The Women’s Super League 2 enters its second year as a fully professional competition on Friday night, with two newly promoted teams in Watford and Burnley meeting at Vicarage Road.
The league and its clubs are increasingly ambitious, making the title race difficult to predict. Bristol City, Newcastle United, and Leicester City all have promotion in their sights, while three new arrivals from the National League will be hoping to prove they can make the step up.
Beneath the battle for promotion, however, WSL2’s biggest talking point may be what is happening off the pitch. Investment is increasing, clubs are becoming more professional and the league is attracting greater attention, but questions remain about how sustainable that growth will prove to be.
Bristol City are arguably the team to beat. After finishing fourth last season, they have the determination, infrastructure and financial backing to make a serious push for promotion, with Mercury13’s majority investment providing a significant boost to the club’s operations.
Newcastle could also be a serious challenger. They struggled to turn performances into points last season, with too many draws ultimately contributing to a sixth-place finish. However, their summer recruitment has signalled a clear intent to push for promotion.
Southampton will also be targeting promotion, though their ambitions have been complicated by reports of a significant cut to the club’s women’s and girls’ budget and the decision to move away from their St Mary’s home stadium.
Meanwhile, Leicester arrive with a different kind of pressure. Relegated from the WSL after losing the play-off final to Charlton, they expect to bounce straight back. But the squad that starts the new season looks very different from the one that ended the last. A number of key players departed over the summer, but there is still enough experience and quality for Leicester to be considered favourites.
The newly-promoted sides face a different challenge. Burnley arrive after an extraordinary National League campaign in which they scored 121 goals and conceded just five in the competition. However, the jump to WSL2 will be substantial for all three teams. Wolves have recruited heavily over the summer, adding experienced names to their squad. Watford could also be strengthened by investment from Pitch15 as they make the transition to a fully professional side.
Perhaps the most significant story, though, is that investment in WSL2 is no longer confined to a handful of clubs. Bristol City have Mercury13 behind them, while Sunderland have entered a new era following Bay Collective’s majority takeover, with investment promised in infrastructure, staffing and the academy. At the other end of the scale, Durham came within weeks of disappearing altogether before local businessman Geoff Thompson acquired a majority shareholding and saved the club from closure.
That juxtaposition captures the current WSL2 landscape. There is more investment, infrastructure and ambition than ever, but the fact that an established independent club could come so close to folding is a reminder that professional status does not guarantee long-term security.
Ahead of what is set to be a fascinating season on and off the pitch, get to know the teams in this league before the first weekend of matches.
Bristol City
Last season: 4th
Manager: Charlotte Healy
Captain: Megan Connolly
Key player: Katie Robinson
Preferred formation in 2025-26: 4-2-3-1/4-3-3
Playing style: Dense midfield, quick transitions to wide areas
Having just fallen short at the end of last season, Bristol City’s goal for 2026-27 is nothing short of promotion. Operational independence from the men’s team and dedicated backing from Mercury13 have raised standards in all areas with the objective of returning to the top flight next year. Former WSL director Hannah Buckley was appointed CEO of the club earlier this summer, with Charlotte Healy going into her second full season as manager.
The club will play full-time at Ashton Gate this season, reflecting the expectations of the club. Forward Katie Robinson, who joined in January 2026, said: “Moving to Ashton Gate is a true privilege. Not many women’s teams were playing in proper main stadiums when it first started. Ashton Gate as a building and its atmosphere makes a huge difference and reflects how far the club has come. It’s an amazing stadium and we’re really lucky to play there.”
Bristol City have become an important case study for what dedicated investment in a women’s club can achieve, and the team is certainly one to watch throughout the season.
Burnley
Last season: 1st (FA Women’s National League North)
Manager: Jackie Bachteler
Captain: Alethea Paul
Key player: Rachel Williams
Preferred formation in 2025-26: 4-3-3
Playing style: Ball-dominant and rock-solid but will be tested in WSL2
After a season spent bulldozing the Women’s National League Northern Premier Division, Burnley enter WSL2 for the first time with several new summer additions as they adapt to the step up required to compete in this league.
Last season, Burnley scored 121 goals across all competitions, but their defence was just as strong. With 26 clean sheets across the entire campaign, they only conceded five goals in the league.
Jackie Bachteler, an American manager with experience in Europe and the NWSL, has recently been appointed, and veteran pro Rachel Williams will be an important signing with her wealth of experience.
Durham
Last season: 10th
Manager: Willie Kirk
Captain: Sarah Wilson
Key player: Michaela Foster
Preferred formation in 2025-26: 4-2-3-1
Playing style: Strong wide play, high press with proactive pressing, balanced but aggressive build-up
As the only independently formed women’s football club in WSL2, Durham survived a crisis in June 2026. On 8 June, the club issued an urgent warning that it would cease operations at all levels within 21 days due to a severe lack of funding and failed investment talks.
Two weeks later, local businessman and South Shields FC chairman Geoff Thompson acquired a majority shareholding, saving the club and ensuring it could compete for at least one more season as a professional club.
The money has been put to immediate use, with the club repatriating a number of English players playing abroad (Jade Pennock, Olivia Fergusson, Emma Brown), as well as bringing in the Australian pair of Rachel Lowe and Madison McComasky.
There have been changes elsewhere, too. Durham appointed Willie Kirk as manager over the summer, whose extensive experience was attractive on paper. However, his return to English football for the first time since March 2024 hasn’t been celebrated the way it might have, given he was sacked by Leicester City following an internal investigation that found he was in an inappropriate relationship with a player.
Durham barely survived in WSL2 last season and will face another strong test this year, with at least two strong teams coming up from the National League.
Ipswich Town
Last season: 9th
Manager: David Wright
Captain: Maria Boswell
Key player: Kit Graham
Preferred formation in 2025-26: 4-2-3-1
Playing style: Direct, high-tempo vertical style built on counter-attacks, rapid transitions and sharp passes
Ipswich Town fell to the bottom of the WSL2 table during the first half of last season after an excellent promotion campaign from the National League in 2024-25. Their poor form resulted in the departure of manager Joe Sheehan in early January, with David Wright replacing him as interim manager.
Wright transformed the team in the latter half of the season with a shift toward direct, fast-paced football, securing the job after a 4-1 win over Sheffield United. They looked more assured at the back after the change in manager, and also produced more chances at the other end by focusing on long passes and fast counters.
Wright has tried to rebuild the squad to suit that style, with Ipswich signing 14 new players over the summer, six of whom have come from Scotland’s SWPL 1. However, the loss of winger Sophie Peskett to Brighton & Hove Albion will hurt, despite the club receiving a record fee for the 23-year-old.
Peskett was Ipswich’s player of the season last year, producing the best of her seven seasons for the club. The Tractor Girls will need to find pace, dribbling and quality of delivery among their new signings to replace what they have lost.
Leicester City
Last season: Relegated (12th in WSL)
Manager: Rick Passmoor
Captain: Sam Tierney
Key player: Alisha Lehmann
Preferred formation in 2025-26: 4-2-3-1
Playing style: Defensive, with fast counter-attacks through wide areas
After a disappointing WSL season and an ultimately unsuccessful play-off tie with Charlton, Leicester were officially relegated from the WSL. Despite going into WSL2 as one of the stronger teams, many players have departed the club, forcing Leicester to go on a recruitment drive.
Perhaps the most surprising addition is 26-year-old Finland international Paulina Nyström, who left reigning Uefa Europa Cup champions BK Häcken to take on a promotion challenge.
Speaking to The Cutback, another one of those new recruits, Leah Eddie, spoke of her initial conversation with Leicester: “Sometimes I feel like you need to take one step back to take two steps forward. It’s a journey that I really want to be a part of. When I knew that their ambition was to go straight back up and be successful next season, it’s something that I knew I wanted to fight for.”
“I think the team are self-assured and we know what we can go and achieve this season, so we’re just focusing on ourselves and looking to get the wins when we can. That will put us in a good position to hopefully be promoted again.”
Newcastle
Last season: 6th
Manager: Tanya Oxtoby
Captain: Demi Stokes
Key player: Jordan Nobbs
Preferred formation in 2025-26: 4-3-3
Playing style: Fast-paced possession football, high press, set-piece specialisation
Newcastle, now firmly established themselves in WSL2, have enjoyed a summer of transformative transfer activity.
The Magpies have brought in 10 players over the summer, including former US international Morgan Gautrat on a permanent basis after her loan from Orlando Pride. Striker Martha Thomas joins from Tottenham, Gemma Evans and Leanne Kiernan have come as a pair from Liverpool, and Icelandic international Hildur Antonsdóttir brings Liga F experience to Tyneside.
Last season saw Newcastle struggle to convert strong performances into wins, resulting in them staying in WSL2. Several of the squad have spoken about the desire to become the North East’s representative in the top-tier WSL and they now have a squad that looks capable of it.
Newcastle will also host several matches at St James’ Park this season, including a Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland during a men’s international break that should attract a raucous crowd.
Nottingham Forest
Last season: 7th
Manager: Tom Mallinson
Captain: Georgia Brougham
Key player: Chloe Mustaki
Preferred formation in 2025-26: 4-3-3
Playing style: High-intensity, structured build-up, aggressive ball recovery
Forest appointed a new manager over the summer despite their strong end to last season, bringing club lifer Tom Mallinson up from the under-18 men’s team.
Mallinson has spent almost 20 years working in Forest’s academy, and striker Aimee Claypole told The Cutback that his lack of senior football pedigree won’t be an issue.
“He’s been a breath of fresh air,” Claypole said. “His approach, his philosophies, everything has been great and I think everyone’s really buying into it, which is the main thing. Everyone’s really excited to work under him. He’s a great guy and I think he’ll do really well for us.”
Looking ahead to the season, she said: “Looking back at last season, we learned a lot in terms of how we need to operate in this league. Conceding late was an issue for us, so we are working on how to adapt in those moments because it happens regularly in this league. It’s about building that culture where everyone sits together in tough moments.”
Southampton
Last season: 5th
Manager: Simon Parker
Captain: TBA (Atlanta Primus in 2025-26)
Key player: Mary Bashford
Preferred formation in 2025-26: 4-3-3
Playing style: Priority on defensive stability, reliant on rapid wing switches
Led by Southampton local Simon Parker, the Saints enter the 2026-27 season with a focus on aggressive wide play, anchored by creative midfielder Mary Bashford and young full-back Megan Collett.
Last season saw a high volume of decisive goals scored in stoppage time, showing their execution of late-game management to win crucial points.
After finishing fifth last season, promotion is the goal; however, it was reported by The Athletic that Southampton are set to cut their women’s and girls’ budget by at least £500,000, which would significantly impact the squad and their investment. They will no longer play at the club’s main ground, St Mary’s Stadium, this season.
It has also been reported that head of women’s football, Marieanne Spacey-Cale will depart.
Sunderland
Last season: 8th
Manager: Melanie Reay
Captain: Rhiannon Roberts
Key player: Atlanta Primus
Preferred formation in 2025-26: 4-2-3-1
Playing style: Wide overloads in possession, compact defensive block
The upcoming campaign heralds a new era for Sunderland AFC Women, driven by massive off-pitch developments.
Following the completion of a majority takeover by Bay Collective — the multi-club ownership group behind NWSL side Bay FC — the club has received substantial financial backing to upgrade infrastructure and staffing. As a result, the owners appointed former WSL manager Rehanne Skinner as the club’s new technical director.
On the pitch, this major investment has already fuelled high-profile squad enhancements to bolster the team’s tactical flexibility. Striker Sanni Franssi has joined on a season-long loan from London City Lionesses, bringing international experience with over 100 caps for Finland. Her presence is complemented by the signing of forward Atlanta Primus, who arrived following the expiration of her contract with Southampton.
Sunderland have also confirmed that five home fixtures will be staged at the Stadium of Light this season.
Sheffield United
Last season: 11th
Manager: Stephen Healy
Captain: Ella Kinzett
Key player: Maria Reynolds
Preferred formation in 2025-26: 4-3-3
Playing style: Wide channel focus, direct transitions, organised defensive blocks
Sheffield United had a rotten end to last season, winning only one of their last 11 games and narrowly avoiding relegation to the National League.
Mollie Rouse and Amy Andrews were the side’s top performers last season, but new Irish recruit Maria Reynolds is planning to help her new side shore up at the back.
Speaking to The Cutback about her ambitions, she said: “I’ve always been the type that I have to be one of the best after training every day or I’m annoyed at myself. I hold myself to really, really high standards but I’m only in competition with myself.”
“Sheffield United have such a good foundation. They have a young squad, but the balance in the squad is really good. As soon as I met the coach, I knew I wanted to be in Sheffield. He’s a really positive character but holds us to a really high standard as well.”
Watford
Last season: 1st (FAWNL Southern Premier Division)
Manager: Renée Hector
Captain: Megan Chandler
Key player: Madison Perry
Preferred formation in 2025-26: 4-3-3
Playing style: Defensive organisation, structural adaptability, and rapid transitions through wide areas
Watford Women secured automatic promotion back to WSL2 by capturing the FA Women’s National League Southern Premier Division title in April 2026.
The Golden Girls put together a phenomenal campaign, highlighted by a 12-match unbeaten opening run. Typically a ‘yo-yo’ team who have bounced between promotion and relegation in recent years, Watford are determined to stay in WSL2.
Off the pitch, Watford’s women’s team was sold to investment platform Pitch15 over the summer, allowing the team to fully professionalise and pay all of their players full salaries, in accordance with WSL regulations.
The investment has allowed them to recruit talent to add to the depth of their squad, including goalkeeper Safia Middleton-Patel, who has joined on a season-long loan from Manchester United. The team also plans to play the majority of their home games at Vicarage Road, including the season opener against Burnley.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Last season: 2nd (FA Women’s National League Northern Premier)
Manager: Daniel McNamara
Captain: Anna Morphet
Key player: Amber Hughes
Formation: 3-4-3/3-5-2
Playing style: High-intensity wide play, attacking fluidity
Wolverhampton Wanderers Women secured a historic promotion to WSL2 after a dramatic 1-0 play-off victory over Plymouth Argyle.
The fact that they even had to compete in a play-off was tremendously unlucky. Wolves won 20, drew one and lost one over the course of a 22-game season, scoring 70 goals and conceding only 10.
They dropped four points all season: a loss and a draw against eventual champions Burnley, who finished one point above them.
Wolves looked ready for the professional ranks on the field, but plenty had to be done off the pitch over the summer to adapt to WSL2 league requirements. The squad has officially transitioned from a part-time outfit to a fully professional setup, offering professional contracts to foundational players like captain Anna Morphet, Georgia Marshall and Amber Hughes.
Under newly appointed head of women’s football Russ Fraser, the club has also aggressively overhauled the squad with 10 new summer signings, including experienced WSL figures like Jasmine Matthews, Melissa Lawley and winger Ellen Jones.