TotalSportek Women’s Super League Fixtures 2026/27
The WSL fixtures for 2026/27 start on Friday 4 September, when London City Lionesses host Manchester United. The new season is bigger than before, with the Women's Super League expanding to 14 clubs for the first time.
Manchester City begin as defending champions, while Birmingham City, Crystal Palace and Charlton Athletic join the expanded top flight. For UK fans, the first four match rounds already have confirmed dates, kick-off times and TV selections. Fixtures later in the season remain open to changes for television, cup ties and European matches. citeturn921405search1turn623506search3
Quick Answer
The 2026/27 Women's Super League season runs from 4 September 2026 to the weekend of 21-23 May 2027. There are 14 clubs, so each team plays 26 league fixtures in a home-and-away format.
Sky Sports will show 163 matches, while the BBC continues its free-to-air coverage. The opening fixture is London City Lionesses v Manchester United at 7pm BST on Friday 4 September. Later fixture times should be checked again once broadcast selections are made. citeturn921405search1turn234909search7
WSL Opening Weekend Fixtures 2026/27
The first WSL matchweek takes place across Friday 4, Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 September. All seven opening fixtures already have confirmed UK kick-off times and broadcast details. citeturn921405search1
| Date | Fixture | UK kick-off | UK coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 4 September | London City Lionesses v Manchester United | 7pm BST | Sky Sports |
| Saturday 5 September | Chelsea v Aston Villa | 12:30pm BST | BBC One |
| Sunday 6 September | Brighton & Hove Albion v Arsenal | 12pm BST | Sky Sports |
| Sunday 6 September | Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United | 12pm BST | Sky Sports |
| Sunday 6 September | Charlton Athletic v Liverpool | 2pm BST | Sky Sports |
| Sunday 6 September | Crystal Palace v Everton | 2pm BST | Sky Sports |
| Sunday 6 September | Manchester City v Birmingham City | 2:30pm BST | Sky Sports |
London City Lionesses against Manchester United is a strong opening fixture for several reasons. Mary Earps is set to face her former club, while London City enter the season with a much stronger squad after adding Alexia Putellas. citeturn921405search1turn921405search6
Manchester City start their title defence at home against Birmingham City. Arsenal, who finished second last season, begin away at Brighton. citeturn921405search1
September WSL Fixtures to Watch
September contains four league rounds, and all of them already have confirmed broadcast selections.
That makes the opening month much easier to plan than later parts of the season, where many dates are still provisional.
Arsenal v Manchester United
Arsenal host Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday 19 September at 5:30pm BST.
The match is live on Sky Sports and comes only six days after Manchester United host Chelsea in another major early-season fixture. citeturn921405search0turn921405search1
The opening month is difficult for United. They start away to London City Lionesses, then face Chelsea and Arsenal within their first three matches.
Chelsea v Arsenal
Chelsea host Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Sunday 27 September at 4:30pm BST.
This is the first league meeting between two clubs that have been central to English women's football in recent seasons. Chelsea will play all 13 of their WSL home fixtures at Stamford Bridge in 2026/27. citeturn921405search2
The return fixture is provisionally scheduled for the weekend of 27-28 March 2027 at the Emirates Stadium. The exact day and kick-off time can still move. citeturn921405search0turn921405search2
Key WSL Dates for 2026/27
The Women's Super League calendar now has more league fixtures because of the move from 12 to 14 teams.
Each club plays the other 13 sides twice, once at home and once away. That gives every team 26 league matches instead of the 22 played under the old 12-team format. citeturn921405search5turn823351search8
| Date | Key event |
|---|---|
| 4-6 September 2026 | Opening WSL weekend |
| 23-24 September | First Subway Players Cup window |
| 23-25 October | First Manchester and north London derbies |
| 21 December-3 January | Winter break |
| 13-14 March 2027 | Subway Players Cup Final weekend |
| 21-23 May | Final WSL weekend |
| 29-30 May | Promotion/relegation play-off |
The league pauses for its winter break from Monday 21 December until Saturday 3 January. The final WSL matchweek is scheduled for 21-23 May 2027. citeturn623506search0
The 2026/27 season also brings a different relegation system. The club finishing 14th is automatically relegated, while the side finishing 13th enters a play-off against the second-placed club from WSL2. citeturn921405search5
Which Teams Are in the Women's Super League?
Fourteen clubs compete in the 2026/27 WSL.
They are:
- Arsenal
- Aston Villa
- Birmingham City
- Brighton & Hove Albion
- Charlton Athletic
- Chelsea
- Crystal Palace
- Everton
- Liverpool
- London City Lionesses
- Manchester City
- Manchester United
- Tottenham Hotspur
- West Ham United
Birmingham City came up as WSL2 champions, while Charlton Athletic won the play-off. Crystal Palace also returned to the top division as part of the league's expansion. citeturn921405search1turn823351search7
This is the first WSL season with 14 teams, so fixture lists from previous years should not be used to judge the length or shape of the 2026/27 campaign.
When Are the Big WSL Derbies?
Several major derby weekends are already placed in the fixture calendar, although exact times beyond September may still change.
The first Manchester derby and north London derby are both scheduled for the weekend of 23-25 October 2026. citeturn921405search9
Manchester United host Manchester City in the first Manchester derby. Tottenham host Arsenal in the first north London meeting.
The return fixtures are scheduled for:
- Manchester City v Manchester United: 12-14 February 2027
- Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur: 12-14 March 2027
- Everton v Liverpool: 26-28 March 2027
The first Merseyside derby arrives much earlier, with Liverpool hosting Everton on Sunday 27 September at 2pm BST. citeturn921405search1turn921405search9
The Birmingham derby also returns following Birmingham City's promotion. Aston Villa host Birmingham on the weekend of 13-15 November, with the return meeting set for 29-31 January. citeturn921405search9
How to Watch WSL Fixtures in the UK
Sky Sports and the BBC remain the main UK broadcast partners for the Women's Super League.
Sky Sports will show 163 WSL matches during the 2026/27 season, which is about 90% of the league programme. Of those, 108 are exclusive to Sky, and selected fixtures will also appear on the Sky Sports WSL YouTube channel. citeturn234909search7turn234909search9
The BBC's current rights deal runs until 2030 and gives it 21 live WSL matches per season. Fourteen are exclusive television games, with seven shared across BBC iPlayer and digital services. citeturn234909search1turn234909search8
For September, confirmed BBC matches include Chelsea v Aston Villa on BBC One, Arsenal v Crystal Palace on BBC Two and Charlton Athletic v Manchester City on BBC iPlayer. citeturn234909search0
Normal WSL TV Slots
Sky-selected matches will usually fall into several regular broadcast windows:
- Friday at 7pm
- Saturday at 12:45pm
- Sunday at 12pm
- Sunday at 6pm
BBC One or BBC Two selections will generally use Saturday at 12:30pm or Sunday at 2:30pm. These are normal broadcast windows rather than guaranteed times for every fixture. citeturn234909search0turn234909search7
That last point matters.
A fixture shown as “Sunday” months in advance should not automatically be treated as a confirmed 2pm kick-off. Once Sky Sports or the BBC selects the match, its day and time can change.
Why WSL Fixture Dates Can Move
Fixtures beyond the opening rounds should be treated as provisional until the final broadcast details are released.
Television is one reason. Women's Champions League matches, domestic cup fixtures and other scheduling issues can also force a WSL match to move. Arsenal, for example, clearly states that dates beyond September remain subject to broadcast changes and European commitments. citeturn623506search3
This is particularly important if you are buying travel or arranging a full weekend around one match.
The sensible approach is to use the early fixture list for planning, then check the confirmed date and kick-off time closer to the match.
The season also includes the renamed Subway Players Cup, formerly the Women's League Cup. Its first stage now uses a Swiss-style league format, with matches played between September and December. citeturn823351search10
Those midweek cup dates create another reason league schedules need some room to move.
How Do the Lionesses Fit Around the WSL Schedule?
The England women's national team and London City Lionesses are two different things.
“The Lionesses” normally refers to England Women, while London City Lionesses are a WSL club. The similar name can cause confusion when reading fixture searches.
England's senior side have an important international window during the WSL season.
Sarina Wiegman's Lionesses face Greece in a two-leg FIFA Women's World Cup 2027 play-off. The away leg is on Friday 9 October, followed by the return at Leicester's King Power Stadium on Tuesday 13 October. citeturn285464search1turn285464search4
If England progress, they will face Slovakia or Ukraine in another two-leg play-off during the international window from 26 November to 5 December. citeturn285464search1
These international windows are built into the wider women's football calendar, allowing WSL players selected for England or other national teams to leave their clubs.
WSL Fixtures FAQ
When does the WSL 2026/27 season start?
The Women's Super League starts on Friday 4 September 2026.
London City Lionesses host Manchester United at 7pm BST in the first match. The rest of the opening round is played across Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 September. citeturn921405search1
When does the Women's Super League season finish?
The final WSL weekend is scheduled for 21-23 May 2027.
Exact kick-off times for the final round will be confirmed later. Sky Sports has said all matches on the final weekend will be shown live and exclusively on Sky. citeturn921405search4turn234909search7
How many teams are in the WSL in 2026/27?
There are 14 teams in the Women's Super League for the first time.
Each side plays 26 league matches, facing all 13 opponents once at home and once away. citeturn921405search5turn823351search8
Where can I watch WSL matches in the UK?
WSL matches are shown across Sky Sports, NOW, BBC television, BBC iPlayer and selected YouTube coverage.
Sky Sports has 163 matches in 2026/27, while the BBC's rights package includes 21 live league matches per season. citeturn234909search1turn234909search7
Are all WSL fixture dates confirmed?
The opening September rounds have confirmed dates, times and broadcast selections, but many later WSL fixtures remain provisional.
Television picks, European matches and cup ties can change the exact day or kick-off time, so fans should check again before booking travel. citeturn921405search1turn623506search3
The WSL fixtures for 2026/27 mark a major change for English women's football, with 14 clubs and 26 league matches for every team.
The first four rounds are already clear enough for UK fans to plan around, including Manchester United's difficult opening run and Chelsea v Arsenal on 27 September. For matches later in the season, treat the published weekend as provisional until the final TV selection and kick-off time are confirmed.
