London, United Kingdom - (May 30, 2026) - The third edition of the World Sevens Football (W7F) London Edition, the innovative 7v7 women’s football series, concluded today at Brentford FC’s Gtech Community Stadium with Chelsea FC Women crowned champions, defeating Manchester United Women 6-5 in an electrifying back-and-forth battle till the very end.

W7F London Edition featured Aston Villa Women, Chelsea FC Women, Everton Women, Manchester United Women, Leicester City W.F.C., London City Lionesses, Tottenham Hotspur Women, and West Ham United in a high-calibre lineup showcasing the depth and quality of the WSL.

Over the three days, the tournament produced a record 107 goals across 15 matches, with attendances at or approaching capacity each day at the 3,000-seat capacity stadium.

The tournament carries a total prize pool of US $1.5 million, with US $500,000 awarded to the champions and US $250,000 to the runner-up. For teams finishing in the top four, prize money is split 50/50 between the club and its players, ensuring both the athletes and the organisation directly benefit from on-pitch success.

Football Hall of Famer and W7F Player Advisory Council member - Tobin Heath: "World Sevens Football London was everything I love about this game: joy, energy, and football played with pure freedom. Watching these players compete in front of a sold-out crowd at the Gtech, giving everything for their clubs and for each other, reminded me why this sport has the power to move people. Women's football deserves stages like this, and World Sevens is building exactly that. London was just the beginning."

EXECUTIVE QUOTES
Jennifer Mackesy, Co-Founder
“The response from fans in London has blown us away. The energy inside the Gtech Community Stadium has been incredible from the first kick to the final whistle. What excites me most is that we are not asking players to choose between joy and high performance. You see walkouts, dance moves, and celebrations, and you also see hyper-competitive, elite football on the pitch. For us, this weekend proves you can create a competition that feels fun and free while still raising the standard of the women’s game and deepening the bond between players and fans.”

Sarah Cummins, CEO
“World Sevens Football London Edition has set a new standard for our organisation, from record goals and capacity crowds to an atmosphere that felt like a three-day celebration of the women’s game. What makes me proudest is seeing our purpose in action, from local girls stepping onto the pitch through Rising Sevens to clubs playing for Community Champions that expand access to football in their own neighbourhoods. This event is designed so that success is shared, with prize money split between clubs and players and every team
competing on behalf of a nonprofit partner, and that is the kind of long-term legacy we want World Sevens to create wherever we go.”

Justin Fishkin, Co-Founder

“World Sevens Football was built to be a different kind of football experience, and
London has shown just how powerful that can be. From capacity crowds to
record-breaking scorelines, it has been non-stop. I have always loved seven-a-side
football; the tempo is higher, the personalities are bigger, and the connection with the crowd is closer than anything you see in a typical eleven-a-side fixture. For me, this is also about a long-term commitment to the women’s game, doing whatever I can to help support and grow it with formats that put players and fans at the centre. And we are grateful to the entire Brentford team for being such incredible partners in bringing that vision to life here in London.”

Julie Uhrman, Co-Founder

“What stands out at World Sevens Football is how often you see the best players in the world showcase their individual brilliance. In a traditional eleven-a-side match, those moments are rare; in Sevens, they happen constantly. The format creates more touches, more one-on-one duels and more attacking opportunities, giving players the freedom to really express themselves. Coaches and club staff keep telling us how much their players are enjoying it, competing at the highest level while also having fun, building connections and showing technical qualities that do not always shine in the eleven-a-side game. That is what makes Sevens so exciting, it reveals another side of these players and brings fans closer to their creativity, personality and flair, while also strengthening the traditional game when players
take that confidence and joy back to their clubs.”

DAY THREE RECAPS
SEMI-FINALS — SATURDAY 30 MAY
Semi-Final 1: Chelsea 8-2 Aston Villa

Chelsea produced a dominant display to advance to the final, defeating Aston Villa 8–2 in the tournament’s opening knockout match. Aggie Beever-Jones, the tournament's standout performer with seven goals in the group stage, added a brace and an assist, with Mayra Ramirez and Sandy van Ankeren-Buurman also hitting braces. Lisa Kaptein and Lauren Cuthbert completed the route. Aston Villa replied through Beth Hanson and an audacious Rachel Daly chip, but Chelsea were never threatened.

Semi-Final 2: Manchester United 5-2 Everton
The second semi-final proved the most dramatic of the knockout stage. Elisabeth Terland put United ahead in the seventh minute, but Everton twice drew level through Kine Snoeijs and Amaiur Gago. Chidinma Awujo's brace kept United ahead at 3-2 going into the break. United found another gear in the second half: Melvine Malard, whose goal took her tournament tally to five, and Lea Schuller sealed a 5-2 victory to send Manchester United into the final.

THE FINAL
In a match that will be talked about for years, Chelsea FC Women were crowned inaugural World Sevens Football London Edition champions with a 6-5 victory over Manchester United Women in the most extraordinary final in the tournament’s short history. A sold-out GTech Community Stadium, 3,000 fans, a first in W7F history, witnessed a game that swung wildly in both directions before Aggie Beever-Jones settled it with less than 30 seconds on the clock. Manchester United burst out of the blocks in devastating fashion. United were 4-1 up inside the opening 11 minutes, looking every bit like a team about to claim the title they had
threatened throughout the tournament. Chelsea, their backs against the wall, refused to capitulate. They pulled it back to 4-4 by half-time in a breathless first half, and the contest only grew more intense after the break. Lea Schüller nudged United back ahead at 5-4, and the Gtech was convinced it was about to witness a United triumph. Beever-Jones had other ideas. The Chelsea forward, who had already been the defining player of the tournament, equalised to make it 5-5 and then, with the clock almost out, produced the winning touch to seal a 6-5 Chelsea victory that left the crowd in stunned disbelief. Her hat-trick in the final, with goals in the 12th, 28th and 30th minutes, capped a tournament performance of staggering quality: eight goals and six assists across the competition.

Beever-Jones was named the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player. Aston Villa’s Sabrina D’Angelo took the Golden Glove after recording 27 saves across the tournament, while fellow Villa player Rachel Maltby was recognised as Breakout Star of the Tournament. In a fitting close to an event defined by community as much as competition, girls from the Alessia Russo Foundation, took to the Gtech pitch as part of the Rising Sevens initiative ahead
of the final.

Veerle Buurman • Chelsea FC Women
“We just said from the beginning when we started the tournament, to just have fun, just enjoy it. And I think we’ve done exactly that — we had fun and we won. I think everyone had a great time.”

Alyssa Thompson • Chelsea FC Women
“It was just a way for us to have fun, compete, and also win. I think that’s all we wanted to do. I think we definitely accomplished that today.”

Marc Skinner • Manager, Manchester United Women
“I thought there were loads of good games, loads of good people. I thought that’s what the tournament really did — showcased the quality of the women’s game, but in a completely different format that was fun and exciting for everybody.”

DAY 2 — FRIDAY 29 MAY
Friday’s group-stage action delivered another goal feast, with 41 goals across six matches, taking the tournament total to 79 heading into the knockout rounds. Records continued to fall: Everton beat Leicester City 8-2, and Manchester United matched that scoreline against Tottenham Hotspur — both results surpassing the nine-goal match record set on Day 1.

Chelsea and Manchester United completed unbeaten group campaigns to top their respective groups, with Everton and Aston Villa securing the remaining semi-final berths. Crowds continued to grow, with 2,850 fans filling the Gtech Community Stadium on Day 2 — close to the venue’s full capacity.

Manchester United’s Melvine Malard and Jess Park led the Golden Boot race heading into the knockouts with four goals each. At the same time, Chelsea’s Aggie Beever-Jones and Tottenham’s Signe Gaupset topped the assist standings with four apiece. Beever-Jones contributed seven goals across Chelsea’s unbeaten group-stage run, establishing herself as one of the tournament’s standout performers.

“I think Sevens is just enjoyment after the season. We can just enjoy small-sided games and have fun with it.”
Jess Park, Manchester United Women

“It’s great for the players to remind them that football is about having fun and enjoying the game. I’m really proud of the players with the way they celebrate the goals, the way they walk out on the pitch.”
Sonia Bompastor, Chelsea FC Women Head Coach

“The majority of it is about enjoyment and letting the players express themselves and enjoy football in its purest form.”
Scott Phelan, Everton Women Head Coach

“It’s a bit different, isn’t it? We are so used to the same thing with 11-a-side, so it’s good for the team culture and the team chemistry.”
Rachel Daly, Aston Villa Women

DAY 1 — THURSDAY 28 MAY
The London Edition opened with one of the most action-packed days in W7F history. 35 goals across six matches — including two nine-goal thrillers — set the tone for a tournament defined by relentless attacking football, golden-goal overtime, and an electric atmosphere throughout the Gtech Community Stadium.

Chelsea FC Women emerged as the early pacesetters, winning both Group 1 matches to open with a perfect record. Aggie Beever-Jones scored twice against Everton before adding three assists against Leicester City to go top of the tournament’s assist standings.

“The mentality I want my players to have is being brave on the pitch, taking some
initiatives, and this format is great for that reason. I think for the fans, it’s great. You can see goals, celebrations, happiness — that’s everything we want to see when you are around football.”

Sonia Bompastor, Chelsea FC Women Head Coach

Manchester United Women made history on Day 1, becoming the first club to compete in two editions of the W7F tournament. Marc Skinner’s side defeated West Ham United 5-4 in a record nine-goal thriller, with Elisabeth Terland scoring a hat-trick to lead the scoring charts after Day 1.

“The energy, the vibe, everything — you can see the players love it. They love this
tournament, and we’re so glad to be back for our second year.”
Marc Skinner, Manchester United Women Manager

The evening’s second nine-goal thriller saw Aston Villa defeat Tottenham Hotspur 6-3, rounding out a Day 1 that made clear this London Edition would be the biggest and best yet.

RISING SEVENS AND COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS
Saturday’s final day featured the Rising Sevens initiative, with a group of local London girls taking to the Gtech pitch ahead of the final, a moment the W7F co-founders described as central to the tournament’s mission and legacy.

Through the W7F Community Champions programme, all eight clubs nominated a local nonprofit advancing girls’ access to football. Every organisation received a US $1,000 grant, with the runner-up’s partner taking home US $4,000 and the champion’s nominated charity receiving US $5,000. Chelsea’s Community Champions partner, Chelsea Foundation’s Inspire Her programme, will receive that top grant as a result of the title win. Manchester United Foundation’s Girls Development programme, as runners-up, will receive a US $4,000 grant.

The participating organisations: Saathi House (Aston Villa), Chelsea Foundation’s Inspire Her programme, Everton in the Community’s Premier League Kicks programme, Leicester City in the Community’s Active Girls programme, Sport Sister (London City Lionesses), Manchester United Foundation’s Girls Development programme, Tottenham Hotspur Foundation’s Girls and Women Football Hub, and West Ham United’s Female Player Pathway Model.

TOURNAMENT STATISTICS
Total Prize Pool: US $1,500,000
First Place Prize: US $500,000
Second Place Prize: US $250,000
Prize Split (positions 1–4): 50/50 between club and players
Total Goals: 107
Total Matches: 15 (12 group stage + 2 semi-finals + 1 final)
Golden Ball and Golden Boot Winner: Aggie Beever-Jones (Chelsea FC Women) — 8 goals
Golden Glove: Sabrina D’Angelo (Aston Villa Women) - 27 saves
Breakout Star of the Tournament: Rachel Maltby (Aston Villa Women)

About World Sevens Football
World Sevens Football (W7F) is a global 7v7 women’s football series that brings together the best of women’s football with electrifying entertainment and next-generation innovation. It debuted in May 2025 with Europe's top clubs in Estoril, Portugal, where FC Bayern München of the Frauen-Bundesliga won the title. The second edition in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (USA) saw teams from across North and South America compete in a tournament won by San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).

Co-Founded by Jennifer Mackesy and led by CEO Sarah Cummins, W7F is guided by a distinguished Player Advisory Council of Tobin Heath, Anita Asante, Kelley O’Hara, Laura Georges, and Caroline Seger. Its experienced leadership team brings together diverse expertise in sports management, business development, and tournament operations, including Claire Bloomfield, Chief of Football Affairs and Governance; Aly Wagner, Chief of Strategy and Sponsorship; Tracey Lesetar-Smith, Chief of Broadcast & Events; and Adrian Jacob, Head of Football. W7F is committed to elevating women’s football and inspiring players and fans around the world.

CONTACT: media@worldsevens.com