Why the WSL apologised to Tottenham after chaotic…

Why the WSL apologised to Tottenham after chaotic Women’s League Cup draw

A view of The Subway Women’s League Cup Trophy during the Subway Women's League Cup Draw 2024-2025 at Pride Park on December 16, 2024 in Derby, England.

The draw for the quarter-finals of the Women’s League Cup took place on Tuesday 25 November, streamed live on TikTok.

The match ups for the final eight teams were drawn by former I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! contestant GK Barry, real name Grace Eleanor Keeling, and her girlfriend, Portsmouth midfielder Ella Rutherford.

The draw unravelled into chaos, with the WSL since apologising to Tottenham Hotspur after an inappropriate remark. So what exactly happened during the livestream that left fans baffled?

Apology issued, after GK Barry leads anti Tottenham chant

The WSL has apologised to Spurs following the draw (Image credit: Alamy)

While picking out Tottenham’s ball, Barry recited the start of an anti-Tottenham chant, often sung by rival fans: “What do we think of Tottenham…?” with Rutherford and Barry both laughing.

As the League Cup is managed by the WSL, this incident has reportedly prompted the league to apologise to Tottenham.

Ball mix-up sparks confusion

Influencer GK Barry has sparked controversy after a controversial draw (Image credit: Jim Dyson/Redferns)

At one point in the draw, Barry appeared to select a ball, momentarily examine it, then put it back into the bag, before picking another.

She said: “Am I allowed to do that? I’ve done it now, it’s too late.”

Sources at the event later insisted an adjudicator had confirmed the same ball was picked up the second time, avoiding the need for a full redraw which would have been required otherwise.

Innuendo-filled commentary

Throughout the draw, Barry made a series of crude remarks that raised eyebrows among viewers expecting a more professional proceeding.

Ahead of drawing the balls, when shaking the bag, Barry said: “Give it a shake… and a spank for luck,” hitting the bag against her backside.

She made comments about “lesbians handling balls” and with regards to Subway, the competition’s title sponsor, said: “Even if you’re a lesbian, get a footlong,” referring to their famous sandwich.

At one stage, she asked what kits Liverpool and Chelsea wore and reacted to drawn pairings with “I don’t know what that means.”

What happens next?

There is no official replay of the draw on any WSL channels as the draw was streamed live on TikTok, however fan-recorded clips from the stream are being widely shared on social media.

It is understood that one of the clubs involved in the draw has asked WSL Football to provide footage of Tuesday’s draw. Meanwhile neither neither Barry or Rutherford have publicly addressed the incident post-draw.

With the WSL and women’s football more broadly increasingly turning to digital creators to expand its audience, this episode is likely to intensify scrutiny around this.

The League Cup’s format is already under debate, particularly with the three Champions League sides entering only at this stage, and the chaotic draw has added fresh concerns about the competition’s integrity.