sam Kerr [AUS]
If there were any doubts about the summer signing of Ellie Carpenter for Chelsea, they were dismissed almost instantaneously after a stand-out performance against Manchester City on her debut. For the most part her reputation has only grown on this island and for all the talk, the return of Lucy Bronze only seems to have boosted her performances. Of course, having Bronze will no doubt be key to Chelsea’s plans to deal without Carpenter who will be selected for her nation if fit.
Only recently the Blues had to get used to life without the imperious attacking talents of their most iconic Australian for over 18 months. Sam Kerr only recently returned and is threatening to get somewhere close to her best again after she returned from an ACL injury. Kerr now has four goal involvements in her past three matches for Chelsea while Aggie Beever-Jones has failed to score in the WSL since September. Beever-Jones has demonstrated she can be the player Chelsea need when Kerr is missing, but she will need to remind Sonia Bompastor of that again in early 2026. Caterina Macario has shown glimpses of what she is capable of but they have been all too often infrequent. The forward tends to excel on international duty more than in Chelsea blue and rumours continue to swirl that she may even leave Cobham this window.
Fixtures likely to be missed:
Potential Adobe Women’s FA Cup fifth round tie – 22nd February
Brighton (H) WSL/Potential Subway Women’s League Cup final – 15th March
London City Lionesses (A) WSL – 22nd March
Arsenal/OH Leuven (A) UWCL Quarter final first leg – 24th – 26th March
Everton
Players likely to be called up
Maz Pacheco [PHI], Clare Wheeler [AUS], Honoka Hayashi [JPN], Rion Ishikawa [JPN], Hikaru Kitagawa [JPN], Yuka Momiki [JPN]
The opening match of the Asia Cup will kick off on 1st March when hosts Australia face Philippines in Perth and two Everton stars will find themselves on opposite sides of the pitch. Clare Wheeler will run out to play for the hosts while Maz Pacheco lines up for the visitors. Pacheco is the only player in the WSL representing a nation outside of Japan and Australia likely to travel to the Asia Cup. While Japan and Australia will both be aiming to win the trophy, Philippines target will be more modest. It is a difficult group they find themselves in, alongside the hosts they have South Korea and Iran with Iran the highest ranked fourth seed. If the Filipinas fail to advance from the group their tournament could be over as soon as 8th March but having made the semi final four years ago they will be confident they can advance.
Honoka Hayashi has scored many of the Toffee’s most important goals in the past couple of years. This season alone she scored Everton women’s first goal at the Hill Dickinson Stadium while also netting the vital winner that ended Chelsea’s historic domestic unbeaten run. The midfielder’s absence is likely to the most keenly felt of Everton’s Asian charges. Brian Sørensen’s side will lose more players than any WSL team to the Asia Cup, making this January more important to his side than most. Four of their top seven players with the most minutes this season in the WSL will travel to the Asia Cup.
In key areas they will be lacking, Clare Wheeler has made the most progressive passes of any Everton player this term while no Everton player has blocked more shots than Rion Ishikawa. Yuka Momiki has blocked the second most passes with three Japanese players in the top five for passes blocked for Everton this term. Sitting in tenth with difficult fixtures during the Asia Cup, extra pressure falls on their matches either side of the tournament. Everton bookend the Asia Cup with WSL home ties against West Ham and Liverpool, both could well be must wins.
Fixtures likely to be missed:
Potential Adobe Women’s FA Cup fifth round tie – 22nd February
Tottenham Hotspur (A) WSL – 15th March
Manchester United (A) WSL – 21st March
London City Lionesses
Players likely to be called up
Alanna Kennedy [AUS], Saki Kumagai [JPN]
Saki Kumagai and Alanna Kennedy are two of the most capped active players in world football. Kumagai, a FIFA World Cup winning captain with Japan in 2011 has 163 caps while Kennedy, who helped her side to the semi final of the last World Cup has 142. While Kumagai has taken like a duck to water to the WSL, Kennedy has struggled. Kumagai is likely to be a significant miss but London City have the largest squad in the division.
The Australian on the other hand left the WSL to join Angel City in early 2025 before returning to England in the summer. Kennedy has not started for London City in the WSL since the heavy defeats in their opening two matches against Arsenal and Manchester United. The Sydney native was also sent off against England in a recent friendly that may have given Montemurro pause for thought on her inclusion. However her ability to play both centre back and central defensive midfield as well as her leadership and goal threat are likely to see her get the nod come March.
Fixtures likely to be missed:
Potential Adobe Women’s FA Cup fifth round tie – 22nd February
Arsenal (H) WSL – 15th March/Potential postponement if opponent makes Subway Women’s League Cup final
Chelsea (H) WSL – 22nd March
Leicester City
Players likely to be called up
Emily van Egmond [AUS]
The signing of Emily van Egmond came somewhat out of the blue in the summer but the Australian demonstrated her worth to the Foxes quickly. It was van Egmond’s header that gave Leicester City their first win of the season over Liverpool, a season defining moment for both clubs. She has featured in every single Leicester City WSL match so far this term starting nine of the eleven matches, that will be tempered by the Asia Cup. Joe Montemurro will select van Egmond, 32 goals in 163 games for her nation makes that inevitable. She will be a significant miss for the Foxes and her absence will mean they are missing a certain dynamic in attack.
Fixtures likely to be missed:
Potential Adobe Women’s FA Cup fifth round tie – 22nd February
Liverpool (A) WSL – 15th March
Aston Villa (H) WSL – 22nd March
Liverpool
Players likely to be called up
Risa Shimizu [JPN], Fuka Nagano [JPN]
Liverpool have been one of the most active sides in the January transfer window so far and they have shown no signs of slowing down. Action this month was dearly needed, Liverpool’s squad was incredibly thin even before the Reds suffered through an injury crisis before Christmas. Liverpool have signed direct cover for Risa Shimizu in the form of former BK Häcken footballer Alice Bergstrom. Bergstrom can play higher up the pitch but played the majority of last season at right back for BK Häcken, and she excelled. The Swedish under 23 international, completed the second most successful dribbles in the league with 117, the joint most key passes with 52 and secured 12 goal involvements.
With Marie Höbinger out for the season the potential loss of Nagano in March would leave Liverpool dangerously light in the centre of midfield. As reported by Barbra O’Connell in the Cork Echo, legendary Irish midfielder Denise O’Sullivan appeared to be nearing a move to Liverpool from North Carolina Courage. O’Sullivan would be a welcome addition to the Reds midfield, one crying out for leadership. However nothing is confirmed as of yet. If they are unable to secure the transfer of O’Sullivan before the Asia Cup the WSL club will need a back up plan.
Fixtures likely to be missed:
Potential Adobe Women’s FA Cup fifth round tie – 22nd February
Leicester City (H) WSL – 15th March
Brighton (A) WSL – 22nd March
Manchester City
Players likely to be called up
Yui Hasegawa [JPN], Aoba Fujino [JPN], Ayaka Yamashita [JPN]
Eligible but doubts over their participation
Mary Fowler [AUS], Aemu Oyama [JPN]
Manchester City’s title charge has already passed a number of tests, but this might be the biggest. City will be without three starters, most notably their pendulum in the middle of the park, the player that gives them balance, Yui Hasegawa. No player has made more through balls this term than Hasegawa. This season Andrée Jeglertz has implemented a change of shape in midfield. While Gareth Taylor operated with a lone six at the base of his midfield in Hasegawa, Jeglertz has successfully switched to two at the base of midfield. Laura Blinkilde-Brown has done extremely well alongside the diminutive Japanese taliswoman. City also signed Grace Clinton who could can play at the base of midfield. Despite the mighty loss Hasegawa is, City are better prepared than most to deal with losing a key star.
Aoba Fujino and Ayaka Yamashita are both consistent starters for Japan and they will travel to the Asia Cup if fit. As talented as both are City are blessed with depth in both positions, Khiara Keating and Eartha Cummings will be raring for a chance to impress between the sticks. As for the wing, Kerolin has been one of the most impressive footballers off the bench this term. In Lauren Hemp, Iman Beney and Lily Murphy they have depth in wide areas too. Both Fujino and Yamashita will be missed but their replacements with soften the blow.
Sadly Mary Fowler is unlikely to be back from injury in time for her home Asia Cup after she ruptured her ACL in April. Aemu Oyama has yet to make her debut for Japan and is not considered likely to be selected for this Asia Cup. Manchester City seem likely to consider a further loan move after Oyama’s loan spell with FC Rosengård came to an end in November.
Fixtures likely to be missed:
Potential Adobe Women’s FA Cup fifth round tie – 22nd February
Aston Villa (A) WSL / Potential Subway Women’s League Cup final – 15th March
Tottenham Hotspur (H) WSL – 22nd March
Manchester United
Players likely to be called up
Hinata Miyazawa [JPN]
It is easy to forget that Hinata Miyazawa was once top scorer at the World Cup such is her prowess at the base of midfield for United. Miyazawa has become a metronome in the middle of the park for Marc Skinner’s side leading Maya Le Tissier to dub her the ‘mini Modric’. Only Le Tissier has played more minutes than Miyazawa this term and no player has made more starts. In fact, no player has made more tackles and interceptions combined for Manchester United this season. Miyazawa has also made 87 ball recoveries, only Le Tissier has made more.
Miyazawa will be a huge miss for United, however they will still have this season’s exceptional signing Julia Zigiotti Olme as well as Lisa Naalsund. Skinner also utilised Dominique Janssen’s versatility at times last term playing her at the base of midfield. The united head coach might well look to do that again to manage a potentially tricky period without Miyazawa.
Fixtures likely to be missed:
Potential Adobe Women’s FA Cup fifth round tie – 22nd February
West Ham (A) WSL / Potential Subway Women’s League Cup final – 15th March
Everton (H) WSL – 21st March
Potential UEFA Women’s Champions League tie – OL Lyonnes (H) Quarter final first leg 24th – 26th March
Tottenham Hotspur
Players likely to be called up
Charli Grant [AUS], Clare Hunt [AUS], Tōko Koga [JPN], Maika Hamano [JPN]
Spurs don’t have a huge amount of talent heading to Australia in March but the heart of their impressive defensive unit will. Both centre backs have started 10 and 11 games in the league this term for Spurs. Clare Hunt and Tōko Koga will head down under if fit. Astoundingly Koga is still only 19 despite looking like the most mature and accomplished centre back in the league at times this term. Hunt has found her best form since her move from PSG, and she has made more blocks than any other player in the WSL this season. The Australian has played every minute in the WSL this season but Spurs will have to do without her during the Asia Cup. Spurs will need Molly Bartrip, Josefine Rybrink and Luana Bühler back with minutes under their belt to ensure a smooth March transition. If they lose even one of those players due to injury there could be real issues at the heart of the Spurs defence.
You need only look at the reaction online from Chelsea fans to Maika Hamano being loaned to Spurs to see how highly thought of she is in West London. Despite Jess Naz undergoing successful surgery she is likely to remain out for the foreseeable, that means that Hamano is a smart loan acquisition. However in March she is assured a place on the plane to Australia meaning Martin Ho will need to rely on others. With Hamano able to play all across the front line, Spurs, who have had a good window so far are likely to have cover. Should Cathinka Tandberg be back from injury by then with Signe Gaupset and Olivia Holdt fit and firing they will feel her absence a little less keenly. Spurs also have youth to tap into with Lenna Gunning-Williams pushing for a starting spot.
Since Martin Ho took charge Charli Grant has less prominently featured for Spurs. A combination of injury and falling out of favour has seen the Australian start only once in the WSL this term. If Grant is picked to represent Australia, Spurs likely have the depth to manage without her, especially after signing Julie Blakstad.
Fixtures likely to be missed:
Potential Adobe Women’s FA Cup fifth round tie – 22nd February
Everton (H) WSL – 15th March
Manchester City (A) WSL – 22nd March
West Ham
Players likely to be called up
Katrina Gorry [AUS], Riko Ueki [JAP], Yu Endo [JPN]
West Ham are the only team in the division who will lose their captain due to the Asia Cup. Their tireless midfield maestro Katrina Gorry, affectionately nicknamed ‘mini’ by her team mates will be a huge miss. The Hammers made the decision to recall Jess Ziu from her loan spell at Bristol City, potentially in order to provide cover for Gorry. West Ham also have Anna Csiki on loan from Spurs for cover but may look to recall Jessie Stapleton for extra cover. Stapleton is commonly a centre back by trade but has played a number of times for Ireland and former club Reading at the base of midfield. Extra pressure will be on the shoulders of Oona Siren to take up the mantle in Gorry’s absence.
The Hammers have underperformed in front of goal this season but Riko Ueki has been their most consistent performer up top. The Japanese forward has four goal involvements in the WSL, more than any other player in West Ham claret and blue. Ueki and Gorry are two of just four West Ham players who have started every single WSL match this term and both are headed to the Asia Cup. With the attacking depth of Shakiera Martinez, Viviane Asseyi, Ffion Morgan and Seraina Piubel they should not struggle. However Ueki is clearly a glue that holds them together and the fear is that they are likely to struggle without her.
Japanese full back Yu Endo has started nine games this season and is a mainstay in Nils Nilsen’s squad but West Ham’s depth at full back is impressive. The Irons have the vastly experienced Austrian Vereana Hanshaw as well as recently capped Lioness Anouk Denton. Summer signing Inès Belloumou could also be called upon if required.
Fixtures likely to be missed:
Potential Adobe Women’s FA Cup fifth round tie – 22nd February
Manchester United (H) WSL – 15th March/Potential postponement if opponent makes Subway Women’s League Cup final
Arsenal (A) WSL – 21st March
