Manchester City will kick off their campaign as defending champions of the Women's Super League by taking on newly-promoted Birmingham City, while the London City Lionesses open the season against Manchester United in a match that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. The full fixture list for the 2026/27 season has now been released, complete with kick‑off times and broadcast allocations for the first four weekends. This year marks the most extensive schedule in the league's history, following the expansion 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 live across its main channel and the NOW streaming service, covering a total of 163 matches plus the end‑of‑season play‑off.
Selected fixtures will also be streamed on the dedicated Sky Sports WSL YouTube channel, giving fans multiple ways to watch. The league has also introduced greater scheduling flexibility, meaning fewer games will start simultaneously and viewers will have more options to follow their favourite teams. The London City Lionesses, who made headlines this summer by signing two‑time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas, will launch the new campaign in front of the Sky Sports cameras on Friday 4 September when they host Manchester United. Two days later, on Sunday 6 September, champions Manchester City will welcome Birmingham City to the Etihad for a high‑profile opening day that will feature five live broadcasts across the weekend.
Other matches on the first Sunday of the season include last season's runners‑up Arsenal travelling to Brighton, Tottenham Hotspur hosting a London derby against West Ham United, Liverpool visiting newly‑promoted Charlton Athletic, and Crystal Palace – who secured an immediate return to the top flight – taking on Everton. Eight‑time champions Chelsea will host Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on Saturday 5 September, adding another marquee clash to the opening week. Manchester United will face a challenging start to their season, with their second fixture scheduled at home against Chelsea on Sunday 13 September. The following week they travel to the Emirates Stadium to meet Arsenal on Saturday 19 September, with both games set to be shown live on Sky Sports.
Arsenal, in turn, will host Chelsea on Sunday 27 September, another fixture that will be broadcast nationally. The league’s schedule also highlights the first Merseyside derby of the campaign, as Everton travel to Anfield to play Liverpool on Sunday 27 September, a match that will also be aired on Sky Sports. Relegation will remain in place despite the league's expansion.
The team finishing in 14th place will be automatically relegated to WSL 2, while the 13th‑placed side will enter a play‑off against the runners‑up of the second division to fight for survival. Key opening‑week fixtures and their kick‑off times are as follows: - 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 fixtures scheduled for the second weekend (Saturday 12 September) include: - 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 The third weekend (Saturday 19 September) will see: - 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 The fourth weekend (Saturday 26 September) features: - 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 run from the opening weekend on 4 September through a winter break from 21 December to 3 January, before concluding with the final round of matches on the weekend of 22‑23 May.
The promotion/relegation play‑off will be contested on 29‑30 May. Sky Sports has also enhanced its digital offering for the women's game. The Sky Sports app now provides vertical video highlights, comprehensive match centres with live scores and statistics, and free‑to‑watch highlights from every WSL match. Subscribers can also access live streams of selected games via the new WSL YouTube channel, which will feature match highlights, exclusive interviews, and behind‑the‑scenes content showcasing the league's biggest personalities.
Overall, the 2026/27 Women's Super League season promises an unprecedented level of exposure and competition. With more teams, a broader broadcast footprint, and a richer digital experience, fans can expect a thrilling campaign that builds on the rapid growth of women's football in England.
The expanded schedule, combined with Sky Sports' commitment to airing the majority of matches, ensures that supporters across the country – and indeed worldwide – will have ample opportunity to follow every goal, save and moment of drama throughout the season.