Eight days to go until the Euros, people! England will kick off their campaign against France on July 5th, so today Chloe and Rachel are putting themselves in Sazzy Wiegs' shoes once more: we're picking our final England starting XI! What's changed? Why do we think – even without Millie Bright – that England have the perfect centre-half combo? And who's in that number 10 role? Plus, Chloe is buzzing for England's first ever meeting with the Reggae Girlz and London City Lionesses are already spla...
Jun 24, 2025•46 min
As we continue to close in on the Euros, we've got some questions. Like... are other countries having squad drama too? It turns out, yes! Chloe and Rachel catch up over the latest international news, including some big calls in France, a big tweet in Spain, and a big f**k up with the kit in Wales. Plus, Swiss football writer Craig King joins us to give the lowdown on the host's preparations – and there's big news from the WSL! It's official: the league will be expanding to 14 teams. Please fill ...
Jun 17, 2025•44 min
And breathe. It's all been kicking off in the Upfront WhatsApp group this past week - from Fran Kirby's retirement, to Millie Bright's shock announcement, to the actual bloomin' Euros squad itself! Chloe and Rachel are ready to react to it all. They explain why Millie Bright should tell the haters to do one – while Clo is very excited about Michelle Agyemang's inclusion. But Rach has concerns about England's midfield... Elsewhere, Ireland waved goodbye to a legend last week too in Louise Quinn! ...
Jun 10, 2025•42 min
Today, we’re joined by an absolute legend of the English game. Steph Houghton remains one of the best defenders of all time and played over 120 times for England, captaining the Lionesses at two World Cups and a Euros. She has just finished the UEFA A Licence course - the highest qualification a coach can receive - which qualifies her to coach in the WSL! Will we be seeing her in the dugout soon? Rachel sat down with Steph to ask her about the future, her coaching philosophy and who her dream ba...
Jun 05, 2025•22 min
Chloe’s just about got the glitter off from Mighty Hoopla to chat all things international football! England put on a clinic against Portugal ahead of Sarina Wiegman unveiling her Euros squad on Thursday. Where does hat-trick hero Aggie Beever-Jones sit in the attacking pecking order? And if Lauren James is fit and back in the squad, who’s going to miss out? Plus, Wales and Scotland suffer Nations League relegation, in part due to a dodgy refereeing decision and a sloppy performance respectively...
Jun 03, 2025•39 min
Today, we're joined by one of England's exciting next generation and a rising star in the WSL: it's Brighton's Maisie Symonds! Rach caught up with Maisie from her seaside home (and, really, it couldn't be any closer to the sea) to look back on Brighton's season, which saw Dario Vidošić make an instant impact and some brilliant home form before a tougher second half of the campaign. She also reveals what it was like to be named in the Lionesses' squad for the first time back in March and get THAT...
May 29, 2025•34 min
In case you hadn't heard, Arsenal wrote themselves into the history books on Saturday by beating Barcelona to win the Champions League. And now's your chance to relive it! Rachel and Chloe met outside the José Alvalade Stadium after the full time whistle to reflect on their feelings after an extraordinary 90 minutes. But before that, Rachel gives you a flavour of the build-up to the game and the atmosphere inside the stadium as things unfolded... Follow us on X , Instagram , Bluesky and YouTube ...
May 28, 2025•22 min
We’ve got two SEISMIC bits of football news to get stuck into today! First up, despite coming into the game as the unfancied underdogs, Arsenal put in a performance for the ages and won the Champions League! Rachel and Chloe discuss their own experiences of Saturday’s final and praise a phenomenal effort from Renée Slegers and her players. Then, our preview of England’s upcoming Nations League fixtures gets interrupted by the shocking news that Mary Earps has retired from the Lionesses with imme...
May 27, 2025•43 min
Here we go, people! Whether you're an Arsenal fan jumping on a flight to Lisbon or you're a neutral who's just ready for a huge Champions League final, Chloe and Rach have got you covered. We look back on Arsenal's route to the final and Barcelona's various demolitions, before looking ahead to the key battles on Saturday. Can Mariona Caldentey make the difference? Will Renée Slegers make a huge call and change her defence? And just how many Super Bocks are going to be flying around? Plus, we giv...
May 22, 2025•38 min
Rach dials in from Portugal to catch up with Clo about the FA Cup final, where Chelsea flexed their dominance for one last time this season. Some BIG names rocked up to Wembley - and surprise, surprise, Sir Jim Ratcliffe wasn’t one of them… We also get stuck into some rather weird Marc Skinner quotes (sorry Marc) before weighing up Man United’s chances at the World Sevens tournament, which kicks off tomorrow! Plus, we discuss the worrying news that Blackburn Rovers could be withdrawing from the ...
May 20, 2025•49 min
Who was our player of the season? Who was our manager of the season? And - most importantly of all - what was our WTF moment of the season?! And yes, there were a fair few to pick from… The iconic Upfront Awards are back. Join Chloe and Rachel to relive a hugely entertaining season of WSL football! Follow us on X , Instagram , Bluesky and YouTube ! Email us show@upfrontpod.com . For ad-free episodes and much more from across our football shows, head over to the Football Ramble Patreon and subscr...
May 15, 2025•34 min
And just like that, the 2024/25 WSL season comes to a close! Clo and Rach are here to reflect on the final weekend and discuss this season’s winners and losers. Chelsea (obviously) managed to pull off another invicible campaign and Arsenal beat Man United 4-3 at the Emirates to hold on to second place! Plus, how did Aston Villa finish sixth after flirting SO closely with relegation at the end of March? And the manager merry-go-round strikes again at Crystal Palace… Come for a bumper end-of-seaso...
May 13, 2025•54 min
Joining us today is someone who’s been instrumental in reshaping and driving the women’s game forward in England: Kelly Simmons OBE! From putting the WSL on the map to championing investment in grassroots pathways - and everything in between - Kelly’s 30-year career at the FA has been nothing short of extraordinary. Kelly reflects on her journey, the highs and lows along the way and whether she’d do anything differently if she was starting out again. Plus, she gives her thoughts on why WSL releg...
May 08, 2025•49 min
First things first… in case you missed it, Rach got an assist in the WSL this weekend! But in other news, Chelsea clinched their sixth straight WSL title with two games to spare, on a random Wednesday night at Leigh Sports Village of all places! But can they go the whole season unbeaten? Clo and Rach dive into just that. Elsewhere, the Manchester Derby lived up to its name as United bagged themselves a place in the Champions League next season - surely Jim Ratcliffe knows about that, right?! Plu...
May 06, 2025•46 min
It’s the Merseyside Derby this weekend! Which naturally means Clo and Rach have roped in Everton (and Ireland) number one, Courtney Brosnan! Courtney takes us inside Everton’s injury-hit season, the impact of fresh investment at the club, and what Brian Sørenson is building with this team. Elsewhere, she and Clo obviously get into the nitty-gritty of what it really takes to be a goalkeeper at this level, while Rach of course gets the lowdown on all things Ireland! And yes, Courtney does reveal w...
May 01, 2025•29 min
Rach joins Chloe from an airport lounge in France, fresh from witnessing a true Arsenal masterclass on Sunday. Their hugely impressive comeback against Lyon means they’ve reached the Champions League final for the first time in 18 years! Arsenal’s Renée-ssance really is in full effect… Meanwhile, Chelsea suffered another semi-final exit to Barcelona but Rach tells us why their performance on Sunday was an improvement on that bruising first-leg. Plus, it was heartbreak at the weekend for Crystal ...
Apr 29, 2025•51 min
Clo and Rach are back in the studio after a frustrating weekend of Champions League football for both Arsenal and Chelsea. Can either of them turn it around in the second legs? Clo reckons it’s close to impossible for Chelsea, but Rach has cooked up a strategy that might just work. Let’s just say the word “Tetris” springs to mind… Elsewhere, all this European drama has distracted us from a spicy WSL weekend, which saw Tottenham come so close to picking up their first league win since January. Wh...
Apr 22, 2025•53 min
Rach is here with a very special episode all the way from Canada, jetting over there for the launch of the brand-new Northern Super League! Ahead of the historic opening match between Calgary Wild and Vancouver Rise last night, she found time to sit down with Calgary’s head coach and former Leicester City manager, Lydia Bedford. Lydia opens up about the challenges of relocating to a new country - during such a difficult time in her personal life - and shares the powerful way she managed to gel h...
Apr 17, 2025•32 min
First things first, if you haven’t seen that Phallon Tullis-Joyce save… where have you been this weekend?! Don’t worry though, Clo and Rach are here to fill you in... Manchester United are heading back to Wembley to defend their FA Cup crown - cue Clo’s celebrations - but can they get past Chelsea? Rach reckons this could be Chelsea’s best-ever chance at winning the quadruple. We also discuss Marc Skinner’s contract extension at United and why Man City are crying out for a summer rebuild. Should...
Apr 15, 2025•56 min
Michelle Agyemang… WOW. Just wow. She had a night she will never forget, but England suffered a disappointing 3-2 defeat in Belgium. Rach can hear the alarm bells ringing already - but don’t panic, her and Chloe are very much on hand to bring the calm that’s needed in this special post-match reaction pod! Plus, it’s safe to say Sazzy Wiegs has a selection headache to contend with ahead of Euro 2025, so we thought we’d help her out. We’ve picked our starting XI for that tough opener against Franc...
Apr 09, 2025•30 min
The Lionesses put in a five star performance against Belgium on Friday… this obviously means they’re going to win the Euros now, right?! Rach reveals the player that impressed her the most while Clo tries to work out - once and for all - who’s starting in goal at the Euros. We also turn our attention to Ireland - who put four past Greece - and then to Wales, who Clo reckons are like the Crystal Palace of the WSL. Plus, are Scotland out of their depth in League A? And how can Northern Ireland be ...
Apr 08, 2025•49 min
For over a decade, Adrian Jacob has helped shape Chelsea into one of the most successful and dominant teams in the game. Today, he sits down with Rach to take us inside that journey - from what it was like working with Emma Hayes to some of the club’s biggest moments. He also gives his take on accusations that Chelsea have ‘spent’ their way to success and explains why it’s up to other clubs to catch up. But Adrian’s next project is just as ambitious: World Sevens Football - the new, women’s seve...
Apr 03, 2025•40 min
It’s April Fool’s Day! Which means Clo obviously had to play a (not so) little joke on Rach… Once Rach has finally recovered, we dive into Aston Villa’s massive comeback against Liverpool. Does this win mean Villa are safe from relegation? And is a fifth-place finish for Liverpool this season still achievable? Elsewhere, West Ham nicking a point against Chelsea - at Kingsmeadow - wasn’t on our bingo cards, but we are HERE for it! Clo and Rach give West Ham’s Shekiera Martinez her very well-earne...
Apr 01, 2025•45 min
Well, episode three of the Man City and Chelsea quadrilogy did not disappoint! Chloe praises Kerolin and Khiara Keating’s performances and Rach tells us why Chelsea deserved to win this time round. Then, we look ahead to the fourth and final showdown this Thursday in the Champions League! Elsewhere, Leicester pulled off a potentially season-saving performance against Brighton and Rach explains just how bad the pitch was for the Real Madrid vs Arsenal game last week — she definitely needed her ca...
Mar 25, 2025•48 min
This weekend, Nottingham Forest and Stoke City go head-to-head in a huge National League Cup final clash! So who better to give us the down-low on it than a true England and Arsenal Legend, Anita Asante? Anita reflects on her Arsenal days — where she in fact won this trophy twice — explains why greater visibility for National League teams is so important and shares her thoughts on the controversial proposals to freeze relegation from the WSL. Plus, she reveals the biggest lesson she learned play...
Mar 20, 2025•30 min
Chelsea finally ended their League Cup final curse. This time around, the only cursed thing was the pitch at Pride Park. Chloe and Rachel look back on a huge day for Chelsea and Sonia Bompastor. But will Man City be better prepared for their next meeting? And the one after that, and the one after that… Plus, Liverpool upset Manchester United as Olivia Smith lights up Anfield in a performance Rach thinks was reminiscent of peak LJ. And while the title race might be sewn up, the battle for relegat...
Mar 18, 2025•49 min
Liverpool pulled off the closest thing to a cupset this weekend! Rach is here to tell us why Arsenal’s performance felt like a throwback to their early-season struggles under Jonas Eidevall… Meanwhile, over at Man United, things are looking far worse off the pitch than on it. Chloe and Rach discuss Geyse’s situation and how it speaks to the club’s wider issues. And then… a bombshell drops! We react to the news — in real-time — that Man City have parted ways with Gareth Taylor right before their ...
Mar 11, 2025•43 min
Joining Rach in the studio today is one of the most influential figures in British sport—Baroness Sue Campbell! The driving force behind the transformation of women’s football in England, Sue’s influence on the game has been instrumental, and her career is nothing short of extraordinary. Sue reminisces about Euro 2022—and the role she played in England’s journey to success—reveals the three key priorities she set upon joining the FA, where she later became the director of women’s football, and s...
Mar 06, 2025•39 min
Brighton did a little bit of a dirty on Chelsea at the weekend as they held the league leaders to a draw. So with Chelsea's lead now at five points, is the title race back on?! Clo reckons there’s a cool draft coming through that slightly ajar door… Meanwhile, the WSL managerial merry-go-round has been in full swing after Liverpool parted ways with Matt Beard. Then just 24 hours later, Crystal Palace followed suit by sacking Laura Kaminski! Clo’s obviously here with some sage advice: “Don’t go i...
Mar 04, 2025•45 min
Chloe’s travelled down to East Dulwich to catch up with none other than Mary Phillip! Mary walks us through her hugely successful England days, from the “surreal” moment she got called-up, to being roommates with another England icon, Rachel Yankey. Mary also discusses her trophy-laden club career, reveals what it truly meant to be the first Black woman to captain the Lionesses - something she only discovered 15 years later - and opens up about how she juggled her love of football with motherhoo...
Feb 27, 2025•41 min
