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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How to watch Chelsea vs Manchester United for FREE: TV channel and live stream for Women's FA Cup final today
Chelsea and Manchester United do battle in today's Women's FA Cup final at Wembley (The FA via Getty Images) Chelsea lock horns with Manchester United in the Women's FA Cup final at Wembley this afternoon. United United knocked the Blues out of the competition at the semi-final stage last season and are the defending champions after thumping Tottenham 4-0 a year ago. Advertisement CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW THE WOMEN'S FA CUP FINAL LIVE! With qualification for the Champions League second round already in the bag, Mark Skinner's side are looking to end the campaign by picking up another piece of silverware. Standing in their way is Chelsea side looking to complete a domestic treble in the very first season under new manager Sonia Bompastor. The Blues became the first team to finish a 22-game Women's Super League season unbeaten and beat Manchester City two months ago to claim the League Cup. In the two league meetings this term, Chelsea emerged 1-0 victors both home and away. However, the form book often goes out the window in a cup final. Advertisement Here's everything you need to know about where to watch the match... How to watch Chelsea vs Manchester United TV channel: The game will be broadcast on BBC One which is free to air for UK viewers. Coverage starts at 12.50pm BST ahead of an 1.30pm kick-off. Live stream: BBC iPlayer will offer a live stream service. LIVE coverage: Follow all the action with Standard Sport's dedicated match blog!
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Disruptor' World Sevens tournament 'is football fun again'
Eight clubs. Seven-a-side. A whopping $5m prize pot. Bayern Munich have taken home the majority of that money, winning £1.8m ($2.5m) by beating Manchester United 2-1 in the World Sevens Football (W7F) final. That is more than the winners of the 2024-25 Women's Super League, Women's Champions League and Womens FA Cup received combined. Runners up United have claimed £739,120 ($1m), with Paris St-Germain and Manchester City £480,428 ($650k) and £258,692 ($350k) for finishing third and fourth respectively. The inaugural 'grand slam' tournament has taken social media by storm this week, but has it been a success and what does it mean for the future of women's football? Minority owner of Gotham FC and Chelsea, Jennifer Mackesy, has invested $100m in the competition over five years. She co-founded the tournament alongside US entrepreneur Justin Fishkin. Each club receive a participation fee - the exact figure has not been disclosed but is lower than $1m - while there are bonus payments for clubs who reach the semi-finals, win the third-fourth play-off and finish runners-up. Of the total prize money received by each club, 60% of that will go directly to the club to invest in whatever way they chose, while the other 40% is split among players and staff - and not necessarily evenly. For example, players and staff could choose to split that money with members of the squad who did not travel to Estoril, give higher fees to those who played more minutes or to others who carried out media duties. BBC Sport has been told the players of at least one club in the tournament have chosen for their share of the 40% prize money they are entitled to, to go directly back into the club for investment. Smoke cannons and 'ginga' - the World Sevens kicks off What is World Sevens Football? Along with the prize money for the four semi-finalists - Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain, $500,000 will be shared between the four teams that went out in the group stages - Ajax, Benfica, Roma and Rosengard. City interim boss Nick Cushing said the money up for grabs is a huge statement of intent. "There are probably about seven galaxies out of my universe [before I can say] how important it is," he said. "I think what it does do is it highlights the growth of the women's game. It's a statement, it's a really important statement and it's one that we thought was important to be part of." Before the tournament, United boss Marc Skinner said he expected the three-day event to be "carnage and fun". He wasn't wrong. Skinner celebrated United's semi-final win over rivals City by dancing in the middle of a circle of his players and pretending to deal money out of the palm of his hand. "For any team who wins it would do a lot," Skinner said before the final. "First and foremost the players are enjoying it and having a good time. If we then get to the point where we can win the prize money then of course that can be huge for us." Questions were initially asked over scheduling a tournament immediately after the conclusion of a busy domestic season and before an international break and major tournament, with fears players would not want to risk picking up injuries before a busy summer. But all eight teams bought into the tournament, sending strong squads with plenty of players who will feature at Euro 2025 represented. The incentive of taking home a slice of the prize pot helped according to football finance expert Kieran Maguire. "It's indicative that investors see women's football and see tournaments like this in a way that the Indian Premier League was created in the sense that it is a disruptor tournament," he told BBC Sport. "By putting in big prize money it means that you attract the best players, it means that the clubs want to be part of the competition as well. If you want the best talent then you have to incentivise them and you have to reward them accordingly. "The people behind these initiatives are willing to put their money where their mouth is. We could be having this discussion in two or three years' time where this is the norm, or alternatively it would have been an experiment which hasn't worked." There is no feeling among players that the tournament is a fad, with overwhelming positivity radiating through Estoril. "It's so sick, I'm loving it, absolutely loving it," Manchester United captain Maya Le Tissier told BBC Sport. "It's so fun, the whole set-up is incredible. I'm very lucky to be playing in this tournament. The vibe between all the teams is amazing." "If we could come every year or every week, that would be great. It's just so fun. But it has to be somewhere sunny. It can't be in Manchester. It wouldn't have the same effect." With rolling substitutes, no offsides and 15-minute halves, the tournament format brings out flair and creativity, as well as attacking intent. Le Tissier said part of the enjoyment came from playing with more freedom and less pressure, something which was at the forefront for former Arsenal defender Anita Asante, who is on the World Sevens player advisory council. "We saw personalities come to life," Asante said. "They were enjoying the experience, competitive on the pitch and it has just been such a fun engaging experience. "I think it's an opportunity for them to really just feel like the inner child comes out again and they have fun playing the game of football in the way that we all enjoy." Tobin Heath, a World Cup winner with the United States who is also part of the advisory council, believes the tournament has been a hit. "For me, a 90-minute football game nowadays is not speaking to the next generation," she said. This format really speaks to the next generation. It's football fun again. "Football has become so professionalised, so prescribed. We're missing the fun, the feel of what football is, what I fell in love with. Speaking to the players here, it's been fantastic. They just say, this is so fun." After the final whistle in Friday night's finale, there was no sulking from runners-up Manchester United. Once Bayern's initial celebrations were over, both teams embraced and celebrated in the spirit of the tournament. "It was cool because I just wanted to do a handshake and say 'thank you' but they wanted to party together," Bayern's matchwinner Sarah Zadrazil said. "I think this is what the tournament is about. It brings different clubs together and we just wanted to have a good time. I think we did that over the three days and I'm excited for the last party now. They are all amazing players and it's one big football family." So what next? Future events are being planned in cities across the United States, Mexico, Asia and Europe and the aim is to have up to five tournaments every year. No date or venue has been confirmed for the next event, but organisers expect the next edition to take place outside of Europe before the end of 2025. "I don't think we will ever lose the love and affection that fans have for their own clubs and also for the Lionesses," Maguire added. "But as an alternative, I think there is a market for tournaments like this. "It can complement rather than substitute the traditional women's game. "Attendances this season have been a bit disappointing in the WSL and this will be seen as an alternative and a way of bringing in a new demographic to watch the women's game. That can only be good for the game as a whole."
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Serena Williams, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the growing gap at the top of women's football
As Sonia Bompastor introduced her young children to Serena Williams on the pitch at Wembley, before the 23-time grand slam tennis champion headed into the Chelsea dressing room to celebrate with the newly-crowned, unbeaten treble winners, Manchester United manager Marc Skinner was being asked about someone who was creating a different sort of attention by his absence. For the second year in a row, Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe was conspicuously missing from Wembley as his side appeared in the Women's FA Cup final, and there wasn't even the excuse of the men's team playing at the same time to hide behind, either. United were still well represented at Wembley, with chief executive Omar Berrada and technical director Jason Wilcox, the figures Skinner interacts with on a day-to-day basis, both present. Advertisement But Ratcliffe's absence from Wembley's royal box stood in sharp contrast to Chelsea's new headline-grabbing superstar investors, who had flown across the Atlantic to watch their coronation. Williams was pitch-side at Wembley as her husband, the Reddit co-founder and entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian spoke about his new £20m in the English champions. "The sky's the limit," Ohanian said on the BBC. "That is what we're trying to build here, the best team in the world and at the forefront of women's sport. This will be a billion-dollar franchise one day.' Ohanian and Williams with Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor (The FA via Getty Images) Ohanian added that he wanted Chelsea to be 'unapologetically ambitious' - a sentiment reflected by their history-making manager Bompastor. As the ticker tape fell on the pitch and the champagne was sprayed, Bompastor and her players were already telling themselves that they were not yet the best in Europe. 'We are missing the Champions League,' Bompastor said. 'So that's who we are, that's our goal. I want to make sure we are all able to achieve that goal, to win the Champions League with the club.' Bompastor added that Chelsea 'need to make sure we are going in the right direction' in Europe. But they are already the best in England, by some distance. In 30 matches in the Women's Super League, the FA Cup and the League Cup, Chelsea won 27, drew three and lost none. Their 3-0 victory over Manchester United at Wembley was not a surprise, given Chelsea had finished two places and 16 points ahead of their opponents in the league table. Advertisement The gap is only getting bigger, too. Chelsea's sixth title in a row was the first time they had not lost over 22 games. In all likelihood, Chelsea will get stronger in the summer, reflecting the moves they made in January, spending over £1.4m to sign the United States international defender Naomi Girma for a world-record fee and England's Keira Walsh from Barcelona. It is their 8-2 defeat to Barcelona in the Women's Champions League semi-finals, though, that will motivate their next moves in the market. 'Everyone is saying 'maybe Chelsea will run away from the pack' in the league in England, but our goal for us is to compete against the best teams in Europe,' Bompastor said. 'So it's nice to have this domestic treble but we want to make sure, in the future and hopefully next season, we are able to compete against the best teams in Europe.' Chelsea believe other teams in England should be matching their ambition. If there are worries over competitive balance in the WSL, it is not Chelsea's fault. Bompastor wants other clubs to be doing more. 'We want to compete at our best and if you have that competition you can compete better,' Bompastor said. 'We want to make sure we're top of the league and bring everyone else with us – this is what we want to achieve. But we need the other teams to still invest and come with us.' Catarina Macario celebrates her goal in front of the Chelsea fans (The FA via Getty Images) Meanwhile, Manchester United will enter the Champions League qualifying rounds next season. Skinner admitted they will struggle to compete across multiple fronts unless they add to their squad. Manchester City have found that out this season, suffering several injuries to crucial players at key times. Arsenal, who have reached the Champions League final, have been unable to sustain a title challenge. Chelsea's depth, Skinner said, was key to their hunger and consistency, with multiple internationals competing for every position. Advertisement 'We're not going to spend multi-millions,' Skinner said. 'You look at Chelsea's winter window, it tells you the difference. We can't wait [to build]. We've got to do it now. I'm trying to do that. I've been on calls with players, agents. We have to move the needle. Otherwise we will fail. Chelsea have that depth. If we want to be successful we have to go to that depth, but it's not going to be as easy for me. I've got to find diamonds that can make us better.' Marc Skinner has urged Manchester United to invest in his squad (Getty Images) All the while, the billionaire co-owner, who has been counting pennies through cost-cutting measures since taking over at Old Trafford, was missing from Wembley. 'In all honesty, I don't know why Jim wasn't here,' Skinner said. 'But we were really well represented. Omar's up there, we've got the Glazer family, and Jason as well. They're the people who need to see for us to be able to look at what we need to be able to do to close a growing gap in finance that Chelsea have.' Bompastor was enthused by the sight of Williams and Ohanian at Wembley. "They were here to show their support,' she said. 'You can feel from the beginning they have the right mentality coming into Chelsea.' Advertisement It wasn't just what Bompastor saw, but what it meant. The absence of Ratcliffe projected an image, too, as clearly as what unfolded on pitch. 'The reality is, it's the investment in the team that needs to happen, it's not whether you're visible as long as our team is being invested in,' Skinner said. 'We also need to close that gap.'
New York Times
19-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Manchester United's season of over-performance is over. By the end, they were gasping
Marc Skinner stared into an abyss. Chelsea were dancing in their dominance after a 3-0 Women's FA Cup final victory, a domestic treble seized in historic fashion; the Manchester United head coach, meanwhile, looked as if he was confronting the predominant question of the day: how is someone, anyone, but most importantly United, meant to end Chelsea's supremacy? Advertisement For the next two months (at the very least), Skinner's life will be that of honest maths and likely more abysses to stare into. United are two for 16 on their attempts in all competitions to defeat Chelsea, a win percentage of 12.5 per cent. Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of Reddit, the husband of tennis great Serena Williams and the man who has pumped millions into Chelsea Women for an eight per cent stake in the team, giving the eight-time Women's Super League (WSL) champions a total valuation of £245million ($326m), sat in Wembley's royal seats on Sunday, along with his famous wife. Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly, fellow board members Behdad Eghbali and Barbara Charone and co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart were also in attendance. And what they took in from plush red seats in Wembley's mid-upper tier was that their own heavily invested team, which Ohanian told the BBC would become a 'billion-dollar franchise,' was playing against their polar opposite. Because United, splayed and exposed under the Wembley arches, feel like a balloon floating too close to the ground, waiting to pop. United's season cannot be classified as bad. They finished third in the WSL, pipping bitter local rivals Manchester City to the final Champions League qualification spot, and reached a third successive FA Cup final. That is objectively good — an upgrade from last season, when even a first major trophy (courtesy of a 4-0 FA Cup final victory against Tottenham Hotspur) could not mask being knocked out of the Champions League's preliminary qualifiers and failing to re-qualify for Europe by finishing fifth in the WSL. Yet, everything still feels so damp and flabby. United have spent the season overperforming. They registered expected goals (xG) tallies of 37.4 for and 22.5 against, but scored 41 goals and only conceded 13. Advertisement On Sunday, United were outperformed and outclassed in their FA Cup defence, individual errors failing them against a team composed of such collective brilliance that no individual has stood out this season. To reach this point, Chelsea have invested and not stopped investing. The substitution of United States forward Catarina Macario for Colombia international Mayra Ramirez after an hour felt like a cheeky wink from head coach Sonia Bompastor. Beside her, Skinner unloaded all of his attacking options in a desperate attempt to seize something. And Skinner's boldness should not go unnoticed. His first two substitutions involved bringing on an attacker for a defender (Ella Toone for centre-back Millie Turner; Melvine Malard for right-back Aoife Mannion) and moving right-winger Celin Bizet to right-back. With 10 minutes of regular time remaining, United had three centre-forwards on the field. All the while, the scoreline read 3-0, and that is a shame. When asked about how this season has unfolded in such a successful manner, sources with knowledge on the matter have spoken to The Athletic about the spirit that percolates within the squad, the sense of persistence despite context. And context matters, like being moved out of bespoke training facilities and into portable cabins to accommodate the men's senior team during last summer's pre-season training. Or, perhaps, the non-attendance of minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe at the Women's FA Cup final for the second successive season. United chief executive officer Omar Berrada, technical director Jason Wilcox and majority owner Avram Glazer were in attendance, but Ratcliffe, who was at Stamford Bridge on Friday for the men's team's 1-0 Premier League loss against Chelsea, was not. While that is a poor PR move, the people who do make the decisions on the women's team were there, so could see the issue: investment is needed to disrupt Chelsea. In his post-match press conference, Skinner defended Ratcliffe's absence, adding that visibility is great but tangible investment matters more — a more than viable point, until one remembers that Ohanian backed up his investment with visibility. Meanwhile, Ratcliffe's (in)visibility is seemingly backed by comments made to the media about a list of priorities and the women's team's low berth within it. Advertisement 'Today helps my position,' Skinner told reporters when asked whether more investment will be given this summer. 'You can see the difference. They can see the difference. Just look at the changes in substitutes.' In the same breadth, Skinner admitted needing to innovate, to find the 'Manchester United way,' an apparent euphemism for operating without the same budget as United's top-four rivals. Five minutes later, Bompastor spent her post-match press conference nodding cheerily to queries about new investors, pace setting, visible ownerships, a celebratory cape with the word 'unrivalled' emblazoned on the back still tied around her neck throughout, the term increasingly taking on a life of its own. 'When we talk about having the right support coming from everyone in the club, today just shows everyone is really involved in this women's team,' Bompastor said. 'We knew they were coming. We also had a lot of support coming from them before the game, during the week and on game day. It just shows in the women's game, you're in the right club.' United's season of over-performance is over, gasping by the end. According to Skinner, necessary conversations about the future have taken place throughout the season. Champions League qualification requires significant bolstering, on top of an already necessary squad revamp. The likelihood of succeeding again next season, fuelled by spirit and resistance, is low. It is certainly not enough to uproot a juggernaut like Chelsea.
The Independent
19-05-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Chelsea complete treble as Man United's gamble falls flat
Chelsea defeated Manchester United 3-0 in the Women's FA Cup final at Wembley, securing a domestic treble. The win marks an unbeaten domestic season for Chelsea under manager Sonia Bompastor. Manchester United manager Marc Skinner's decision to bench key player Ella Toone backfired as she later came on as a half-time substitute. Goals from Sandy Baltimore (penalty and stoppage time) and Catarina Macario sealed the victory for Chelsea. A crowd of 74,412 attended the final, the largest for the season.
