Stjarnan take title, Rosengård book return

The UEFA Women's Champions League knockout phase does not kick off until 8 October but already three teams have booked their 2015/16 places, with Northern Irish title winners Glentoran Belfast United now joined by Stjarnan and FC Rosengård. UEFA.com sees how the leading summer leagues are unfolding.

Full UEFA Women's Champions League round of 32 fixtures

Iceland
Stjarnan completed a second straight double after defeating Afturelding/Fjölnir 3-0 to retain the league title with one game to spare. Having won the cup final three weeks ago, Stjarnan clinched a third championship in four years with three goals in 12 second-half minutes from Harpa Thorsteinsdóttir, taking her league tally to 27 in 17 outings, 15 more than anyone else. Thorsteinsdóttir said. "We were little bit excited to begin with but when we scored the first goal we began to play our way."

Stjarnan celebrate their victory©KSÍ

"We have worked hard and put pressure on ourselves but we have a good team to support us," captain Ásgerdur Stefanía Baldursdóttir said. "It is more difficult to defend a title because of the greater pressure but we worked even harder and made it."

With a 2015/16 European campaign thus ensured, they start their 2014/15 bid with a round of 32 tie against Russia's WFC Zvezda-2005 on 8 and 16 October. "We decided together to stay focused on the football in Iceland so the Champions League has not been on the agenda until the season ended," said coach Ólafur Thór Gudbjörnsson. "Now we will begin looking at our opponents and work on it."

Sweden
FC Rosengård will also be in Europe next season after a two-top finish was confirmed and they could be champions on Thursday night. While they won 4-0 at Eskilstuna United on Sunday, with two goals that took Anja Mittag on to 20 for the campaign, nearest challengers KIF Örebro DFF fell 1-0 at Piteå IF.

Then on Monday Sweden's other European contenders Linköpings FC lost 1-0 at Kristianstads DFF, meaning only Örebro and Göteborg FC can still catch Rosengård, both 12 points behind with four games left – but as they play each other, only one will be able to overtake the pacesetters. In any case, a point for Rosengård at Göteborg will wrap up the title on Thursday.

Liverpool celebrate their win at Birmingham©The FA via Getty Images

England
The FA Women's Super League is heading for a thrilling finish with the top three split by just two points and six of the eight competitors still able to qualify for Europe. On Saturday leaders Chelsea LFC succumbed 1-0 at Notts County LFC and the next day title holders Liverpool LFC moved within a point of the London side and one ahead of opponents Birmingham City LFC with a 2-1 away victory thanks to Fara Williams's late winner straight from the kick-off after Hannah Keryakoplis's long-range equaliser.

Meanwhile, it is still mathematically possible for Arsenal LFC, Manchester City WFC and Liverpool's fellow European entrants Bristol Academy WFC to finish in the top two.

Norway
LSK Kvinner FK stole a march over European hopefuls Stabæk Fotball on Sunday as they opened up a two-point advantage in the championship race with four games to go. At the start of the weekend, Stabæk led by goal difference but they were held 2-2 at home by Vålerenga FB having been two up at half-time, while LSK beat Amazon Grimstad FK 5-0. The front two meet in Lillestrom on the final day, 1 November.

Scotland
Glasgow City LFC are cruising to an eighth straight title but their long domestic unbeaten run is over after a 1-0 home defeat by Spartans FC. Prior to that loss the last time Glasgow had been overcome in the league (other than one forfeit) was six years ago against Celtic LFC, a run of 124 games in which they had scored 795 goals.

Russia
The top four in the league have began the six-round championship group to decide the title and Russia's two European contenders, WFC Zvezda -2005 and Ryazan-VDV, met on Tuesday. Zvezda, runners-up behind Ryazan last season, finished one place above the champions in second in the regular season and confirmed that form with a 2-1 win. Zvezda still trail leaders FK Zorkiy Krasnogorsk by one point but are five ahead of Ryazan. In the round of 16, Ryazan face Rosengård.