Black History Month: Femi and TJ Koleoso’s story

With the Barclays Women’s Super League now in full swing, a number of our women’s first-team have joined up with their respective national sides for the first international break of the season. 

Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross have three Olympic qualifiers to play, as the Matildas host Iran, the Philippines and Chinese Tapei in Perth this month.

Success for the Australians across these fixtures will then send them to the third round of Asian Football Confederation qualifying in February, as four teams battle it out for two spots at Paris 2024. 

Over in the UEFA Women’s Nations League A, Alessia Russo and Lotte Wubben-Moy’s England have a double-header against Group 1 leaders, Belgium. The Lionesses kicked off their Nations League campaign with a win over Scotland and a loss against the Netherlands last month. Fresh from her return to the Emirates Stadium pitch against Aston Villa, Beth Mead has not been called up to the side by Sarina Wiegman as she continues to build up match fitness.

The Dutch also have three points on the board in Group 1 and will be looking to rack up more this window with back-to-back clashes against Scotland. Vivianne Miedema, who made her long-awaited club return on Sunday, joins up with Victoria Pelova and the OranjeLeeuwinnen for the first time since September 2022. 

Meanwhile, Manuela Zinsberger’s Austria and Frida Maanum’s Norway will both be searching for their first wins in Group 2, with Norway taking on league-leaders France twice and Austria playing two fixtures against Portugal. 

Kathrine Kuhl and Denmark have yet to lose a game in Group 3 and they’ll be looking to continue that great form against Iceland and Wales this time around.

Group 4 hosts the biggest number of teammate clashes as Amanda Ilestedt and Stina Blackstenius for Sweden go head-to-head against Lia Walti and Noelle Maritz for Switzerland. The Swedes then face Italy on October 31, whilst the Swiss meet World Cup winners Spain, who have yet to lose a game. Laia Codina has once again been selected for the Spanish national team, who kick off their window with a fixture against Italy on October 27. 

Ireland have been off to a flying start in League B Group 1, with six points from a possible six so far. Katie McCabe will captain the Girls in Green against Albania in back-to-back fixtures in October as they seek promotion to League A. 

The Canadian national team are also in action this month with back-to-back friendlies against Brazil as both sides have already secured their place at next year’s Olympic Games. Cloe Lacasse and Sabrina D’Angelo will face former Gunner Rafaelle Souza in Montreal and Halifax. 

Where and when our internationals are playing

(All times are BST)

Thursday, October 26

Australia (Catley, Foord, Cooney-Cross) v Iran
Olympic Qualifying | Perth, Australia | 12pm

Friday, October 27

Italy v Spain (Codina)
UEFA Women’s Nations League | Salerno, Italy | 4.45pm

Austria (Zinsberger) v Portugal
UEFA Women’s Nations League | Altach, Austria | 5pm

Sweden (Ilestedt, Blackstenius) v Switzerland (Maritz, Walti)
UEFA Women’s Nations League | Gothenburg, Sweden | 5.30pm

Ireland (McCabe) v Albania
UEFA Women’s Nations League | Dublin, Ireland | 5.45pm

Norway (Maanum) v France
UEFA Women’s Nations League | Oslo, Norway | 6pm

Iceland v Denmark (Kuhl)
UEFA Women’s Nations League | Reykjavik, Iceland | 7.30pm

England (Russo, Wubben-Moy) v Belgium
UEFA Women’s Nations League | Leicester, UK | 7.45pm

Netherlands (Pelova, Miedema) v Scotland
UEFA Women’s Nations League | Nijmegen, Netherlands | 7.45pm

Saturday, October 28

Canada (Lacasse, D’Angelo) v Brazil
Friendly | Montreal, Canada | 7.30pm

Sunday, October 29

Philippines v Australia (Catley, Foord, Cooney-Cross)
Olympic Qualifying | Perth, Australia | 7.10am

Tuesday, October 31

Albania v Ireland (McCabe)
UEFA Women’s Nations League | Shkoder, Albania | 5pm

Denmark (Kuhl) v Wales
UEFA Women’s Nations League | Viborg, Denmark | 5pm

Sweden (Ilestedt, Blackstenius) v Italy
UEFA Women’s Nations League | Malmo, Sweden | 5.30pm

Switzerland (Maritz, Walti) v Spain (Codina)
UEFA Women’s Nations League | Zurich, Switzerland | 6pm

Portugal v Austria (Zinsberger)
UEFA Women’s Nations League | Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal | 6.15pm

Belgium v England (Russo, Wubben-Moy)
UEFA Women’s Nations League | Leuven, Belgium | 7.30pm

Scotland v Netherlands (Pelova, Miedema)
UEFA Women’s Nations League | Glasgow, Scotland | 7.45pm

France v Norway (Maanum)
UEFA Women’s Nations League | Reims, France | 8pm

Canada (Lacasse, D’Angelo) v Brazil
Friendly | Halifax, Canada | 11.30pm

Wednesday, November 1

Australia (Catley, Foord, Cooney-Cross) v Chinese Tapei
Olympic Qualifying | Perth, Australia | 11am