The 2026 UEFA Women’s Champions League Final in Oslo was not only a meeting between the two strongest teams in women’s football — FC Barcelona Femení and Olympique Lyonnais Féminin — but also a very special moment for everyone around Tanner Speed Academy.
On the biggest stage in European women’s football, several people from our training environment were involved in different roles, highlighting how the game continues to evolve at the highest level.
Barcelona’s impressive 4–0 victory against Lyon underlined the club’s current dominance in women’s football. With Ballon d’Or winners Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí leading a generation of world-class players, Barcelona once again demonstrated why they currently set the standard in the women’s game.
At the same time, Olympique Lyonnais Féminin — still the record winner of the UEFA Women’s Champions League with eight titles — remains one of the most influential clubs in football history. Lyon also had a Tanner Speed Academy link in the squad through Elma Junttila Nelhage. Unfortunately, Elma missed the final due to injury. Missing an important match like this is always difficult for any athlete, but setbacks are part of elite sport, and we are confident she will come back even stronger.
Another proud moment for us was seeing Almira Spahic as part of the referee team for the final. Almira has been training with us since 2019 and continues to show how important physical preparation, speed, and movement efficiency are not only for players, but also for referees operating at the highest international level.
Alongside her was Tess Olofsson, one of Sweden’s top referees, who has also trained with us on several occasions. Watching both referees perform in such a high-intensity match was another reminder of how modern football has developed. The speed of the game, the transitions, and the physical demands continue to increase every year.
The final in Oslo was also another sign of the incredible development of women’s football overall. Since Ada Hegerberg became the first-ever winner of the Ballon d’Or Féminin in 2018, the women’s game has continued to grow rapidly in quality, professionalism, athleticism, and global attention.
For Tanner Speed Academy, it was inspiring to see people from our environment represented on European football’s biggest stage — from players to referees. Moments like these motivate us even more to continue developing speed, movement quality, and performance for the next generation of football professionals.
