Arsenal Women, Chelsea Women, and Manchester City Women have all qualified for the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League. According to BBC Sport, this marks the first time three English teams have reached this stage in the same season. The current format features a 16-team group stage introduced in 2021 to replace the previous knockout system.
Manchester City Women finished top of Group D after defeating Barcelona Women 2-0 earlier in the campaign. Chelsea Women remained unbeaten to lead Group B, while Arsenal Women secured second place in Group C behind Bayern Munich. Per UEFA, the group stage ensures more matches between high-ranking clubs and guaranteed revenue for participants.
Critics suggest the format benefits wealthier leagues with multiple qualifying spots. However, English teams previously struggled under the old knockout system, where unseeded draws often led to early exits. The quarter-final draw takes place in Nyon later today, with matches scheduled for March. Only the top two teams from each of the four groups progressed to the knockout phase.
