Manchester City will kick off their campaign as defending champions of the Women's Super League by facing newly promoted Birmingham City, while the London City Lionesses will open the 2026/27 season against Manchester United in a match that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. The full fixture list for the upcoming season has now been released, complete with kickoff times and television allocations for the first four weekends. This year’s schedule is larger than any previous one because the league has expanded from twelve to fourteen clubs after Birmingham City, Crystal Palace and Charlton Athletic earned promotion from the second tier, WSL 2.
Sky Sports has committed to airing 90 percent of all WSL games, delivering 163 live matches across its main channel and the NOW streaming service, plus the season‑ending play‑off. Selected fixtures will also be streamed on the dedicated Sky Sports WSL YouTube channel, giving fans multiple ways to watch.
The broadcaster has also promised greater flexibility in scheduling, meaning fewer games will start simultaneously and fans can follow more of their favourite teams live. The Lionesses, who made headlines this summer by signing two‑time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas, will be under the Sky Sports spotlight on Friday, 4 September, when they host Manchester United. Two days later, on Sunday, 6 September, the champions Manchester City will meet Birmingham City in a double‑header that features five live matches across the day.
That opening Sunday also sees last season’s runners‑up Arsenal travel to Brighton, Tottenham host a London derby against West Ham, Liverpool visit newly promoted Charlton Athletic, and Crystal Palace – who bounced straight back to the top flight – take on Everton. On Saturday, 5 September, eight‑time champions Chelsea will welcome Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge.
Manchester United will have a challenging start to the season. After their opening clash with the Lionesses, they travel to Chelsea for a home game on Sunday, 13 September, before heading to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal on Saturday, 19 September. Both of those fixtures will be shown live on Sky Sports. Arsenal, in turn, will host Chelsea on Sunday, 27 September, also on Sky Sports.
The league’s schedule also highlights the first Merseyside derby of the campaign, with Everton travelling to Anfield to meet Liverpool on Sunday, 27 September – another match that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. Relegation will remain in effect despite the league’s expansion. The team that finishes at the bottom of the table will be automatically relegated to WSL 2, while the side finishing 13th will enter a play‑off against the runners‑up from the second division to retain their place in the top tier.
Key fixtures and kickoff times include: - London City Lionesses vs Manchester United, 19:00, live on Sky Sports - Chelsea vs Aston Villa, 12:30 - Brighton vs Arsenal, 12:00, live on Sky Sports - Tottenham vs West Ham, 12:00, live on Sky Sports - Charlton vs Liverpool, 14:00, live on Sky Sports - Crystal Palace vs Everton, 14:00, live on Sky Sports - Manchester City vs Birmingham City, 14:30, live on Sky Sports Additional matchdays are slated as follows: Saturday, 12 September: * West Ham vs London City Lionesses, 12:45 * Manchester United vs Chelsea, 12:00 * Birmingham City vs Brighton, 14:00 * Everton vs Charlton Athletic, 14:00 * Liverpool vs Tottenham, 14:00 * Aston Villa vs Manchester City, 18:30 * Manchester City vs Liverpool, 19:00 Saturday, 19 September: * Chelsea vs Birmingham City, 12:45 * Arsenal vs Manchester United, 17:30 * Brighton vs Aston Villa, 14:00 * Crystal Palace vs Tottenham, 14:00 * West Ham vs Everton, 14:00 Saturday, 26 September: * London City Lionesses vs Brighton, 17:00 * Manchester United vs West Ham, 13:00 * Birmingham City vs Crystal Palace, 14:00 * Liverpool vs Everton, 14:00 * Tottenham vs Aston Villa, 14:00 * Chelsea vs Arsenal, 16:30 The season will open on 4 September and run through a winter break from 21 December to 3 January. The final round of matches is scheduled for the weekend of 22‑23 May, with the promotion/relegation play‑off taking place on 29‑30 May. Sky Sports has also upgraded its digital offering for the women's game. The Sky Sports app now provides vertical video highlights, detailed match centres with scores and statistics, and live streaming for subscribers – all at no extra cost to fans.
Free‑to‑watch highlights from every WSL match will continue to be available on the Sky Sports website and mobile app. Moreover, a brand‑new WSL‑specific YouTube channel will host live streams of selected games, post‑match highlights, exclusive interviews, and behind‑the‑scenes content featuring the league’s biggest personalities. Overall, Sky Sports will broadcast more than 1,500 live matches across the Premier League, the English Football League, the Women’s Super League and the Scottish Premiership in the 2026/27 season. This includes 215 Premier League fixtures shown exclusively on Sky Sports, the return of the iconic Super Sunday 4:30 pm slot, and expanded coverage on Fridays and Mondays.
The network’s commitment to delivering a high volume of live women's football, combined with the expanded league format and new broadcast platforms, promises an exciting and accessible season for supporters of the Women’s Super League.