Ranked: 10 best women’s club football teams in the world right now 

Despite the pay gap and the relative lack of mass following compared to the men’s game, over the last decade or so, women’s football has been rapidly moving on an upward trajectory, which only bodes well for the future of the game. 

The last decade has seen the female players breaking barriers, matching and exhibiting similar technical qualities to the men’s game, and moving the goalpost for what’s possible in the women’s arena every other game. With players emerging from different backgrounds and corners of the world, it means there is more competitive football, more teams battling it out for some of the world’s most prestigious silverware, and the result is nothing short of a spectacle. 

In this article, I’d like to highlight ten women’s teams that have displayed dominant and breathtaking football over the last twelve months. So, without any further ado, let’s take a look at the best teams in women’s club football right now. 

Also read: Top 10 female footballers in the world right now – Ranked

#10 Portland Thorns (USA)

One of the three Major League Soccer-affiliated clubs in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in the United States, the Portland Thorns have emerged in recent times as one of the formidable forces in US women’s football. 

After securing their second NWSL Shield title in 2021 as well as winning the NWSL Challenge Cup, the Thorns came into the 2022 season brimming with confidence. However, they lost out on winning a second consecutive NSWL Shield as they finished second in the league to OL Reign, but a 2-0 victory over Kansas City Current in the Playoffs final ensured the Portland Thorns ended 2022 with a third NWSL Playoffs title. 

However, the reigning NWSL Challenge Cup champions could not defend their crown this year after finishing second in the West Division. 

#9 Bayern Munich Frauen (Germany)

The 2020/21 Frauen-Bundesliga champions couldn’t keep pace with eventual 2021/22 champions VfL Wolfsburg, with their title charge faltering at the final hurdle. 

Bayern and Wolfsburg met again two weeks later in the semi-final of the DFB Pokal-Frauen, but it was Wolfsburg who came away victorious with a 3-1 victory. Bayern also narrowly lost to Paris Saint-Germain 3-4 on aggregate in the quarter-final of the UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL). 

Halfway through this season, Bayern are sitting in second place, five points behind league leaders Wolfsburg, while they finished second in their UWCL group, level on points with group-topping Barcelona Femení albeit with inferior goal difference. 

In the DFB Pokal-Frauen, Bayern will visit 1899 Hoffenheim for a place in the semi-finals. 

#8 Palmeiras (Brazil)

Palmeiras finished second in the Campeonato Paulista in 2021 and lost out in the finals of the playoffs to eventual champions Corinthians 4-1 over two legs, though they did make it to the quarter-finals of the CONMEBOL Paulista as well as sealed their second Copa Paulista title. 

However, 2022 has turned out to be a very successful year for the Alviverde. They topped the league stage but missed out on the title as they bowed out in the semi-finals of the playoffs. Continentally, Palmeiras managed to win their first-ever CONMEBOL title this year, while they also managed to do the cup double by winning their second Campeonato Paulista title, beating Santos in the final. 

#7 Arsenal Women (England)

The most successful club in English women’s football history have been going through their own little trophy drought, but that doesn’t take away the standard of football Arsenal have been exhibiting consistently over the past few years. 

The 2021/22 season saw Arsenal score more goals than any other team in the FA Women’s Super League, concede the least amount of goals, and lose the least amount of games. However, the bottom line remains: Arsenal lost the league title to Chelsea by a single point. The domestic cup competitions were no different either, as the north London club bowed out in the latter stages of both the league cup and the FA Cup.  

This season again, Arsenal are sitting second behind Chelsea in the WSL, although having played a game less. However, in the UWCL, the Gunners registered a famous 5-1 win against defending champions Lyon earlier in the season as they topped their group. They now await their quarter-final draw this February. 

#6 Corinthians (Brazil)

Corinthians are one of the most successful South American clubs in women’s football. The Alvinegro completed a historic treble in 2021 as they won both their domestic league and cup competition as well as the Copa Libertadores. 

This season, too, Corinthians went on to retain their Campeonato Paulista Série A title to add to their ever-growing silverware collection. They finished fourth in the league standings of the Campeonato Brasileiro Women but went on to lift their fourth title in five years after beating Internacional 5-2 in the knockout final over two legs. 

Corinthians lost the Campeonato Paulista final to Flamengo on penalties. They also failed to retain their Copa Libertadores title after losing to Argentinian club Boca Juniors 2-1 over two legs in the quarter-finals. 

#5 Paris Saint-Germain Féminine (France)

After finishing runners-up to Olympique Lyonnais Féminin eight times between 2010 and 2020, Les Parisiennes finally got their hands on the Division 1 Féminine title after they fended off Lyon’s charge during the 2020/21 season. 

The 2021/22 season saw PSG finishing runners-up again as Lyon dropped just two points throughout the league campaign en route to winning a record fifteenth Division 1 title. The 2021/22 UWCL season also saw PSG lose out to rivals Lyon (3-5) in the semi-finals over two legs. 

This season, though, PSG went into the mid-season winter break on the back of registering a 1-0 away win at Lyon—their first in eight years—as they took the lead in the league at the midway point. In the Champions League, they finished second to Chelsea in Group A and face a tough quarter-final tie against one of Europe’s behemoths in either Barcelona, Wolfsburg or Arsenal.  

#4 Chelsea Women (England)

Since winning their first major trophy in 2015 (the 2014/15 Women’s FA Cup), Chelsea have gone on to establish themselves as one of the most dominant teams in English women’s football, having won six WSL titles, four FA Cups, two FA Women’s League Cups and one Women’s Community Shield, while having also been runners-up in the 2020/21 UWCL. 

A close finish to the league campaign last season saw Chelsea win their third consecutive WSL title. They became the first team to do so, beating off competition from Arsenal. In the FA Cup, they beat Manchester City in the final courtesy of a second-half brace from Sam Kerr, though they did lose the league cup final to the Cityzens earlier in the season. In the UWCL, they were shockingly knocked out in the group stage. 

This season, Chelsea sit top of the WSL league standings again. They went unbeaten in their UWCL group, winning five and drawing just the one game, though they are staring at the prospect of facing someone like Lyon in the quarter-finals despite topping their group. 

#3 VfL Wolfsburg (Germany)

Die Wölfinnen are, without a shadow of a doubt, the biggest and most successful team in German women’s football. 

The 2013 and 2014 UWCL winners completed another domestic double last season. After Bayern Munich pipped them to the Frauen-Bundesliga title in the 2020/21 season, Wolfsburg returned to their scintillating best as they clinched their seventh league title, beating Bayern by four points. In the 2021/22 UWCL, they comfortably dispatched Arsenal 3-1 on aggregate in the quarter-finals but lost to Barcelona 3-5 over two legs in the semi-finals. 

Halfway through the 2022/23 season, Wolfsburg are sitting comfortably on top of the Frauen-Bundesliga standings as well as their UWCL group, as they await their opponent for the next stage once the season kicks off again in a couple of weeks’ time. 

#2 Barcelona Femení (Spain)

Barcelona Femení are undoubtedly the most successful Spanish club in women’s football history. They’re the only Spanish club to win the UWCL, a feat they achieved in the 2020/21 season. Besides, Barça are the only club to win the UEFA Champions League with both their men’s and women’s football teams. 

Last season, Barça recorded a perfect season in the Primera División Femení as they went the entire season without dropping any points, scoring 159 goals and conceding just 11 in 30 league games. However, their dreams of completing a historic quadruple fell short at the final hurdle as they lost to Lyon 1-3 in the UWCL final, failing to replicate their run from 2020/21 as they lost their second Champions League final in four years. 

This season, too, Barça are top of their domestic league, topped their UWCL group, and are en route to add more silverware come the end of the season. Although it is really difficult to separate the top two clubs, Barcelona Femení take second place on my list. 

#1 Olympique Lyonnais Féminin (France)

Since the turn of 2010, few have come close to matching Lyon in terms of outright dominance on the field and the level of success achieved. Lyon have always been one of the best women’s football teams in the world, and their trophy haul shows exactly why.

After missing out on winning their 15th consecutive league title when PSG pipped them to the Division 1 Fémenine title in 2020/21, Les Lyonnaises came back in quite some fashion as they dropped just two points en route to winning their 15th league title last season. However, in the Coupe de France, they were knocked out rather shockingly by PSG in the Round of 16.

Lyon entered the 2021/22 season in fine form and beat the likes of Juventus and PSG in the knockout stages of the UWCL before facing the 2020/21 champions in the final, where Sonia Bompastor’s side proved to be too strong for Barça as they emerged 3-1 victors on the night, winning their eighth Champions League title in the process. 

However, despite such a great first half to the year, Lyon sit second in their domestic league, one point behind leaders PSG, while they also finished runners-up to Arsenal in their UWCL group and await a tricky last-eight encounter against one of the big dogs. 

Hence, following such impressive performances, it is hard to look past Lyon as the best women’s team in world football right now. 

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