Manchester United Women advanced to the main draw of the UEFA Women’s Champions League for the first time in the club’s history, courtesy of a decisive hat-trick from Norwegian forward Elisabeth Terland in a 3-0 second-leg victory over Brann on Thursday.
Trailing 1-0 after last week’s first leg in Norway, United required a strong response at home. Terland, facing her compatriots, delivered emphatically with three goals that overturned the deficit and sealed a 3-1 aggregate triumph. The win confirms United’s place in the inaugural 18-team league phase of the restructured competition.
Reflecting on the achievement, head coach Marc Skinner hailed the occasion:
“We are history makers. I told the players that we cannot simply participate; we must embrace this chance to compete with Europe’s best and be excited by the challenge ahead.”
Elsewhere in the qualifiers, Real Madrid—quarterfinalists last season—cruised past four-time winners Eintracht Frankfurt with a commanding 5-1 aggregate scoreline. Paris FC, once semifinalists, overcame Austria Vienna 2-0 following a goalless first leg, while Atletico Madrid narrowly edged past Hacken 3-2 across two matches.
The draw for the league phase took place later on Friday, setting up several marquee clashes as the competition debuts its new format.
Defending champions Arsenal face a daunting test after being drawn alongside eight-time winners Lyon, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid in the expanded league phase. The Gunners, who defeated Barcelona 1-0 in last season’s final, will also meet Benfica, Twente, and OH Leuven.
This season marks the first under UEFA’s revised format, which replaces the traditional group stage with a single-league system more closely aligned with the men’s competition. All 18 participating teams will play six fixtures—three at home and three away.
Qualification rules have been sharpened:
Alongside Arsenal, Chelsea and newcomers Manchester United complete the English representation in this year’s competition.
The league phase is scheduled to kick off on 7–8 October, ushering in a new era for the Women’s Champions League with an expanded competitive landscape and heightened stakes.
