2025–26 Women's Super League 2

Women's Super League 2
Season2025–26
Dates5 September 2025 – 3 May 2026[1][2]
2026–27 →

The 2025–26 Women's Super League 2 will be the first season of the Women's Super League 2 since it was reverted to the WSL2 name, and the 11th since the creation of the WSL 2 in 2014. The season will begin on 5 September 2025 and will end on 3 May 2026.[1][2]

On 16 June 2025 it was announced that the Women's Super League would be expanding to 14 teams for the 2026–27 season. Because of this, the 2025–26 WSL 2 season will have two promotions and a promotion/relegation play-off for the 3rd placed team.[3]

Teams

Location of clubs for the 2025–26 season

Twelve teams were set to compete in the WSL2 for the 2025–26 season, an increase of one from the previous season,[4] however this number was reduced back to eleven prior to the season commencing.

London City Lionesses were promoted to the Women's Super League as 2024–25 Women's Championship winners.[5] They are replaced by Crystal Palace who returned to the division following relegation from the Women's Super League after one season.[6]

Nottingham Forest, winners of the 2024–25 FA Women's National League North,[7] and Ipswich Town, winners of the 2024–25 FA Women's National League South were both promoted.[8] Both clubs are making their WSL2 debuts.

On 20 May 2025, it was announced Blackburn Rovers had withdrawn from the WSL2 due to the club owner's unwillingness to meet league requirements on facilities, player welfare and staffing.[9][10] They will re-enter at the fourth tier (Division One North). Sheffield United who were set to be relegated to the FA Women's National League after spending seven seasons in the Championship were reprieved from relegation.[11]

Team Location Ground Capacity Manager
Birmingham City Birmingham (Bordesley) St Andrew's 29,902 England Amy Merricks
Bristol City Bristol (Ashton Gate) Ashton Gate 27,000 England Charlotte Healy
Charlton Athletic London (Charlton) The Valley 27,111 England Karen Hills
Crystal Palace London (Sutton) Gander Green Lane 5,013 England Jo Potter
Durham Durham Maiden Castle 1,800 (League)
2,400 (Cup)		 England Adam Furness
Ipswich Town Colchester Colchester Community Stadium 10,105 England Joe Sheehan
Newcastle United Gateshead Gateshead International Stadium 11,800 England Becky Langley
Nottingham Forest Nottingham (West Bridgford) The City Ground 30,404 England Carly Davies
Portsmouth Havant Westleigh Park 5,300 England Jay Sadler
Sheffield United Sheffield Bramall Lane 32,050 England Ash Thompson
Southampton Southampton St Mary's Stadium 32,384 England Simon Parker
Sunderland Hetton-le-Hole Eppleton CW 2,500 England Melanie Reay

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Crystal Palace Norway Leif Gunnar Smerud Mutual agreement 11 May 2025[12] Pre season England Jo Potter 24 June 2025[13]
Bristol City England Stephen Kirby Mutual agreement 13 May 2025[14] England Charlotte Healy 24 June 2025[15]
Southampton England Marieanne Spacey-Cale (interim) End of interim period 4 May 2025 England Simon Parker 4 July 2025[16]

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Birmingham City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Promotion to the WSL[a]
2 Bristol City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Charlton Athletic 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for promotion/relegation play-off
4 Crystal Palace 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Durham 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Ipswich Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 Newcastle United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 Nottingham Forest 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 Portsmouth 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 Sheffield United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 Southampton 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Relegation to the Women's National League North or South
12 Sunderland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: 5 September 2025. Source: Women's Championship League Table
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
Notes:
  1. ^ Dependent on obtaining a licence.

Matches

Home \ Away BIR BRI CHA CRY DUR IPS NEW NOT POR SHU SOU SUN
Birmingham City 7 Sep 2 Nov 15 Feb 21 Dec 26 Apr 21 Sep 1 Feb 16 Nov 22 Mar 5 Oct 5 Apr
Bristol City 29 Mar 22 Mar 21 Dec 5 Oct 9 Nov 26 Apr 27 Sep 14 Sep 7 Dec 15 Feb 30 Jan
Charlton Athletic 3 May 16 Nov 7 Sep 15 Feb 21 Sep 25 Jan 21 Dec 4 Apr 12 Oct 9 Nov 15 Mar
Crystal Palace 7 Dec 8 Feb 29 Mar 25 Jan 5 Apr 5 Oct 15 Mar 3 May 9 Nov 14 Sep 12 Oct
Durham 8 Feb 5 Apr 14 Sep 28 Sep 7 Dec 9 Nov 12 Oct 1 Feb 26 Apr 22 Mar 11 Jan
Ipswich Town 12 Oct 25 Jan 11 Jan 16 Nov 15 Mar 2 Nov 14 Sep 28 Sep 15 Feb 29 Mar 3 May
Newcastle United 11 Jan 12 Oct 28 Sep 22 Mar 3 May 1 Feb 5 Apr 15 Feb 14 Sep 7 Dec 16 Nov
Nottingham Forest 9 Nov 11 Jan 8 Feb 21 Sep 29 Mar 22 Mar 7 Sep 5 Oct 25 Jan 3 May 7 Dec
Portsmouth 25 Jan 15 Mar 7 Dec 2 Nov 7 Sep 8 Feb 21 Dec 26 Apr 21 Sep 12 Oct 22 Mar
Sheffield United 27 Sep 3 May 1 Feb 11 Jan 2 Nov 5 Oct 14 Mar 16 Nov 28 Mar 21 Dec 5 Sep
Southampton 15 Mar 21 Sep 26 Apr 1 Feb 16 Nov 6 Sep 8 Feb 2 Nov 11 Jan 4 Apr 28 Sep
Sunderland 14 Sep 2 Nov 5 Oct 26 Apr 21 Sep 21 Dec 29 Mar 15 Feb 9 Nov 6 Feb 25 Jan
First match(es) will be played: 5 September 2025. Source: Women's Championship Results and Fixtures
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Season statistics

Awards

References

  1. ^ a b "Key dates confirmed for 2025–26 Barclays WSL and Barclays Women's Championship season". The Football Association. 10 April 2025. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Key dates confirmed for 2025/26 Women's Championship season". Yahoo Sports. 9 April 2025.
  3. ^ Sanders, Emma (16 June 2025). "WSL expanding to 14 teams - but relegation remains". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
  4. ^ Veevers, Nick (30 June 2024). "FA and Women's Professional Game statement on Reading FC Women". The FA. Archived from the original on 30 June 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  5. ^ "London City Lionesses promoted to Women's Super League after clinching Women's Championship". Sky Sports. 4 May 2025. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  6. ^ Nelson, Joe (27 April 2025). "What next for Crystal Palace after WSL relegation?". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  7. ^ "Forest Women Crowned League Champions". Nottingham Forest F.C. 27 April 2025. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  8. ^ Cunningham, Alice (28 April 2025). "Ipswich Town Women exhilarated after promotion". BBC. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  9. ^ "WSL Football Statement: Blackburn Rovers FC Women". The Football Association. 20 May 2025. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  10. ^ Sanders, Emma (20 May 2025). "Blackburn withdraw from Women's Championship". BBC. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  11. ^ Garry, Tom (5 June 2025). "Sheffield United get reprieve to stay in WSL 2 after Blackburn withdrawal". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
  12. ^ "Statement: Leif Smerud". Crystal Palace F.C. 11 May 2025. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
  13. ^ "Palace Women appoint Jo Potter as manager". Crystal Palace F.C. 24 June 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  14. ^ "Bristol City Women part company with Steve Kirby". Bristol City F.C. 13 May 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  15. ^ "Healy announced as women's Head Coach". Bristol City F.C. 24 June 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  16. ^ "Simon Parker appointed Women's Head Coach". Southampton F.C. 4 July 2025. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
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