The FA are considering a rule change to how the Youth Cup final venue is determined, and frankly it is long overdue.

The controversy that surrounded the recent final between Manchester City and Manchester United exposed a loophole that should never have existed in the first place, and the governing body are now looking at how to fix it.

City won the final 2-1, but the talking point before and after the match had nothing to do with the football. Under current rules, the team drawn first gets to host the showpiece fixture. City exercised that right but chose their 6,447-capacity women’s ground rather than the Etihad Stadium. United had offered Old Trafford as an alternative venue to ensure the players could experience a proper cup final atmosphere. City turned it down.

Fletcher Did Not Hold Back

United youth coach Darren Fletcher was furious after the final and made no attempt to disguise it. He was critical of the FA for allowing the situation to develop the way it did, pointing to an atmosphere that felt more like a City home game than a neutral cup final.

He was right to be angry. Young players working their way through academy football deserve better than a 6,000-seat ground for the biggest youth game in England.

What the FA Are Now Considering

The FA are reviewing the competition rules as part of their annual review process. One solution being weighed up would mean that any host club choosing not to use their main stadium would automatically cede hosting rights to their opponents. Simple, fair and impossible to game.

Why This Matters Beyond Manchester

This is not just a Manchester issue. The Youth Cup final should be an occasion, a moment these young players remember. Letting one club turn it into a low-key local fixture because the rules allow it is something the FA should have addressed years ago.

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Manchester United Women ended their 2025/26 campaign with a 1-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, a result that summed up a season that promised more than it ultimately delivered.

Missing out on Champions League qualification stings, and it should, because this squad is capable of better.

Gabby George spoke to the club’s media after the final whistle and delivered exactly the kind of message supporters needed to hear. No excuses, no deflection, just honesty and a clear desire to raise the standard next season.

George Honest About a Difficult Afternoon

The veteran defender acknowledged United pushed hard for an equaliser that never arrived, pointing to chances that went begging rather than a lack of effort or intent.

The match was also complicated by injuries to full backs Anna Sandberg and Jayde Riviere, forcing a formation change to a back three mid-game. George was candid about how disruptive that was, but gave credit to the players who stepped in, with Fridolina Rolfo and Hanna Lundkvist both doing what was asked of them.

Comfortable in the Centre, Happy Anywhere

George played the full 90 minutes at centre back and made it clear that is a position she is entirely at home in, pointing to a decade of experience there. Her versatility is one of her biggest assets and Marc Skinner clearly values it. Ten defensive contributions in a single match tells you everything about how much she put in.

Eyes Already on Next Season

George was direct about what this squad wants. European football, Champions League spots, a step forward. The fact they came close this season without quite getting there should fuel the rebuild rather than define it. United are already linked with Spanish full back Andrea Medina, and the summer window cannot come soon enough.

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Millie Bright has put the Manchester United speculation to bed in the most emphatic way possible. Speaking at the Women’s Football Awards, the Chelsea legend made clear she had no intention of ever pulling on a red shirt, delivering one of the more satisfying retirement announcements women’s football has seen in a while.

Bright joined Chelsea from Doncaster Belles back in 2014 and leaves having made 314 appearances, won eight WSL titles, six FA Cups and four League Cups. She also earned 88 England caps and was a key figure in the Euro 2022 triumph on home soil before stepping back from international football last summer. A career that deserves every bit of recognition it receives.

The United Rumours Were Never Going to Happen

The reports linking Bright with a move to Manchester United were always going to amount to nothing, and she confirmed exactly that at the Women’s Football Awards. Her words were unambiguous.

Chelsea is the only club she has ever represented and that is how it stays. Some players simply do not do cross-town or cross-rivalry transfers, and Bright is very much one of those players.

What She Is Doing Next

Rather than walking away from football entirely, Bright is staying at Chelsea in a formal capacity. The club has confirmed she will serve as a club ambassador while continuing her existing work as a trustee for the Chelsea Foundation. She will attend games, work with sponsors and spend more time with the women’s team than her playing schedule ever allowed. Genuinely exciting for the club.

Taking the Summer First

Before any of that begins, Bright is doing what she absolutely should after over a decade at the top level. Family time, proper holidays and a real switch-off. She has more than earned it.

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