The women’s football calendar had a new arrival this year: the World Sevens Football (W7F) tournament. Held a few days before Arsenal take on Barcelona in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final, the W7F made headlines for its $5 million total prize money, where the winners get $2.5m — which is more than the $1.6m that the UWCL winners will receive.
From May 21 to May 23, the Estádio António Coimbra da Mota in Estoril, Portugal played host to W7F games with eight teams — Ajax, Bayern Munich, Benfica, Manchester City, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, Roma and Rosengard — battling it out.
With seven players each side, on a smaller pitch, the games were 30 minutes long (two halves of 15 minutes each), and had rolling substitutions and no offside rule, making for end-to-end action. So what did we learn from it?
1. The top players showed up …
Unlike other tournaments like The Soccer Tournament (TST) and Baller League, there were a number of first-team players on show.
Teams had squads of up to 25 players, with 14 permitted to be used during a game, and unlimited substitutions to give them a rest.
So that meant fans got to see the likes of Jess Park and Kerolin (Man City); Lily Yohannes (Ajax); Celin Bizet, Ella Toone, Grace Clinton (Man United); and Pernille Harder (Bayern Munich).
2. … and enjoyed themselves
It was clear that “vibes” were the order of the day, as plenty of teams and players looked to be enjoying themselves …
The players are leaving it all on the field. The energy is electric. The vibes? Unmatched. This is World Sevens Football. #worldsevensfootball pic.twitter.com/ksiNt5HM4d
— World Sevens Football (@worldsevens_) May 22, 2025
And especially Manchester United.
Living in the moment #MUWomen || #WorldSevensFootball pic.twitter.com/6D8pMFiDOU
— Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) May 22, 2025
3. There was music and individual intros
The players were all given a chance to walk (or do whatever) out onto the pitch with their own introductions, like in the NBA. And some teams made good use of it.
We made an entrance at #WorldSevensFootball. #FCBayern #MiaSanMia #DAZNxW7F pic.twitter.com/42JhLHEFvw
— Double-Siegerinnen (@FCBfrauen) May 22, 2025
In fact, the whole team did cartwheels, fair play https://t.co/e3ynm7nWBu
— Kathryn Batte (@KathrynBatte) May 22, 2025
Manchester United have upped their entrance game at the World Sevens. #mufc pic.twitter.com/pzwM96tckw
— Emma Sanders (@em_sandy) May 22, 2025
4. Plus goals, goals and more goals
In the first day of action, 47 goals were scored across the 12 matches and it was end-to-end stuff, without much thought for defending.
Man City’s Aoba Fujino had the honor of bagging the first-ever goal.
Our very own Aoba Fujino makes history by scoring the first ever #WorldSevensFootball goal! @worldsevens_ | @DAZNWFootball pic.twitter.com/0ihw7qKqgU
— Manchester City Women (@ManCityWomen) May 22, 2025
And there were some crackers after that too.
Chip the keeper with the shoulder while you have your back at the goal? Sure, why not?!
Ajax get level with Manchester City at 2-2.
Watch it all LIVE & FREE on DAZN
May 22
https://t.co/dIfKpURfZv #DAZNxW7F #WorldSevensFootball pic.twitter.com/moV1FFFzQB— DAZN Women’s Football (@DAZNWFootball) May 22, 2025
5 … And goal celebrations
Bayern Munich’s Tuva Hansen brought back images of Chloe Kelly from Euro 2022 when she celebrated by ripping off her shirt and getting a yellow card for her troubles.
Bayern also brought out “the worm” as a celeb.
Scoring, doing the worm, having fun, Mia San Mia and all that in Portugal for Bayern, as they go 4-0 up against Rosengård!
Watch it all LIVE & FREE on DAZN
May 22
https://t.co/dIfKpURfZv #DAZNxW7F #WorldSevensFootball pic.twitter.com/mUfQvsiACW— DAZN Women’s Football (@DAZNWFootball) May 22, 2025
And Man United’s Melvine Malard enjoyed a dance.
Melvine’s dance #mufc pic.twitter.com/wON7VahXQB
— Emma Sanders (@em_sandy) May 22, 2025
6. Rolling subs are fun
Mainly, the idea of rolling subs was there to protect players from overdoing it after a tough season and with Euro 2025 on the horizon.
But in Bayern vs. Ajax, it was also used a tactic as Bayern swapped all six of their outfield players before a corner, causing confusion in the defence, and scored as a result!
7. Even the officials had fun
The officials even seemed to enjoy the atmosphere …
Though while things picked up as the day wore on, the 5,000-capacity stadium could hardly be called full and the numbers of fans were more in the hundreds than the thousands. Something to work on for next year.
