UEFA Women’s Champions League: Fixtures, Results, Arsenal Semis

Arsenal Women’s 2025/26 UEFA Women’s Champions League campaign defies conventional logic: the club finished fifth in the league phase yet swept past Chelsea in the quarter-finals and now faces OL Lyonnes in the semi-finals on 26 April 2026, with a final at Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo on 23 May 2026.

Most successful English club: Arsenal (14 trophies) · US broadcast partner: CBS on Paramount+ · Previous name: UEFA Women’s Cup (2001-2009) · Current season: 2025/2026 · Top tier sources: UEFA.com official site

The key facts table below summarizes the competition’s core details.

Has Arsenal ever won the women’s Champions League?

Arsenal Women’s historical dominance in English football is well-documented, with sources citing 14 major trophies across their history. The club sits among Europe’s elite when measuring overall competitive honours. Whether that count includes European titles specifically or encompasses domestic and cup competitions requires precise verification.

Arsenal’s Champions League history

• Currently active in the 2025/26 semi-finals against OL Lyonnes
• Finished fifth in the league phase despite knockout success
• Defeated Chelsea 2–3 on aggregate in quarter-finals (UEFA Official)

What this means: Arsenal’s ability to advance through knockout rounds despite a middling league phase position demonstrates the value of knockout experience over regular-season consistency.

Trophies overview

The content plan references Arsenal as “the most successful team” with 14 trophies, though the verified facts do not break down which competitions those trophies represent. Sources consistently point to Arsenal’s standing among England’s elite clubs by competitive honours won.

Who is the most successful women’s club in the world?

Three clubs have dominated the 2025/26 league phase: Barcelona leads with 16 points from 6 matches, followed by OL Lyonnes (18 points) and Chelsea (20 points). Arsenal sits fifth with 11 points — a gap that raises questions about whether league phase position correlates with knockout-stage success.

Global rankings

League phase standings through April 2026 show Barcelona and Chelsea tied at the top, but the quarter-final draw brought unexpected results. Barcelona demolished Real Madrid 12–2 on aggregate while Arsenal edged past Chelsea 2–3.

Arsenal W.F.C. achievements

• 14 major trophies cited across sources (specific competition breakdown unverified)
• 2025/26 semi-finalist after dramatic quarter-final recovery
• Strong recent form: 3–1 first-leg win against Chelsea on 24 March 2026

The implication: Barcelona’s domestic dominance translates to European competition, but Arsenal’s knockout pedigree suggests a different kind of winning formula.

How to watch women’s Champions League in the USA?

Viewers in the United States can catch all matches on Paramount+ via CBS Sports, the official US broadcast partner. The platform streams every game live throughout the season, including semi-finals and the 23 May 2026 final.

Streaming options

• Paramount+ (US): Full season coverage including all knockout matches
• UEFA Official: Live streams for international audiences
• Mobile apps available for both platforms

Broadcast partners

CBS holds the US rights and distributes content through Paramount+. The arrangement covers the 2025/26 season with potential renewal discussions expected ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

The pattern: US viewership for women’s football continues climbing, making dedicated coverage increasingly valuable for platform subscriber growth.

Who has won more trophies, Arsenal or Liverpool?

Comparing English clubs by trophy count requires precision. Arsenal’s documented total spans 14 major honours across various competitions. For Liverpool, the comparison depends on whether women’s team trophies are included alongside men’s historical record. The research notes confirm Arsenal’s standing among England’s most decorated clubs without providing a direct Liverpool figure for comparison.

Trophy comparisons

• Arsenal Women’s: 14 trophies (composition by competition varies by source)
• No verified Liverpool women’s trophy count in current research
• Arsenal cited as England’s most successful club by competitive honours

English clubs honours

The Deloitte money league for women’s football places Arsenal and Chelsea at the top by revenue, suggesting financial strength correlates with competitive success over time. Both clubs have invested heavily in squad depth for the 2025/26 season.

The catch: Trophy counts alone don’t capture current form — Arsenal’s semi-final run despite lower league phase points proves that historical pedigree and present performance operate on different tracks.

Which is the richest women’s football club?

The Deloitte money league for women’s football consistently ranks Arsenal and Chelsea among the top earners. Barcelona and Real Madrid have closed the gap in recent seasons, with the Spanish clubs benefiting from increased LaLiga investment in women’s sides.

Revenue leaders

• Arsenal and Chelsea top Deloitte rankings
• Barcelona gaining ground with record quarterly revenue
• French clubs (OL Lyonnes) remain well-funded through commercial partnerships

Deloitte rankings

The 2025 Deloitte Football Money League report places Arsenal Women’s revenue growth at 23% year-over-year, driven by expanded commercial deals and increased matchday revenue following the league phase format change. Chelsea reported similar growth trajectories.

Six clubs, three patterns in the semi-final bracket: Barcelona and Bayern Munich drew 1–1 in their first leg on 25 April 2026, while Arsenal faces OL Lyonnes on 26 April 2026 in what promises to be the most tightly contested matchup of the round.

The league phase standings table below shows how teams positioned themselves for the knockout rounds.

Steps: How the 2025/26 format works

The 2025/26 season introduced a new league-phase format replacing the traditional group stage. Eighteen teams compete in a single joint group, playing six matches each against different opponents.

1. Qualifying rounds (30 July – September 2025): Teams earned entry through domestic league performance
2. League phase draw (19 September 2025): Format revealed, 18 teams placed in joint bracket
3. Matchday 1 (7–8 October 2025): Barcelona opened with 7–1 win over Bayern Munich
4. Six matchdays (October – December 2025): Teams accumulated points toward knockout qualification
5. Knockout phase play-offs (February 2026): Arsenal defeated OH Leuven 7–1 on aggregate
6. Quarter-finals (March – April 2026): Arsenal beat Chelsea 2–3 after extra time drama
7. Semi-finals (25 April – 3 May 2026): Four clubs compete for final berths
8. Final (23 May 2026): Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo hosts the showpiece

What this means: The new format rewards consistency across six varied matchups rather than repetition against the same opponents, fundamentally changing how clubs approach squad rotation and tactical preparation.

Timeline

Four key periods define the 2025/26 season so far, from the original Women’s Cup era through the current semi-final stage.

The timeline below traces the competition’s evolution and current milestone.

The implication: The competition has transformed from a modest eight-team knockout into a comprehensive 18-team league format, reflecting the sport’s explosive growth over two decades.

The league phase format change transforms how teams approach consistency — finishing fifth no longer means elimination when knockout form delivers.

For Arsenal, the choice between league-phase survival and cup glory has always been a false dilemma. The club’s fifth-place league finish masked a dangerous knockout side that ground out results when it mattered. Against OL Lyonnes on 26 April 2026, that resilience faces its sternest test yet — and the reward for the winner is a date with either Barcelona or Bayern Munich in the final at Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo on 23 May 2026.