Women's football has grown exponentially in recent years, with Europe leading the charge in terms of talent, competition, and visibility. At the heart of this development is the UEFA Women's Champions League (UWCL), a tournament that brings together the continent's best teams to compete at the highest level. As the group stage kicks off, it offers a platform for both established clubs and emerging contenders to showcase their skills and ambitions. 

Read Also: Premier League Stats: Top 5 defenders with the most goals

Qualified Teams

A total of 16 teams have qualified for the next round of the competition and to do the draws they have been divided into 4 pots with each pot containing 4 teams each. The first pot comprises the titleholders and the domestic champions of the three top-ranked associations in the access list. the other three pots are composed following the club coefficient rankings established at the beginning of the season. below are the teams in the various pots

Read Also: Women's Champions League: Most titles by clubs

POT 1

The teams contained in this pot are Lyon the current title holder, Bayern, Chelsea, and Barcelona

POT 2

In this bracket, Wolfsburg, Arsenal, Mancity, and Real Madrid make up the number

POT 3

Juventus are joined by St Polten, FC Twente, and Roma.

POT 4

The final pot consists of Valerenga, Galatasaray Istanbul, Hammarby, and Celtic LFC.

While we await the group stage draws we will be back here to analyze the various groups and teams and a sneak peak into who maybe the favourities for this year's title 

Sports stands as one of the highest-paid professions globally because of vast financial rewards and entertainment value. However, despite many achievements, female athletes continue to earn substantially less than male athletes. Forbes' 2023 ranking highlighted this vast difference, with the top 20 male athletes gather $1.9 billion, more than eight times the earnings of the top 20 women. Today, we shift our focus to the top 20 highest-paid female athletes of the 2023-24 period and how much do they make in a year including prize money, endorsements and net worth.

The leading business magazine Forbes has revealed the world's highest-paid female athletes list. Twelve out of 20 athletes are from the world of tennis and dominate the chart. While Indian star shuttler PV Sindhu is India's sole representative on the list. she finished at the 16th spot alongside gymnast Simone Biles with her $7.1 million earnings.

Highest-paid Female Athletes | Top 20 List

1. Iga Swiatek (Tennis) | $23.9 million

At the age of 22, women's tennis world No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland topped the highest-paid female athletes list with an estimated $23.9 million (before taxes and agents' fees). In 2023, Swiatek was recognised as one of tennis's brightest stars by winning the second consecutive WTA Player of the Year Award. She has now spent a total of 82 weeks at the top spot, ranking 10th in WTA history. Swiatek also occupies the 14th position on the tour's career prize money list, boasting nearly $25 million in earnings.

Swiatek earned $14 million of her income through endorsements. Visa, On shoes and apparel, Oshee sports drinks and information technology company Infosys are some of the prominent brands endorsed by Swiatek.

2. Eileen Gu (Freestyle skiing) | $22.1 million

Eileen Gu, the freestyle skier and model, came in second on the top highest-paid female athletes list. She made $22.1 million in 2023, with the majority of her earnings coming from endorsements. Brands such as Mengniu Dairy and sportswear giant Anta in China, as well as luxury labels like Louis Vuitton and Victoria's Secret in the West, have all invested in partnerships with Gu. She was born in San Francisco but represented China in competition.

Despite struggling with a knee injury, Gu made a successful return in December and clinched victory in halfpipe events in both China and Colorado during her first World Cup action in 11 months.

Also Read: The Soaring Value of Women's Sports: A Game-Changer in the Sports World

3. Coco Gauff (Tennis) | $21.7 million

Coco Gauff enjoyed the biggest season of her career in 2023 on the court, highlighted by her breakthrough victory at the US Open, her first Grand Slam title. Gauff has won four WTA tournaments in 2023 and as a result, she achieved a career-best No. 3 ranking in singles.

Apart from that, Gauff also raked in the deals and endorsements off the court, too. She has an estimated net worth of $21.7 million. 19-year-old Gauff demonstrated her commercial appeal by securing partnerships with brands such as Baker Tilly, Bose, and UPS this year. Recognized for her passion for Marvel superheroes, Gauff was featured in an advertisement for the 2023 film "The Marvels" and graced the cover of a limited-edition Invincible Iron Man comic book.

4. Emma Raducanu (Tennis) | $15.2 million

2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu, number three last year, played only 10 matches in 2023 as she underwent surgery on both her wrists and one ankle midway through the way. Despite this, she earned $15.2 million this campaign with $15 million coming from endorsements. Raducanu has an endorsement deal with HSBC, Tiffany, British Airways, Christian Dior, Vodafone, Porsche and Evian.

5. Naomi Osaka (Tennis) | $15 million

Naomi Osaka has not played an event since September 2022 till last year as as she gave birth to a daughter in July. Osaka has an estimated net worth of $15 million, which came only through endorsements.

Osaka cut way back on her sponsor commitments in 2023, but she did add a new partner three months ago; Meta created her own AI chatbot character named Tamika. Other celebrities with AI personalities on some Meta platforms include Snoop Dogg, Tom Brady, Kendall Jenner and Dwyane Wade.

Also Read: Highest paid athlete from each sport in 2022 according to Forbes

6. Aryna Sabalenka (Tennis) | $14.7 million

Aryna Sabalenka had a dominant 2023 as the only women to reach the semifinals of all four Grand Slam events, including an Australian Open win and US Open runner-up finish. In September, she became the 29th women to ever hold the No. 1 ranking. She also received the International Tennis Federation's World Champion Award. 

Sabalenka has an estimated net worth of $14.7 million. She recently collaborated with Maestro Dobel Tequila and Leaf Trading Cards. Beyond tennis, Sabalenka invested in wellness brand Beekeeper's Naturals and Olipop soda. She was also featured in Netflix's tennis docuseries Break Point.

7. Jessica Pegula (Tennis) | $12.5 million

Jessica Pegula has yet to make it past the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam event but finished the year ranked fifth in the world thanks to wins in 77% of her matches and two tournament titles. She was named to the esteemed 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Pegula's stellar year on the court was her victory at the Montreal singles tournament, marking the biggest title of her career. In addition, she reached the championship match at the WTA Finals in November.

Pegula has an estimated net worth of $12.5 million. Off the court, Pegula continues to expand her brand presence by securing partnerships with brands such as Dyson headphones, De Bethune watches, and Gorjana jewelry.

8. Venus Williams (Tennis) | $12.2 million

Venus Williams' competitive appearances have become infrequent. She participated in just seven tournaments and played 10 matches last year but her influence as a marketing powerhouse remains. The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion has recently expanded her brand portfolio through strategic partnerships with Dove and Nestlé's Purina PetCare. Simultaneously, she introduced a jewellery line in collaboration with Reinstein Ross and made a strategic investment in the Los Angeles Golf Club, a team set to compete in the upcoming TGL league developed by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy's TMRW Sports.

Beyond sports and lifestyle, Williams is extending her impact as an executive producer on "Behind the Racquet".

Also Read: Grand Slam Records: Most Grand Slam singles matches wins (men and women)

9. Elena Rybakina (Tennis) | $9.5 million

Elena Rybakina backed up her 2022 Wimbledon win with a pair of WTA 1000 tournament wins this year at Indian Wells and Rome, as well as a runner-up finish at the Australian Open. Building on this success, she had an outstanding 2023 season, securing victories in two WTA 1000 tournaments and concluding the year at an impressive No. 4 in the singles rankings.

Throughout her ascent, the 24-year-old player has strategically expanded her brand associations, forging partnerships with notable entities such as Red Bull and Yonex.

10. Leylah Fernandez (Tennis) | $8.8 million

Similar to Emma Raducanu, Leylah Fernandez continues to reap the rewards of her notable run to the 2021 US Open final. She maintains partnerships with more than 10 endorsement partners like Lululemon, Morgan Stanley, and Google Pixel phones. However, akin to Raducanu, Fernandez has encountered challenges in meeting the expectations set by her early success on the court.

11. Nelly Korda (Golf) | $8.2 million

Nelly Korda failed to reach the winner's circle in 2023, but her sponsor portfolio was transformed in a boost her off-course earnings. The 2021 Women's PGA Championship winner added lucrative new deals with Nike and TaylorMade, replacing J Lindeberg and Titleist to start the year, as well as another pair of global brands, Delta Airlines and Goldman Sachs.

11. Megan Rapinoe (Football) | $8.2 million

Megan Rapinoe did not get the storybook ending to her career as she was injured early in the NWSL Championship game, and her OL Reign fell to Gotham FC. Retirement will free up time for Rapinoe, who is a sought-after corporate speaker and last year launched a production company, A Touch More, along with her partner, WNBA legend Sue Bird.

13. Candace Parker (Basketball) | $8.1 million

Candace Parker captured the 2021 WNBA championship with the Chicago Sky and won another title (while injured) with the Las Vegas Aces in 2023. But with league salaries capped at around $200,000, she makes nearly all of her money from endorsements. Her brand partners include Adidas, CarMax and Gatorade and her annual off-the-court pay is more than double her total playing salary across her 15 years in the WNBA.

Candace was the first woman to appear on the cover of an "NBA 2K" video game and was among the star athletes to invest in trading-card exchange Alt in a funding round announced in November 2021. She also has a lucrative contract as an NBA analyst for Turner Sports.

14. Alex Morgan (Football) | $7.8 million

The US Women's National Team flamed out early at the 2023 World Cup, but Alex Morgan remains the sport's most popular choice for marketers. She has endorsement deals with Nike, Calvin Klein, Molecule, Hublot, Bodyarmor and Michelob Ultra. In 2021, she founded a female-focused media platform, Togethxr, with fellow star athletes Sue Bird, Chloe Kim and Simone Manuel. This year, she launched her own foundation. Her latest is an investment in Los Angeles Golf Club, a franchise in the Monday night golf league TGL set to launch in 2025.

15. Qinwen Zheng (Tennis) | $7.2 million

Qinwen Zheng won the WTA's Most Improved Player Award in 2023, an impressive follow-up to her 2022 Newcomer of the Year Award. She won singles titles in Palermo and Zhengzhou in 2023 and reached the US Open quarterfinals. Some in the sport wonder if she could be a marketing star along the lines of her countrywoman Li Na, who finished no lower than third in the female athletes earnings ranking from 2012 to 2014.

16. Simone Biles (Gymnastics) | $7.1 million

Simone Biles returned to competition in 2023 and was as dominant as ever. She clinched four gold medals at the World Championships, extending her record to 30 total career medals at the event, including 23 golds. She led the US to a record-breaking seventh consecutive world team title. In 2021, Biles left Nike to join Athleta, and this year, the brand released their third Athleta Girl Collection with Biles, which is entitled "Because I Can."

16. PV Sindhu (Badminton) | $7.1 million

India's PV Sindhu has made it into the list of top highest-paid female athletes by Forbes where she finished at the 16th spot alongside gymnast Simone Biles with her $7.1 million earnings. She is her country's sole representative on the list. Sindhu earned around seven million USD in off-field partnerships, having secured deals with Centuary Mattress and American Pistachio Growers in the past year.

Sindhu is already among India's most marketable athletes, with her sponsors ranging from Asian Paints to Bank of Baroda. Compared to her off-field marketing prowess, Sindhu earned just 0.1 million USD in on-field prize money, underlining her barren year and Badminton's financial disparity to other, more global sports. 

Also Read: PV Sindhu announces legendary Prakash Padukone as her mentor in quest of Olympic gold

18. Ons Jabeur (Tennis) | $5.7 million

Ons Jabeur reached her second straight Wimbledon final in 2023 and finished the season ranked sixth in the world. The Tunisian-born tennis ace was the first African and Arab woman to contest a major singles final. She has endorsements with Lotto, Wilson and Laval, and will collect an appearance fee in Saudi Arabia at the end of December.

19. Brooke Henderson (Golf) | $5.4 million

Henderson, a winner of two major golf championships, is arguably the most prominent female athlete in Canada. In January, she followed in the footsteps of Nelly Korda and transitioned to using TaylorMade equipment.

20. Markéta Vondroušová (Tennis) | $5.2 million

Markéta Vondroušová close the list of the top 20 highest-paid female athletes. At the time, Vondroušová, who was ranked 42nd, made history by becoming the first unseeded woman to clinch the Wimbledon singles title in July. It was an unexpected victory for her, as evidenced by her last-minute arrangement for a cat sitter.

Following her triumphant performance at the tournament, the 24-year-old tennis star from the Czech Republic secured a new clothing sponsorship deal with J.Lindeberg. She ended the year on a high note, ranking seventh in the women's singles rankings.

Manisha Kalyan gave a hattrick of Assist in UEFA Champions League Qualification for Apollon Ladies F.C against ŽFK Ljuboten. She was already the first Indian footballer to ever feature in the UEFA Champions League. Now she also became the first Indian to give assist in the competition. Not one, not two, a hattrick of assists from the AIFF Women's Player of the Year.

Read Also: Indian Football News: Chhangte and Manisha Kalyan win the AIFF Player Of the Year award

Manisha Kalyan moved abroad from her former club Gokulam Kerala FC. The forward signed a two-year deal with Cyprus First Division champions, Apollon Ladies. Manisha Kalyan spent three successful years with the Kerala-based outfit, winning two Indian Women's League titles with them. She also earned the Player of the Tournament award.

JOB DONE! 💙#weareapollonladies #uwcl pic.twitter.com/6xldr7JZkL

— Apollon Ladies F.C (@ApollonLadiesFC) September 6, 2023

Manisha Kalyan was on her path to write a fresh page in history and she did that. She came on to play the second half against Ljuboten. kalyan provided her first assist to Joana Dantas in the 59th minute and then the second one to Syndy Nasello in the 79th minute. She completed her hattrick of assists in the 90th minute when Eleni Giannou made it 9-0 for Apollon Ladies FC. Many more to come from the young sensation but this will be the moment to remember for a long time.

England manager Sarina Wiegman dedicated her Uefa Women's Coach of the Year award to World Cup winners Spain, as Fifa president Gianni Infantino said their success had been "spoiled".

Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales has been widely criticised for kissing forward Jenni Hermoso on the lips after the final.

Wiegman said the victorious Spain players "deserve to be listened to".

And Infantino wrote on social media: "This should never have happened."

Hermoso said the kiss during the presentation ceremony after the World Cup final win over England in Sydney on 20 August was not consensual.

Rubiales was suspended by world football's governing body Fifa on Saturday but has repeatedly refused to resign.

Sarina Wiegman led the audience at Thursday's ceremony in a round of applause for Spain, stating they "deserve to be celebrated".

"We all know the issues around the Spanish team," she said.

"It really hurts me as a coach, a mother of two daughters, as a wife and human being. And it shows, the game has grown so much, but there is a long way to go in women's football and society.

"I would like to dedicate this award to the Spanish team, the team that played such great football that everyone enjoyed."

Infantino later posted a photograph of himself with the world champions on Instagram, writing: "Sadly, the well-deserved celebrations for these magnificent champions were spoiled by what happened after the final whistle.

"Fifa's disciplinary bodies immediately assumed responsibility and took the necessary actions.

"On our side, we should continue to focus on how further to support women and women's football in future, both on and off the pitch."

Infantino was criticised for a speech he gave at the World Cup where he said women who "pick the right fights" can "convince us men what we have to do" to bring progress in women's football.

The incident has sparked a global conversation about consent and power, with widespread protests taking place across Spain in support of Hermoso.

The forward's international team-mate Aitana Bonmati also spoke about the incident as she accepted her women's player of the year award at the Uefa event.

"Thanks to Sarina Wiegman for her words. These are not very good times just now for Spanish football," the 25-year-old midfielder said.

"We have just won the World Cup but that is not really being spoken about because things have happened that I wish were not happening.

"As a society, we must not allow such abuses of power in a working relationship or such a lack of respect."

Spanish football federation regional leaders have called on president Rubiales to immediately step down, while Spanish prosecutors opened a preliminary investigation into whether the incident amounts to a crime of sexual assault.

Spain's Sports Tribunal (TAD) also met on Monday to discuss the Spanish government's request to suspend Rubiales, with a decision yet to be announced.

Meanwhile, Chelsea women's manager Emma Hayes says she is hopeful the situation will prove to be a "huge wake-up moment" in Spain.

"This is not just an isolated incident," said Hayes, speaking on Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4.

"It is about a systemic problem over a number of years where the women's national team have complained on more than one occasion about the level of treatment and equality of opportunity and access for all of them.

"I hope that it will bring seismic and systemic change and you can see with the reaction across Spain it is certainly in support of Jenni Hermoso and the entire Spanish team.

"This is a huge wake-up moment for Spanish society and it goes beyond Spanish football about how women feel they are treated or mistreated.

"It happens here as much as Spain. I have to deal with it on a regular basis. Do I think we are much further ahead than Spain? Yes. But we still have so much work to do.

"Of course it has a 'women's problem'. We have to look at some of the work done to challenge the same issues around racism because some people are not aware of how inherently misogynist they are.

"We are making strides in the right direction but we want to keep progressing."

UEFA announced its Men's and Women's, UEFA Player of the Year for 2023 at the 2023/24 Champions League group-stage draw ceremony.

Lionel Messi was once again in the running for the men's prize and aiming to pull level with long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo by clinching the award for the third time, after inspiring Argentina to World Cup glory and collecting another Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain before moving on to Inter Miami.

Erling Haaland, who won the UEFA Player of the Year award on Thursday, has joined the list of elite footballers who have reached this feat in previous years.

The Manchester City striker was voted ahead of Kevin de Bruyne and Lionel Messi.

Haaland helped his Manchester City side achieve a treble victory, scoring 52 goals in 53 games.

Alexia Putellas' two-year reign as the women's winner came to an end, but a fellow Spanish World Cup winner succeeded her. Aitana Bonmati took the award, which quickly followed her Golden Ball prize at the World Cup earlier this month, where she struck three goals and assisted two more. 

Bonmati excelled with the all-conquering Barcelona side last season before starring alongside Olga Carmona, the World Cup final match-winner, who was also nominated for UEFA's award. Australia and Chelsea star Sam Kerr rounded out the contenders.

UEFA Player of the year: Men's List

Women's List:

The AIFF Player of the Year Award is the annual football award presented to the best footballers in India by the AIFF. Mumbai City FC winger Lallianzuala Chhangte, the "Mizo Flash" won the AIFF Men's Player of the Year award for the season 2022-23. Meanwhile, Manisha Kalyan, the first-ever Indian to feature in UEFA Women's Champions League won the AIFF Women's Player of the Year award. Interstingly, Indian team captain Sunil Chhetri was not even in the nominees of the men's category.

Read Also: AIFF Executive committee approves 5 teams in I-League; Federation Cup to return after six seasons

AIFF Men's Player Of The Year | Lallianzuala Chhangte

If not Sunil Chetri, who is it gonna be? This is the question everyone was asking themselves. But now they've got the answer in the name of Lallianzuala Chhangte, who was said to be leading the race for the Men's Player Of The Year award, has won it against his nation side teammates, Nandhakumar Sekar and Naorem Mahesh Singh.

With 10 goals and 6 assists to his name in 22 matches for Mumbai City FC, Chhangte has convinced the selectors that he is the best Men's Indian Footballer. He's yet to score or assist for his country this year but he has been immense for India as a winger. This is his first AIFF Men's Player Of The Year award and it was a well-deserved one.

The new East Bengal winger, Nandhakumar Sekar were also one of the nominees. He also has not been able to score for his country this season with only 2 appearances to his name but came close a couple of times. Another one of his teammates, Mahesh Singh was also nominated. Mahesh was crucial in India's victory against Nepal in SAFF Championship as he was the provider and the scorer for India.

Read Also: Exclusive | Bhaichung Bhutia: "India more likely to play a women's world cup earlier than the men's one"

AIFF Women's Player Of The Year | Manisha Kalyan

Indian Women's Football team has achieved great heights in recent years and many believe that they have a better chance of competing in the World stages faster than the Men according to Indian Football News.

Manisha Kalyan, the previous year's winner has successfully defended the title of being the best Women's Footballer Of India and has won the award for a second consecutive season.

Manisha Kalyan has again proved her worth to the world and took Indian women's football to great heights. She played for Apollon, Cypriot First Division club and also has 2 UEFA Women's Champions League appearances for the club. She was the favourite to win it and after becoming the first Indian player to play in the Women's Champions League, it was inevitable.

Emerging player of the year

Akash Mishra, the 21-year-old Mumbai City FC defender has impressed everyone with his tackling and defending qualities and has won the AIFF Men's Emerging Player Of The Year award.

On the other hand, Shilji Shaji, the 16 year old sensation from Gokulam Kerala has won the AIFF Women's Emerging Player Of The Year award.