Kelley O'Hara's Four Reasons to Watch the UWCL Final

On Saturday, two giants of European women's football will face off for glory, in search of the coveted UEFA Women's Champions League crown. OL Lyonnes, a storied side with eight wins since 2011, takes on a newer juggernaut in Barcelona, which has won thrice since 2021.

Although the two sides have met before in this competition, this year's matchup brings new stories and high stakes. Former U.S. women's national team star and current CBS Sports analyst Kelley O'Hara spoke exclusively with Sports Illustrated, giving her top reasons to tune in to Saturday's final.

1. The legacy of Lindsey Heaps

Earlier this year, Lindsey Heaps announced that her time at OL Lyonnes would be coming to an end. The Colorado native would finish out the season and then join NWSL expansion side Denver Summit. Since joining OL Lyonnes in 2022, Heaps has won the French league four times and is now hunting for her second UWCL title to wrap up her historic run with the French side.

"For me, as an old teammate and friend of hers, I think this is really a special moment because she was the first player to forgo college and go pro in Europe-she made a name for herself and blazed her own trail," O'Hara says. "Then to have the opportunity to end her career in Europe in a Champions League final with the potential to be the only American to win two is just a poetic arc for her."

2. Star-Studded lineups

Between the two rosters, there are several Ballon d'Or nominees and three winners: Lyon striker Ada Hegerberg, and Barcelona midfielders Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas. As a bonus, Hegerberg will be playing this final on home soil for the first time.

Adding an air of intrigue to this star-studded match is Putellas's uncertain future at Barcelona. Much has been made of the potential of her leaving the club after her contract expires at the end of the season. Could this be the last time we see her wear the Barcelona crest?

"You have these incredible stars on both teams, the pitch is going to be packed-every single player on both of these teams is a star, from the starting XI to the bench," O'Hara says. "These teams are both trying to be champions of Europe, and that in and of itself creates this great energy and matchup around the final."

3. Emergence of a new UWCL dynasty

For over a decade, Lyon has been the UWCL team to beat. Although OL Lyonnes has not won since 2022, the French side boasts eight titles and an historic five-year unbeaten run from 2016 to 2020. More recently, Barcelona has emerged as a new dynasty, winning in 2021, 2022, and 2023. With a potential fourth title on the line, could this be the match that cements Barcelona as the new team to beat in the UWCL?

"These are the best clubs in Europe that enter this competition, and I think it's really cool that it's a Lyon-Barcelona final," O'Hara says. "Lyon are the giants of the Champions League. They've won eight titles. They're the queens. But then you have Barcelona, who in recent years have been almost trying to take over that legacy that Lyon has held for so long in this competition. I love that these two are facing off against each other because there's so much at stake."

4. The rise of Lily Yohannes

With 31-year-old Heaps edging towards the end of her career, a young U.S. midfielder will share the pitch with her on Saturday: 18-year-old Lily Yohannes. The young star joined OL Lyonnes from Ajax in 2025 and was first called up to the USWNT in 2024 at just 16 years old. Yohannes is widely considered to be the future of the USWNT midfield, and with the World Cup around the corner, this match could be the perfect showcase of why she should be on the plane to Brazil next summer.

"For a player like Lily at this stage in her career, she's getting a lot of looks with the national team, and I think [USWNT coach] Emma [Hayes] really likes her and sees a future in her," O'Hara says. "This type of game is important for her because if she can go out and perform like she always does and rise to the occasion, it shows Emma that she's ready to do that in, say, a World Cup or an Olympics."

The UWCL final will air on Paramount + and CBS Sports Network in the United States. Coverage begins at 10:30 a.m. ET with the match kicking off at 12:00 p.m. ET.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Kelley O'Hara's Four Reasons to Watch the UWCL Final.

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This story was originally published May 21, 2026 at 3:07 PM.