April 13 – World Sevens Football (W7F) is bringing its 7v7 format to England for the first time, with a London-based tournament scheduled to run alongside one of the key weekends in the Women’s domestic calendar.
The inaugural London Edition will take place from May 28-30 at Gtech Community Stadium, featuring eight clubs from the Barclays Women’s Super League. The event is scheduled just ahead of the Women’s FA Cup Final on May 31, creating a condensed run of elite women’s football in the capital.
The tournament builds on W7F events staged across Estoril, Portugal, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, last year, with the London edition marking a shift towards league-specific formats in terms of com.
Jen Mackesy, co-founder of World Sevens Football, said: “In Estoril and Fort Lauderdale, we proved that a short, sharp, 7v7 format can deliver world-class football, incredible fan engagement, and real value for clubs and players. World Sevens Football London Edition is the next step, showcasing one of the game’s leading leagues and creating something that is tailored to their clubs, their players, and their fans, while staying true to the energy and creativity that define W7F.”
Manchester United Women and Aston Villa Women lead the way as the first confirmed participants, with W7F set to announce the rest of the roster in the coming weeks.
Ameesh Manek, Director of Football Operations & Women’s Football at Manchester United Women, said: “Everyone is looking forward to returning to the World Sevens Football tournament. It is an excellent format that I know the team really enjoyed last year.
“Naturally, all of our focus right now is on finishing our WSL campaign strongly, but we hope that this tournament will provide an exciting finale to the season.”
Maggie Murphy, managing director at Aston Villa Women, added: “We’re delighted to be part of the upcoming World Sevens Football competition. Innovative formats like this bring a different kind of energy to the game, and we’re excited to see how it unfolds. It will be an engaging and fun experience – not only for the fans, but also for our players and staff. It’s a great opportunity to be part of something a little different in the women’s game, and we’re looking forward to it.”
Matches will follow the established W7F format – 7v7, 30-minute games, rolling substitutions – with a reported $1.5 million prize pool.
Claire Bloomfield, chief of football affairs and governance at W7F, said: “As we continue to develop our long-term strategic direction and expand our portfolio of tournaments within the World Sevens Football competition model, this edition reflects the next step in that evolution.
“This exciting composition of Barclays Women’s Super League clubs allows us to build on existing rivalries and narratives, highlight the depth of talent in a new format, and unlock fresh content and commercial opportunities for all stakeholders while giving fans another reason to come together around the game during one of the most important weekends in the English women’s football calendar.”
Further details, including the full list of participating clubs and broadcast arrangements, to follow.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at [email protected]