London City Lionesses are in pole position for promotion to the Women's Super League in Michelle Kang’s first full season in charge.

What does their journey to becoming "the best team in England" (which is Michelle's objective) tell us about what it takes to bring a team from the Championship into the WSL - and stay there over the long-term?

They also explore the relationship between women’s football and luxury fashion - what football can learn from the world of basketball in the States - and have news about ANOTHER major North American league launch; is women’s soccer in North America reaching the remarkable point of being saturated?

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No professional women's soccer league has ever existed in Canada - until today that is, with the Northern Super League (NSL) kicking off with six teams across the country.

And a listener has contacted Maggie and Matt asking them whether they think it can success in a battle of attention against the long-established and still fast-growing NWSL south of the border.

They also look at the influence Olympic football has on the women’s game following the IOC’s decision to increase the number of teams at the next Games from 12 to 16, and examine the impact of climate change on both the elite and amateur game - as a new report says women’s football will soon suffer disproportionately from floods and damaged pitches.

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Much is being made of Chelsea's "sale" of Chelsea Women to BlueCo, the company owned by the same consortium that owns the club. In particular the valuation of £200m.

Well, Matt's got a lot to say on the matter and where he thinks many of the analysts are taking the wrong approach to assess whether the valuation is accurate (or not).

Matt and Maggie also examine supply and demand for hosting major women’s football competitions, following FIFA’s recent awards of the 2031 and 2035 Women’s World Cups, and answer a listener question about a story that might have passed you by - the FA deciding to shelve its plans for introducing B teams into the lower tiers of the English football pyramid.

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In the WSL this season, 39% of games to date have been played in main stadia - the primary stadium of the men’s first team - compared to a third at the same stage last season.

But what are the motivations, and can you actually make money hosting club women's football in these venues? Maggie has been asking clubs, and will break down the economics - including how much it costs to create and maintain a pitch worthy of professional football, which has very much been in the spotlight.

Matt also looks at player pay disparity following last week’s release of the annual FIFA Benchmarking Report which revealed the average annual salary for a female professional football player globally is £8.5k a year, while the pair answer a listener question about whether (or not) the League Cup in England should be stopped or adapted.

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Formally announced tomorrow, World Sevens is a new women’s club football competition this May that will feature eight clubs from across the world and has a HUGE prize pot believed to be in the seven figures.

Matt and Maggie look at why it's been set up, the incentives to compete, and whether fans will be interested or not.

They also delve into the cross-section of toys, collectables and women’s football following Angel City's big new tie up with Tamogatchi, and answer a listener question about Manchester City women’s recent financial filing, and whether it’s going to get them into hot water over salary caps.

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Last week Maggie and Matt talked about the WPL’s proposal for the top two leagues in English football to increase to 16 teams each, supported by removing relegation from the top two tiers for at least a period of four years. 

In many ways, the proposals have raised more questions than they have answered - so they are on and to fill the gaps.

They also look at how how much it costs to hire and fire a women’s football manager - topical as just two days ago Gareth Taylor was sacked by Manchester City - and tackle a listener question about betting’s role in football; they are all over the men’s game, but should the women’s game treat them differently?

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Without doubt the biggest story in women’s football since last week's episode has been the next step in the WPL’s motion for the top two leagues in English football to become a closed shop.

So Maggie and Matt bring y9ou the inside track and the angles no-one else has talked about yet.

They also look at the new NWSL documentary being launched on Amazon and explore how documentaries around women’s football both have and haven’t helped grow interest in the game, and answer a listener question about the English Football Association’s new Made for this Game campaign “to unlock equal opportunities in football for women and girls”.

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Off the back of last week’s podcast, Maggie and Matt have been told by various sources that WSL team Everton are planning on building a women’s football stadium on the area where Goodison Park currently sits.

So they look at why Everton would do that, and what would it look like. They also cover how the written/print media covers women’s football and whether it’s at risk of wider “reversals” of DEI commitments currently spreading through business and society, and tackle a listener question about the right ownership model in women’s football following an insightful interview last week with Mercury 13 co-CEO Victoire Reynal.

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How big should a women's football stadium be?

Maggie and Matt are on hand to try and give you a definitive answer, off the back of recent comments from Glasgow Rangers’ head of women’s football about building an 8,000 capacity stadium.

They also analyse a record deal for Gotham in the NWSL with personal care brand Dove - and explore what it indicates about the next wave of sponsors in women’s football - and tackle a "listener" question about new Euros Adidas kits. 

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Lee Sanders and Mark Donnelly, the driving forces behind English Championship side Durham, are special guests this week.

Lee has spent much of his life and career as a youth football coach, and was the driving force of establishing Durham Women. He also managed the team for a significant period of its existence, and now serves as the club’s Head of Football.

A former journalist, Mark meanwhile joined the club in 2015 in a part-time role and a decade later, as Operations and Marketing Manager, plays a leading role in the day-to-day running and, critically, growth of the club.

They talk about the commercial set-up of the club, why they have taken investment from local millionaires Patrick and Frances Connolly, and answer your questions about whether they support introducing B teams into the pyramid and a rebranding of the Championship to the WSL2.

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