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Is Barclays WSL the best League the world?
TL;DR
The debate over whether Barclays WSL is the best women's league in the world is fueled by UEFA rankings and the recent FIFA Women Champions Cup results. However, the discussion remains complex and nuanced.
Key points
- Debate over Barclays WSL's status as the best women's league
- UEFA rankings support Barclays WSL's strong position
- FIFA Women Champions Cup results influence perceptions
- Discussion is nuanced and involves various factors
Is Barclays WSL the best League the world?
UEFA’s rankings and the outcome of the first FIFA Women Champions Cup both point in the same direction, even if the debate is not as simple as supporters like to make it.
Photo by Harry Murphy/Getty Images
The last five years of the UEFA coefficient tell the story that the WSL is the best league in Europe.
England finished top of the rankings for the first time ever last season. This was due to the very good performances of the three English clubs, with Manchester City losing in the quarter-finals to Chelsea, Chelsea losing in the semi-finals to Barcelona, and Arsenal winning the trophy against Barcelona.
England managed to gain an incredible 6.167 points on Spain, 10.000 on France and 11.167 on Germany.
In previous seasons, the gap between the associations was between three and five points, so it was a huge performance from the English clubs.
It is important to note that the UEFA coefficient now takes into account two competitions, the UEFA Women’s Champions League and the UEFA Women Europa Cup.
UEFA women’s association club coefficients for the 2025/26 season, with England leading ahead of Spain and France in the rankings.
We can see that in the current season England have again done the job well, gaining ground at the moment on Spain, France and Germany.
Of course, this could still evolve, as the top four nations can each gain a maximum of 2.333 points. Spain could overtake England, but only if Barcelona get three wins against FC Bayern and the final while Arsenal lose both games against Lyon.
So, UEFA says the WSL is currently the best league mathematically speaking for the elite teams.
Why do I say elite teams? Because only the best sides from each league are allowed to compete in UEFA tournaments. Even then, we still see claims everywhere from fans that their own league is the best in the world.
Until this season, there was no club competition for women’s teams around the world. Finally FIFA decided to create the Intercontinental Cup for women’s clubs and called it the FIFA Women Champions Cup.
Photo by Jasper Wax/Getty Images
The first edition took place in London to accommodate Arsenal, and the 2026 champions are Arsenal WFC.
The tournament was reserved for the elite, the best of the best, as only the confederation winners were invited.
It is remarkable to think that a friendly tournament like the Mobcast/Nestle Cup was organised back in 2012-14 and it took FIFA more than a decade to organise a proper intercontinental club tournament.
The final ranking for the tournament was:
What can we infer from this tournament?
For 2026, the best confederation is UEFA and the best team from that confederation is Arsenal from the WSL.
Until next season’s tournament, the best league in the world, as decided by the official FIFA tournament, is the Barclays WSL.
Things will change in 2027 with the next edition of the FIFA Women Champions Cup, and in 2028 we will have the first edition of the FIFA Club Women’s World Cup
Q&A
What do UEFA rankings say about Barclays WSL?
UEFA rankings indicate a strong position for Barclays WSL, suggesting it may be among the top women's leagues globally.
How did the FIFA Women Champions Cup impact the perception of Barclays WSL?
The outcome of the FIFA Women Champions Cup has contributed to the ongoing debate about the quality and competitiveness of Barclays WSL.
Why is the debate about Barclays WSL being the best league complex?
The complexity arises from various factors, including differing opinions among supporters and the performance of teams in international competitions.
