The WSL season gets under way this Friday night as London City Lionesses kick things off against Manchester United, under the lights in Bromley.
This year, the WSL has expanded from 12 teams to 14, with Birmingham City, Crystal Palace and Charlton coming up to the top tier. Meanwhile, Leicester City were relegated to WSL2 at the end of last season.
Without a women’s major tournament over the summer, the anticipation for the return of women’s football has never been greater, and with huge stars like Alexia Putellas and Kadidiatou Diani joining the league, the spotlight has also never been brighter.
Here’s everything you need to know about all 14 WSL teams.
Arsenal
Last season: 2nd
Manager: Renée Slegers
Captain: Kim Little
Key player: Alessia Russo
Preferred formation in 2025-26: 4-2-3-1
Style of play: Possession-heavy, fluid attack with high technical control
Next year will mark eight years since Arsenal last won the Women’s Super League, equalling the club’s longest-ever wait for a league title, and Renée Slegers has already made it explicitly clear that ending their title drought is the number-one target for the season.
Arsenal have been very busy in the transfer market to make that happen, bringing in seven new faces. The bulk of these deals had been in the pipeline for a good while, leading to a flurry of activity in the early weeks of the window. A key area of focus has been in the midfield, where Georgia Stanway is the marquee signing. The England international started both of Arsenal’s publicly viewable pre-season friendlies, scoring in the 5-1 win against Charlton.
The Gunners have also brought in reinforcements on the flanks. Ona Batlle will fill a Katie McCabe-shaped hole, while Lisa Baum (19) becomes the latest young winger to join the club – the opportunity to play her alongside Olivia Smith (22), who was just named PFA Young Player of the Season for the second consecutive campaign, will excite Gunners fans.
A little more X-factor in attack will certainly be needed. The Gunners lost just once in the WSL last season, but turning some of their six draws into wins will be imperative if they are to mount a serious title challenge this time around.
Aston Villa
Last season: 9th
Manager: Natalia Arroyo
Captain: Rachel Daly
Key player: Lucia Kendall
Preferred formation in 2025-26: 3-4-1-2
Style of play: Direct attacks, defensive reset, youth-led wide transitions
Aston Villa will be looking to get back on track this term after their form nosedived in the second half of last season. Despite holding Manchester City and Arsenal to draws and notching an impressive away win at Manchester United, their campaign was ultimately one of disappointment for a club that has drifted in the four seasons since an eye-catching fifth-place finish in 2022-23.
Natalia Arroyo’s side lost eight of their final ten matches of the season, with their solitary win in the final four months of the campaign coming against bottom-of-the-league Leicester. If that wasn’t concerning enough, they must now look to replace the 12 league goals provided by Kirsty Hanson, who departs for Tottenham. Ebony Salmon, who was ever-present in the WSL last season alongside Hanson, also departs.
Looking to fill the void will be Danish centre-forward Amalie Vangsgaard (Juventus) and 20-year-old Scottish centre-forward Mia McAuley, whose arrival from Rangers comes on the back of an 11-goal season, making her one to watch.
Norway’s Justine Kielland produced excellent passing numbers for Wolfsburg last season and will look to make Villa’s midfield tick, while her compatriot Mathilde Harviken comes in to bolster the centre of defence.
Birmingham City
Last season: 1st (WSL2)
Manager: Amy Merricks
Captain: Millie Turner
Key player: Lily Crosthwaite
Preferred formation in 2025-26: 4-2-3-1
Style of play: High full-backs, deep build-up, relentless pressing
Birmingham return to the WSL after a four-year absence as WSL2 champions. Under an ambitious ownership group, a club that once scaled the heights of Champions League football will feel that they are back where they belong.
Having missed out on promotion to London City Lionesses on a final-day title shoot-out in 2024-25, they put things right last season, prevailing in a winner-takes-all clash against Charlton at the Valley.
Greek international Veatriki Sarri is the only survivor from Blues’ most recent season in the division, returning to the club for last season’s promotion campaign following stints at Brighton and Everton. Further quality and WSL experience comes with the acquisition of the former Manchester United duo of Millie Turner and Lisa Naalsund – the latter was named club captain last week - while goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley returns to the club with which she made her professional bow, joining from Brighton.
Brighton and Hove Albion
Last season: 7th
Manager: Arturo Ruiz
Captain: Maisie Symonds
Key player: Kiko Seike
Preferred formation in 2025-26: 4-2-3-1
Style of play: Flexible build-up, aggressive recovery and wide rotations
Brighton’s plans for the new season have been thrown into chaos following last week’s shock departure of Dario Vidošić. Replacing him is 29-year-old Arturo Ruiz, who as recently as last week was in the dugout for Real Sociedad’s 5-2 defeat to Chelsea in Women’s Champions League qualifying.
How quickly the Spaniard can get his ideas across to a team that had carved out a reputation as an upwardly mobile WSL club in their two seasons under Vidošić will be crucial.
The Seagulls were not quite able to hit the heights of the fifth-place finish achieved in the 2024-25 season, but they continued to catch the eye all the same, picking up results against Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal in the second half of the season, in addition to knocking out the Gunners en route to a first-ever Women’s FA Cup final.
The core of the squad remains, but the signing of Lia Wälti from Juventus looks to be one of the coups of the summer. The Swiss midfielder was a Champions League winner with Arsenal and will raise the technical level of the team.
Off the pitch, the club announced plans earlier this year to construct a purpose-built women’s stadium adjacent to the site of the Amex Stadium. With a planned opening for the start of the 2030-31 season, the next few years will be key for the club in ensuring that on-pitch performances match the investments off of it.
Charlton Athletic
Last season: 3rd (WSL2)
Manager: Karen Hills
Captain: Kiera Skeels
Key player: Ashleigh Neville
Preferred formation in 2025-26: 4-4-2
Style of play: Compact defending, set-piece threat, direct front two
Charlton make their long-awaited return to top-flight English women’s football following a nail-biting promotion campaign. The Addicks, who led WSL2 all season, missed out on automatic promotion on the final day; the culmination of a run of one win in their final seven matches, ultimately consigning them to the WSL’s first-ever promotion/relegation play-off.
Facing the very real possibility of throwing away a WSL berth that had looked to be in the bag for much of the season, Karen Hills’ side held their nerve to secure a spot in the league for the very first time.
For Charlton, just being in the top flight after 18 years away is a huge achievement in itself, but expectations of a squad lacking in WSL experience will be low. Some attempts to address this have been made in the transfer market as two of the players Charlton sent down last season, Ashleigh Neville and Emily van Egmond, joined from relegated Leicester.
Chelsea
Last season: 3rd
Manager: Sonia Bompastor
Captain: Erin Cuthbert
Key player: Lauren James
Preferred formation in 2025-26: 4-1-4-1
Style of play: Controlled possession, positional rotations and wide overloads
Chelsea go into the new season as challengers rather than champions for the first time since 2019. The Blues’ six-year grip on the WSL was finally relinquished following a disappointing second season under Sonia Bompastor that ultimately saw them finish third.
Tactical tinkering was partly to blame, with Bompastor employing a back three with mixed results. They were overrun in midfield when using this formation in a home defeat to Arsenal back in January, though worse was to come when reverting to a back four the following weekend. They slumped to their heaviest WSL defeat since 2018 at the hands of a Manchester City side on their way to dethroning them as champions.
That said, there are plenty of reasons for Chelsea fans to be excited ahead of the new season. An injury-affected end to Sam Kerr’s time at the club means that they are already somewhat used to life without a player who departs as the club’s joint all-time record goalscorer. Replacing her is Melvine Malard, who hit double figures in all competitions for Manchester United last season.
Another signing that will excite supporters is that of Manaka Matsukubo, who was named NWSL Midfielder of the Year last season. At 22, the Japan international joins a core of exciting young talent that includes the likes of Veerle Buurman (20), Giulia Dragoni (19) and Alyssa Thompson (21), among others.
There is no club in the league with higher standards than Chelsea, and anything less than a return to the WSL’s summit this season will be viewed as a disappointment.
Crystal Palace
Last season: 2nd (WSL2)
Manager: Jo Potter
Captain: Aimee Everett
Key player: Bethany England
Preferred formation in 2025-26: 3-4-1-2
Style of play: Structured back three, quick attacks through central runners
Crystal Palace made an immediate return to the WSL following relegation in their debut campaign in the division in 2024-25. A run of seven wins in their final eight matches of the season saw them swoop above Charlton to claim automatic promotion on the final day, having looked up at their south-east London rivals all season.
Palace were cut adrift at the bottom of the table the last time they were in the WSL, but there is cause for optimism that things could be different in 2026-27. The core players present during the club’s first stint in the WSL – Annabel Blanchard, Aimee Everett, Josie Green, Shae Yanez and Ashleigh Weeden – remain at the club. The latter notched an impressive 17 goal contributions in WSL2 last term and is a player to watch.
Palace have also recruited well, with the headline signing Bethany England supplemented by the arrivals of Molly Bartrip, Justine Vanhaevermaet and the on-loan Teyah Goldie. With two fellow promoted clubs to compete with, Palace may feel they have the edge in the battle for survival this time around.
Everton
Last season: 8th
Manager: Scott Phelan
Captain: Megan Finnigan
Key player: Ruby Mace
Preferred formation in 2025-26: 4-4-2
Style of play: Direct wide play, crossing-led attack, compact block
No WSL side has shown more consistency in recent seasons than Everton, who last season completed a trilogy of eighth-place finishes. The first two of those campaigns came under Brian Sørensen, but the Dane was relieved of his duties in February following a poor run of results. Replacing him was Scott Phelan, who takes charge of his first full campaign as the Toffees boss.
Going into their second season at Goodison Park, Phelan’s side will look to force their way up the league table, and those hopes could hinge on making the most of a kind-looking start to the season. The Toffees will play all three promoted teams, in addition to the two lowest-ranked non-relegated teams from last season, within their opening five matches.
Liverpool
Last season: 11th
Manager: Gareth Taylor
Captain: Grace Fisk
Key player: Ceri Holland
Preferred formation in 2025-26: 4-1-4-1
Style of play: Defence-first structure, direct counters, improved build-up
Liverpool ended last season showing signs of growth under Gareth Taylor following a troubled start to life under the former Manchester City boss.
Having bolstered a thin-looking squad in January, the Reds won four of their final ten matches after failing to win any of their opening 12, though they did suffer heartbreak in the semi-finals of the Women’s FA Cup, where they were defeated 3-2 by Brighton having relinquished a two-goal lead.
This season, the two-time WSL champions will hope to steer well clear of a relegation battle and push their way up the table. If the Reds are to achieve this, they will need to improve their attacking output. Of the non-relegated WSL sides from last season, only West Ham scored fewer goals.
The signing of German centre-forward Vivien Endemann, who arrives from Wolfsburg, will look to address this. Another eye-catching signing comes in goal, where the acquisition of Khiara Keating from Manchester City could represent something of a coup in what has become a troubled position in recent seasons.
London City Lionesses
Last season: 6th
Manager: Éder Maestre
Captain: Alexia Putellas
Key player: Alexia Putellas
Preferred formation in 2025-26: 4-2-3-1
Style of play: Possession football, intelligent pressing, vertical attacks
There is no club in the WSL this season more intriguing than London City Lionesses. If points were handed out based on how many column inches were dedicated to a single team, the south London club would walk to the WSL title this season.
The reality, however, is quite different, and it remains to be seen how the influx of a star-studded cast of new signings that includes Alexia Putellas, Mapi León, Kadidiatou Diani and Mary Earps translates to cohesive on-pitch performances.
Two-time Ballon d’Or winner Putellas tops the bill in terms of WSL signings this season, bringing international superstardom the league has seldom seen. More importantly, LCL fans will hope that her 16 league goal contributions for Barcelona last season can translate to English football.
The club’s hopes of bridging a 13-point gap to Manchester United in fourth, let alone a 22-point chasm between themselves and the Champions League places, may rest on her shoulders.
Manchester City
Last season: 1st
Manager: Andrée Jeglertz
Captain: Alex Greenwood
Key player: Khadija “Bunny” Shaw
Preferred formation in 2025-26: 4-2-3-1
Style of play: Direct possession, set-piece power, flank-heavy attacks
Manchester City ended a decade-long wait to lift their second-ever WSL title last season, and will now aim to retain their crown for the first time in the club’s history.
A storming start to the campaign that included 13 consecutive wins between mid-September and early February saw them build up what proved to be an unassailable lead at the top of the table, despite a late-season wobble, as Andrée Jeglertz became the second consecutive WSL manager to win the title in their debut season.
As the club from the blue side of Manchester embarks on their title defence, their most important piece of business this summer comes in the form of retaining an existing player, with Khadija “Bunny” Shaw committing her future to the club after a move to Chelsea had appeared to be on the cards.
City’s business has otherwise been solid, if unspectacular. In contrast to last summer’s travels around the global transfer market, City have targeted WSL-proven players for this season. Beth Mead and Niamh Charles, who come in from Arsenal and Chelsea respectively, have swapped City’s challengers for the champions.
Manchester United
Last season: 4th
Manager: Eva Olid
Captain: Maya Le Tissier
Key player: Maya Le Tissier
Preferred formation in 2025-26: 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1
Style of play: Front-foot possession, physical midfield, adaptable structures
Manchester United are set to embark upon a new era following the departure of longstanding head coach Marc Skinner. By the time of his departure, Skinner had long since become a divisive figure at the club, with some supporters growing weary of what they viewed as a conservative style of play. Others recognised that the stability he brought to the club, despite owners making headlines for all the wrong reasons, may be a difficult act to follow.
Taking up the reins is Eva Olid, who made waves in Scotland last season after leading Hearts to their first-ever SWPL title. North of the border, she implemented a style that blended possession-based football with physical robustness, but how this translates to the WSL remains to be seen.
Beyond results themselves, the Spaniard will be judged on how well she integrates younger players, with the club’s focus shifting towards youth development amid the internal belief that the current levels of spending are unsustainable. To that end, United have enjoyed a quiet transfer window in terms of incomings, with Andrea Medina, Swedish winger Monica Jusu Bah and defensive midfielder/centre-back Rebeca Bernal becoming their only outfield additions.
Tottenham Hotspur
Last season: 5th
Manager: Martin Ho
Captain: Drew Spence
Key player: Signe Gaupset
Preferred formation in 2025-26: 4-2-3-1
Style of play: High-octane attacking, transition-heavy, improving defensive discipline
Martin Ho has overseen a revolution at Tottenham since taking over from Robert Vilahamn last summer. They fell to second-bottom of the WSL under Vilahamn in 2024-25, but Spurs have been revitalised under Ho, achieving their joint-highest league finish of fifth last season. They did so by invoking ‘The Tottenham Way’, scoring 35 goals – a figure only marginally behind that of Manchester United.
Kirsty Hanson’s arrival to north London represents a club doubling down on their approach, and her potential partnership with Shekiera Martinez – who enjoyed a prolific 18 months at West Ham – will give Ho the firepower he needs to facilitate his high-octane attacking approach.
If Spurs are to seriously challenge the so-called big four, they will need to tighten up at the back. For all their progress, they finished last season with a negative goal difference, with only three sides in the division conceding more goals. The capture of the highly rated defender Alice Sombath, who arrives from Lyon for a club-record fee, should go some way towards shoring up a shaky defence.
Sombath could potentially form a youthful central defensive pairing with Japan international Tōko Koga, who was nominated for last season’s PFA Young Player of the Season award.
West Ham United
Last season: 10th
Manager: Rita Guarino
Captain: TBC (Katie Zelem, Viviane Asseyi)
Key player: Riko Ueki
Preferred formation in 2025-26: 3-4-3
Style of play: Back-three block, wing-back width, direct counters
West Ham start the new season under the management of Rita Guarino, who took over from Rehanne Skinner last December. After a poor start to the season that saw them win just one of their opening 12 matches, the Italian was able to inspire something of a turnaround for the Hammers, who won four of their final ten to comfortably beat the drop.
This season looks set to be one of transition for the east London club. Core players such as Kinga Szemik and Katrina Gorry have left the club, but most difficult to replace will be talisman Martinez, who leaves for Tottenham having hit 16 league goals in her 18-month stint at the club.
By way of replacement, the Hammers have acquired Kelly Gago from Everton, who is one of nine players to arrive at the club. Laia Codina and Nadine Riesen come in from Arsenal and Frankfurt respectively to bolster the backline, while loan moves for Katie Zelem and Estelle Cascarino have been made permanent. Constance Picaud comes in to replace Szemik between the sticks.
