All you need to know about the top two divisions of women's football as the 2025/26 season kicks off

The Women’s Super League and Women’s Super League 2 seasons get underway this weekend!  In the WSL, Chelsea will be looking to win their seventh title in a row but other sides have made significant signings as they look to stop the Blues.  With two automatic promotion spots up for grabs in the WSL2, the fight for these could be exciting if the last couple of seasons in the second tier are anything to go by.

New things!

Leagues rebrand

The top two levels have had a rebrand over the summer with the independent company overseeing them now known as Women’s Super League Football.  The Championship has reverted to its original WSL2 name.  Both leagues have new logos but the rebrand has received a mixed reaction!

Relegation/promotion

It was announced over the summer that the WSL will be expanding to 14 teams for the 2026/27 season.  To facilitate this, the top two sides in the WSL2 will be promoted automatically whilst the third-place team will go into a promotion/relegation play-off match against the bottom side in the WSL.  The winners of the FA Women’s National League Northern and Southern Premier Divisions will be promoted to the WSL2, if they meet the licensing requirements, with the runners-up in both leagues playing off for a third promotion spot.

New TV deal

In the UK, this will be the first season of a new television deal for the WSL with Sky Sports now showing 118 matches, 78 of them exclusively, whilst 21 will be shown on BBC TV and the iPlayer.  Some games will also be on YouTube.  The Sky coverage will include the multiview feature to simultaneously broadcast games.  WSL2 matches will be available to watch on YouTube with selected ones also broadcast on Sky.

Alcohol

14 clubs in the WSL and WSL2 are taking part in a trail which allows alcohol to be taken into certain parts of stadium bowls during selected matches.  Those taking part are Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, London City Lionesses, Manchester City and Manchester United in the WSL and Birmingham City, Bristol City, Crystal Palace, Newcastle United, Sheffield United, Sunderland and Southampton in the WSL2.

Guide to sides (information and transfers correct as of 4pm (BST) Friday 5th September 2025)

WSL

Arsenal

Ground – Emirates Stadium

Manager – Renee Slegers

Last season – 2nd Women’s Super League

Players joined – Chloe Kelly (Manchester City), Taylor Hinds (Liverpool), Anneke Borbe (VfL Wolfsberg), Olivia Smith (Liverpool)

Players left – Lina Hurtig (Fiorentina), Amanda Ilestedt (Eintracht Frankfurt), Teyah Goldie (London City Lionesses), Freya Godrey (London City Lionesses), Laura Wienroither (Manchester City), Lia Walti (Juventus), Rosa Kafaji (loan – Brighton & Hove Albion), Michelle Agyemang (loan – Brighton & Hove Albion), Laila Harbert (loan – Portland Thorns), Naomi Williams (loan – Bristol City), Jessie Gale (loan – Portsmouth), Vivienne Lia (loan – Nottingham Forest), Maddy Earl (loan – Ipswich Town), Cecily Wellesley-Smith (loan – Leicester City)

Aston Villa

Ground – Villa Park

Manager – Natalia Arroyo

Last season – 6th Women’s Super League

Players joined – Lynn Wilms (VfL Wolfsburg), Ellie Roebuck (Barcelona), Jill Bajings (Bayern Munich), Lucia Kendall (Southampton), Oceane Deslandes (Montpellier), Maya Hijikata (Tokyo Verdy)

Players left – Rachel Corsie (retired), Jordan Nobbs (Newcastle United), Dan Turner (Melbourne City), Maz Pacheco (Everton), Ruby-Rae Tucker (Southampton), Sophia Poor (London City Lionesses), Katie Robinson (loan – Everton)

Brighton & Hove Albion

Ground – Broadfield Stadium & American Express Stadium

Manager – Dario Vidosic

Last season – 5th Women’s Super League

Players joined – Moeka Minami (Roma), Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC), Manuela Vanegas Catano (Real Sociedad), Carla Camacho (Real Madrid), Maelys Mpome (Chelsea), Fuka Tsunoda (Urawa Reds), Rosa Kafaji (loan – Arsenal), Michelle Agyemang (loan – Arsenal)

Players left – Poppy Pattinson (London City Lionesses), Maria Thorisdottir (Marseille), Guro Bergsvand (VfL Wolfsburg), Dejana Stefanovic, Pauline Bremer (FC Koln), Comfort Erhabor (Portsmouth), Chelsea Ferguson (Lewes), Li Mengwen, Vicky Losada (Bristol City), Nikita Parris (London City Lionesses), Melina Loeck (loan - Hammarby), Olivia Johnson (loan – Bristol City), Libby Bance (loan – Birmingham City)

Chelsea

Ground – Kingsmeadow & Stamford Bridge

Manager – Sonia Bompastor

Last season – 1st Women’s Super League

Players joined – Livia Peng (Werder Bremen), Mara Alber (TSG Hoffenheim), Ellie Carpenter (Lyon), Becky Spencer (Tottenham Hotspur), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City)

Players left – Zecira Musovic (Malmo FF), Sophie Ingle (Bristol City), Greta Humphries (Portsmouth), Lucy Watson, Ashley Lawrence (Lyon), Aniek Nouwen (PSV Eindhoven), Mia Fishel (Seattle Reign), Aimee Claypole (Nottingham Forest), Maelys Mpome (Brighton & Hove Albion), Alejandra Bernabe (Liverpool), Vera Jones (loan – Bristol City), Lola Brown (loan - Crystal Palace), Katie Cox (loan – Aberdeen), Ashanti Akpan (loan – Southampton), Julia Bartel (loan – Atletico Madrid), Louna Ribadeira (loan – FC Fleury 91), Femke Liefting (loan – Newcastle United), Jorja Fox (loan – Newcastle United)

Everton

Ground – Goodison Park & Hill Dickinson Stadium

Manager – Brian Sorensen

Last season – 8th Women’s Super League

Players joined – Rosa van Gool (Ajax), Ornella Vignola (Granada), Rion Ishikawa (Urawa Red Diamonds), Hikaru Kitagawa (BK Hacken), Yuka Moniki (Leicester City), Martina Fernandez (Barcelona), Maz Pacheco (Aston Villa), Ruby Mace (Leicester City, Katie Robinson (loan – Aston Villa)

Players left – Karoline Olsen (Malmo FF), Rikke Madsen (HB Koge), Maren Mjelde (Arna-Bjornar Toppfotball), Lauren Thomas (Sheffield United), Justine Vanhaevermaet (Crystal Palace), Heather Payne (Leicester City), Sara Holmgaard (Real Madrid), Veatriki Sarri (Birmingham City), Mel Lawley (loan – Burnley), Issy Hobson (loan – Nottingham Forest)

Leicester City

Ground – King Power Stadium

Manager – Rick Passmore (interim)

Last season – 10th Women’s Super League

Players joined – Katie Keane (Shamrock Rovers), Celeste Bourellie (Montpellier), Heather Payne (Everton), Emily van Egmond (Birmingham City), Olivia McLoughlin (Rangers), Rosella Ayane (Tottenham Hotspur), Cecily Wellesley-Smith (loan – Arsenal)

Players left – Lena Petermann (Werder Bremen), Saori Takarada (Cerezo Osaka), Sophie Howard (FC Como), Yuka Moniki (Everton), CJ Bott (Wellington Phoenix), Courtney Nevin (Malmo FF), Deanne Rose (Nottingham Forest), Ruby Mace (Everton)

Liverpool

Ground – St Helens Stadium & Anfield

Manager – Gareth Taylor

Last season – 7th Women’s Super League

Players joined – Kirsty MacLean (Rangers), Rafaela Borggrafe (SC Freiburg), Sam Kerr (Bayern Munich), Lily Woodham (Seattle Reign), Beata Olsson (Kristianstads DFF), Alejandra Bernabe (Chelsea), Emilia Szymczak (loan – Barcelona), Risa Shimizu (loan – Manchester City)

Players left – Yana Daniels (Burnley), Jasmine Matthews (Burnley), Tegan Micah (Lyon), Niamh Fahey (retired), Taylor Hinds (Arsenal), Olivia Smith (Arsenal)

London City Lionesses

Ground – Copperjax Community Stadium

Manager – Jocelyn Precheur

Last season – 1st Women’s Championship (promoted)

Players joined – Danielle van de Donk (Lyon), Sanni Franssi (Real Sociedad), Isa Kardinaal (Ajax), Teyah Goldie (Arsenal), Poppy Pattinson (Brighton & Hove Albion), Elene Lete (Real Sociedad), Sophia Poor (Aston Villa), Nikita Parris (Brighton & Hove Albion), Elena Linari (Roma), Paula Partido (Real Madrid), Jana Fernandez (Barcelona), Katie Zelem (Angel City), Alanna Kennedy (Angel City), Lucia Corrales (Barcelona), Grace Geyoro (Paris Saint-Germain), Wassa Sangare (loan – Lyon)

Players left – Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah (Nottingham Forest), Georgia Brougham (Nottingham Forest), Megan Campbell, Lucy Fitzgerald (Charlton Athletic), Emma Mukandi (retired), Connie Scofield (Sheffield United), Amelia Ajao, Danielle Carter, Hermione Cull (Plymouth Argyle), Miljana Ivanovic (Malmo), Charlene Meyong, Shen Mengyu (Shanghai Shengli), Grace Neville (Ipswich Town), Paula Partido (loan – Dux Logrono), Sophia Poor (loan – Nottingham Forest)

Manchester City

Ground – Joie Stadium & Etihad Stadium

Manager – Andree Jeglertz

Last season – 4th Women’s Super League

Players joined – Jade Rose (Harvard University), Iman Beney (BSC YB Frauen), Sydney Lohmann (Bayern Munich), Eartha Cumings (FC Rosengard), Laura Wienroither (Arsenal), Grace Clinton (Manchester United)

Players left – Laia Aleixandri (Barcelona), Jill Roord (FC Twente), Chloe Kelly (Arsenal), Jess Park (Manchester United), Aemu Oyama (loan – Rosengard), Tara O’Hanlon (loan – Sunderland), Poppy Pritchard (loan – Durham), Eve Annets (loan – Crystal Palace), Risa Shimizu (loan – Liverpool)

Manchester United

Ground – Leigh Sports Village Stadium & Old Trafford

Manager – Marc Skinner

Last season – 3rd Women’s Super League

Players joined – Julia Zigiotti Olme (Bayern Munich), Fridolina Rolfo (Barcelona), Jess Park (Manchester City)

Players left – Aoife Mannion (Newcastle United), Alyssa Aherne (Sheffield United), Grace Clinton (Manchester City), Geyse (loan – Gotham FC), Jess Simpson (loan – Southampton), Lucy Newell (loan – Birmingham City), Emma Watson (loan – Crystal Palace), Keira Barry (loan – Sunderland), Evie Rabjohn (loan – Sunderland)

Tottenham Hotspur

Ground – BetWright Stadium

Manager – Martin Ho

Last season – 11th Women’s Super League

Players joined – Toko Koga (Feyenoord), Cathinka Tandberg (Hammarby)

Players left – Rosella Ayane (Leicester City), Becky Spencer (Chelsea), Hayley Raso (Eintracht Frankfurt), Anna Csiki (loan – West Ham United)

West Ham United

Ground – Chigwell Construction Stadium

Manager – Rehanne Skinner

Last season – 9th Women’s Super League

Players joined – Sarah Brasero (Estoril Praia), Ffion Morgan (Bristol City), Yu Endo (Urawa Reds), Leila Wandeler (Lyon), Anna Csiki (loan – Tottenham Hotspur)

Players left – Marika Bergman Lundin (Valerenga), Shannon Cooke (Birmingham City), Emma Harries (Southampton), Kirsty Smith (Nottingham Forest). Katelin Talbert, Kristie Mewis, Ruby Doe (Ipswich Town), Dagny Brynjarsdottir, Princess Ademiluyi (Gotham FC), Jessie Stapleton (loan – Nottingham Forest), Rebekah Dowsett (dual registration – Watford), Ruby Warwick (dual registration – Barking), Soraya Walsh (loan – Watford), Camila Saez (loan – Bristol City), Jess Ziu (loan – Bristol City), Keira Flannery (loan – Charlton Athletic)

WSL2

Birmingham City

Ground – St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park

Manager – Amy Merricks

Last season – 2nd Women’s Championship

Players joined – Adriana French (Kansas City Current), Chelsea Cornet (Rangers), Shannon Cooke (West Ham United), Lily Crosthwaite (Durham), Veatriki Sarri (Everton), Batcheba Louis (FC Fleury 91), Oceane Hurtre (PSG), Lucy Newell (loan – Manchester United), Libby Bance (loan – Brighton & Hove Albion), Ji Soyun (loan – Seattle Reign)

Players left – Louise Quinn (retired), Louanne Worsey (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Ellie Mason (Charlton Athletic), Gemma Lawley (Bristol City), Jade Pennock (Sporting JAX), Katie Dungate (Fulham), Libby Smith, Abbi Jenner (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Cho So-hyun (Suwon), Charlie Devlin (Sheffield United), Ivana Fuso (Corinthians), Choe Yu-ri (Incheon Hyundai Jemong), Charlotte Clarke (West Bromwich Albion), Siobhan Wilson (retired), Layla Banaras (Lewes), Jamie Finn (Sunderland), Emily van Egmond (Leicester City), Poppy Irvine (loan – Sporting Khalsa)

Bristol City

Ground – Ashton Gate Stadium & Robins High Performance Centre

Manager – Charlotte Healy

Last season – 6th Women’s Championship

Players joined – Emily Mutch (Motherwell), Gemma Lawley (Birmingham City), Maria Farrugia (Sheffield United), Rio Hardy (Rangers), Sophie Ingle (Chelsea), Vicky Losada (Brighton & Hove Albion), Esther Morgan (Sheffield United), Marine Dafeur (FC Flurey), Vera Jones (loan – Chelsea), Camila Saez (loan - West Ham United), Jess Ziu (loan – West Ham United), Olivia Johnson (loan – Brighton & Hove Albion), Naomi Williams (loan – Arsenal)

Players left – Jackie Burns (Calgary Wild), Jess Woolley, Jasmine Bull (Portsmouth), Amalie Thestrup (Charlton Athletic), Ffion Morgan (West Ham United), Amy Rodgers (Nottingham Forest), Chloe Mustaki (Nottingham Forest), Jamie-Lee Napier (Crystal Palace)

Charlton Athletic

Ground – The Valley

Manager – Karen Hills

Last season – 3rd Women’s Championship

Players joined – Lucia Lobato (Marseille), Gillian Kenney (Providence College), Ellie Mason (Birmingham City), Mary McAteer (Sunderland), Anna Pedersen (Rugby Borough), Lucy Fitzgerald (London City Lionesses), Zoe Barratt (Oxford United), Amalie Thestrup (Bristol City), Keira Flannery (loan – West Ham United)

Players left – Francesca Stables, Katie Godden, Kayleigh Barton (retired), Sophie O’Rourke (Sheffield United), Mel Filis (Sassuolo), Beth Roe (Ipswich Town), Mary Bashford (Southampton), Jess Gray (Portsmouth), Ellie Brazil (Southampton)

Crystal Palace

Ground – VBS Community Stadium

Manager – Jo Potter

Last season – 12th Women’s Super League (relegated)

Players joined – Jamie-Lee Napier (Bristol City), Justine Vanhaevermaet (Everton), Kirsty Howat (Rangers), Lola Brown (loan – Chelsea), Emma Watson (loan – Manchester United), Eve Annets (loan – Manchester City)

Players left – Fliss Gibbons (retired), Mille Gejl (HB Koge), Katrine Veje (Roma), Izzy Atkinson (Sunderland), Ria Oling (Braga), Clarissa Larisey (Houston Dash), Katie Stengel (Gotham FC)

Durham

Ground – Maiden Castle Sports Park

Manager – Lee Sanders

Last season – 4th Women’s Championship

Players joined – Grace Ede (Sunderland), Amber-Keegan Stobbs (Newcastle United), Angela Addison (Ipswich Town), Cat Sheppard (Sporting Lisbon), Tyler Toland (Blackburn Rovers), Abbey Jones (University of Connecticut), Mariana Speckmaier (Melbourne City), Poppy Pritchard (loan – Manchester City)

Players left – Lily Crosthwaite (Birmingham City), Rylee Foster (Dallas Trinity), Dee Bradley (Burnley), Carly Johns (Hearts), Eleanor Ryan-Doyle (Peamount United)

Ipswich Town

Ground – JobServe Community Stadium

Manager – Joe Sheehan

Last season – 1st FA Women’s National League Southern Premier Division (promoted)

Players joined – Paige Peake (Southampton), Rianna Dean (Southampton), Ruby Dow (West Ham United), Beth Roe (Charlton Athletic), Jenna Dear (Sunderland), Grace Neville (London City Lionesses), Sophie Baigent (Hashtag United), Maddy Earl (loan – Arsenal)

Players left – Angela Addison (Durham), Maisy Barker (Oxford United), Issy Bryant (Real Bedford), Grace Garrad (Watford), Ella Rutherford (Portsmouth), Evie Williams (Norwich City)

Newcastle United

Ground – Gateshead International Stadium

Manager – Rebecca Langley

Last season – 5th Women’s Championship

Players joined – Jemma Purfield (Southampton), Molly Pike (Southampton), Jordan Nobbs (Aston Villa), Aoife Mannion (Manchester United), Malgorzata Grec (Dijon), Oona Sevenius (Rosengard), Anna  Tamminen (Hammarby IF), Morgan Gautrat (loan - Orlando Pride), Femke Liefting (loan – Chelsea), Jorja Fox (loan – Chelsea)

Players left – Grace Donnelly, Katie Barker, Georgia Gibson (Chester le Street Town), Olivia Watt (Middlesbrough), Amber-Keegan Stobbs (Durham), Hannah Greenwood (Sunderland), Rachel Furness (retired), Amy Andrews (Sheffield United), Sophie Haywood (Hull City), Daisy Burt (St John’s Women’s Soccer), Rebecca Ferguson (Middlesbrough), Jodie Bartle

Nottingham Forest

Ground – City Ground

Manager – Carly Davies

Last season – 1st FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division (promoted)

Players joined – Amy Rodgers (Bristol City), Chloe Mustaki (Bristol City), Kirsty Smith (West Ham United), Georgia Brougham (London City Lionesses), Aimee Claypole (Chelsea), Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah (London City Lionesses), Rachel Rowe (Southampton), Deanne Rose (Leicester City), Ebba Hed (Djurgarden), Tove Almqvist (Djurgarden), Jessie Stapleton (loan – West Ham United), Sophia Poor (loan – London City Lionesses), Vivienne Lia (loan – Arsenal), Nahikari Garcia (loan – Denver Summit), Issy Hobson (loan – Everton)

Players left – Kate Longhurst (retired), Naomi Bedeau (Oxford United), Jessica Hennessy (AFC Bournemouth), Sophie Domingo, Amy Sims (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Holly Manders (Oxford United), Bridget Galloway (Aberdeen), Holly Turner (Oxford United), Millie Chandarana (Burnley), Megan Bell (Linfield), Alice Keitley, Holly Mears (Norwich City), Lyndsey Harkin (Wolverhampton Wanderers)

Portsmouth

Ground – Westleigh Park & Fratton Park

Manager – Jay Sadler

Last season – 9th Women’s Championship

Players joined – Jasmine Bull (Bristol City), Jess Gray (Charlton Athletic), Lucy Johnson (Blackburn Rovers), Angelina Nixon (Rugby Borough), Tia Primmer (Blackburn Rovers), Comfort Erhabor (Brighton & Hove Albion), Jemima Dahou (Blackburn Rovers), Annie Wilding (Sheffield United), Ella Rutherford (Ipswich Town), Greta Humphries (Chelsea), Jessie Gale (loan – Arsenal)

Players left – Nicole Barrett (Oxford United), Erin McLaughlin (Glasgow City), Daisy McLachlan (AFC Wimbledon), Annie Rolf (Lewes), Ella Humphrey, Scarlett Williams (Real Bedford), Hannah Haughton (Moneyfields), Riva Casley (Oxford United), Sophie Quirk (AFC Bournemouth)

Sheffield United

Ground – Bramall Lane

Manager – Ash Thompson

Last season – 11th Women’s Championship

Players joined – Amy Andrews (Newcastle United), Charlie Devlin (Birmingham City), Tammi George (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Emma Taylor (Blackburn Rovers), Connie Scofield (London City Lionesses), Jess Reavill (Stoke City), Lauren Thomas (Everton), Alyssa Aherne (Manchester United), Sophie O’Rourke (Charlton Athletic), Joy Ralph (Shamrock Rovers), Charlotte Parker-Smith (Hearts), Mollie Rouse (Spokane Zephyr)

Players left – Satara Murray (retired), Maria Farrugia (Bristol City), Jacqui Hand (Kolbotn), Monique Robinson (West Bromwich Albion), Esther Morgan (Bristol City), Annie Wilding (Portsmouth), Jade Bailey, Olivia Page, Fallon Connolly-Jackson (Rangers), Bethan Davies (Huddersfield Town), Olivia Edwards

Southampton

Ground – St Mary’s Stadium & Silverlake Stadium

Manager – Simon Parker

Last season – 8th Women’s Championship

Players joined – Amy Goddard (Sunderland), Emma Harries (West Ham United), Ruby Tucker (Aston Villa), Mary Bashford (Charlton Athletic), Ellie Brazil (Charlton Athletic), Maria Edwards (Blackburn Rovers), Kiera Sena (Cork City), Abbie Ferguson (Hibernian), Ellie Hack (Blackburn Rovers), Michaela McAlonie (Hibernian), Jess Simpson (loan – Manchester United), Ashanti Akpan (loan – Chelsea)

Players left – Alice Griffiths (Rangers), Rianna Dean (Ipswich Town), Izzy Milne (Fulham), Emma Thompson (Oxford United), Emily Kraft, Jemma Purfield (Newcastle United), Molly Pike (Newcastle United), Benedicte Haaland, Paige Peake (Ipswich Town), Lucia Kendall (Aston Villa), Rachel Rowe (Nottingham Forest)

Sunderland

Ground – Eppleton Colliery Football Ground & Stadium of Light

Manager – Mel Reay

Last season – 7th Women’s Championship

Players joined – Marissa Sheva (Portland Thorns), Rhiannon Roberts (Real Betis), Reanna Blades (Burnley), Grace Moloney, Hannah Greenwood (Newcastle United), Jamie Finn (Birmingham City), Izzy Atkinson (Crystal Palace), Keira Barry (loan – Manchester United), Evie Rabjohn (loan – Manchester United), Tara O’Hanlon (loan – Manchester City)

Players left – Megan Beer (retired), Amy Goddard (Southampton), Grace Ede (Durham), Megan Brothwick (Middlesbrough), Jenna Dear (Ipswich Town), Mary McAteer (Charlton Athletic), Grace McCatty (retired)