European Heavyweights Face Tricky Women’s Champions League Qualification Ties

Several prominent European women’s football clubs, including Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, and Wolfsburg, must navigate the third qualifying round to enter the league phase of the UEFA Women’s Champions League. Following lower domestic finishes last season, these traditional powers failed to earn direct entry and now face two-legged elimination ties.

English club Chelsea have been drawn against Spanish side Real Sociedad. Chelsea reached the Champions League quarterfinals last season but placed third in the Women’s Super League, denying them automatic qualification. Real Sociedad finished third in Liga F under manager Arturo Ruiz, 12 points clear of fourth-placed CD Tenerife. However, the Spanish club faces roster challenges following the departure of midfielder Andreia Jacinto to Real Madrid and the exit of top scorer Edna Imade, who returned to parent club Bayern Munich in January after scoring 11 goals. Real Sociedad’s squad features 17-year-old left back Aiara Agirrezabala, who contributed six goals and four assists last season. Meanwhile, Chelsea have restructured their attack following the departure of longtime forward Sam Kerr, bringing in dynamic new signings Giulia Dragoni and Melvine Malard.

In another fixture, French side Paris Saint-Germain face German club Eintracht Frankfurt, repeating the matchup of the 2015 Champions League final. PSG reached four semifinals between 2019 and 2024, but finished third in France’s Première Ligue last season, their lowest domestic placing since 2017. The club also suffered an early exit in qualifying two years ago against Juventus, and failed to win any league phase games last season, scoring a joint-low four goals. Eintracht Frankfurt reached the semifinals of the inaugural second-tier UEFA Europa Cup last season, but lost 11 players during the summer transfer window, including top scorer Nicole Anyomi. Forward Laura Freigang remains with Frankfurt, alongside new midfield signings Larissa Mühlhaus and Hanna Bennison.

Two-time champions Wolfsburg were paired against Italian side Inter Milan. Wolfsburg, who reached the European final three years ago and the quarterfinals last season, won seven German titles in 13 years before Bayern Munich secured the past three championships. The German team lost long-serving striker Alexandra Popp to Borussia Dortmund this summer after 14 years at the club. To bolster their attack, Wolfsburg signed forward Cecilie Fløe to complement wingers Cora Zicai and Kessya Bussy. They face an Inter Milan team led by new head coach David Sassarini, who previously coached Fløe at Napoli. Inter have also seen major changes, with 13 players leaving the club over the summer.

Background

The UEFA Women’s Champions League uses a qualification system where top domestic league finishes determine direct entry into the main league phase. Teams finishing outside direct qualification spots in Europe’s top leagues must compete in preliminary rounds. The third qualifying round consists of two-legged, home-and-away fixtures, with the aggregate winners securing spots in the main phase of Europe’s premier club competition.