The Offside Rule

16/03/2026

Brilliant 🤩

16/03/2026

Women’s football isn’t just “on the rise” – it’s stuck in a messy middle between glossy marketing, broken pathways and clubs still treating the women’s side as expendable. In my new Substack piece, I dig into the uncomfortable truths behind funding cuts, fan culture and the gap between empowerment branding and everyday reality for players, staff and supporters.

If you care about the future of the women’s game – from WSL boardrooms to grassroots pitches – I’d love you to read, share, and tell me what you’re seeing in your own corner of the football pyramid.

Do you think we’re building something sustainable, or papering over the cracks?

Read it here 👇

https://open.substack.com/pub/theoffsiderule/p/the-messy-middle-of-womens-football

From start‑up economics and broken calendars to ACL crises and grassroots overload, here’s what new fans need to know about the reality behind women’s football’s boom in 2026.

15/03/2026

The excitement is palpable! 🔥 Chelsea vs Manchester United in the Women’s Subway League Cup Final at Ashton Gate! Who will claim victory? Share your thoughts and let’s get the conversation going!

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04/03/2026

Working on my sports illustration/ digital drawing skills earlier ✍🏼 mocking up ideas for a Women’s football ‘snail mail’ club ⚽️ So if you’re a fan of physical forms of football memorabilia I.e. programmes, zines, trading cards, art prints etc… please can you fill out the survey linked https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TNHPSWF

28/02/2026

UTD WAS A GREAT MOVE FOR JESS PARK!

She defies description.

Your votes mean February's Player of the Month award goes to Jess Park 👏👑

🤝 Estée Lauder UK

28/02/2026

Great to see in the squad for international break! Thought I’d pay homage to her current club with the colours in a quick sketch I did

23/02/2026

Trying to be more consistent with content on all socials.. so if you’re a it would be great if you checked out my TikTok page ⚽️♥️

Check out The Offside Rule’s video.

22/02/2026

Tried my hand at some digital art and make an graphic. Alex is such a solid and reliable player both for the and

22/02/2026

On this day in 1969, women’s football history was made on the radio, not the pitch. 🎧⚽

The BBC sent Mary Raine to Stamford Bridge for Sports Report, making her the first woman to report on football for the programme.
Chelsea beat Sunderland 5–1 – painful for Raine as a Sunderland fan – but her commentary did something bigger than the scoreline.
She proved a woman could analyse the men’s game live, with authority, insight and emotion, at a time when women’s voices in football were often dismissed or shut out.

From pioneers like Mary Raine to today’s Lionesses and WSL coverage, every barrier broken has brought us closer to the game we see now.

If you believe these stories should be remembered, please share this post, tag a friend who loves women’s football, and tell us: which women’s football moment means the most to you? 💬👇

21/02/2026

On this day – 21 February 2025 – the Republic of Ireland edged Türkiye 1–0 in the UEFA Women’s Nations League (League B, Group 2) at Tallaght Stadium. Kyra Carusa’s goal in first‑half stoppage time, assisted by Heather Payne, made the difference in front of 8,071 supporters in Dublin.

Nights like this show how far Ireland has come on the international stage: structured, organised, and backed by a crowd that turns Tallaght into a fortress. These Nations League fixtures might not grab global headlines, but they’re vital building blocks for qualification campaigns and tournament runs.

Who is your favourite Irish Women's player?

Drop it in the comments and tag a fellow COYGIG fan. ☘️

20/02/2026

A statement performance on the European stage. Jess Park drives Manchester United to a 2–0 win over Atlético Madrid in the Women’s Champions League, earning a well‑deserved Player of the Match. Sharp movement, fearless pressing, and total control — this is a player stepping into her prime.

Who else loved this performance?