London City host Man Utd to kick off WSL season

London City Lionesses finished sixth in the Women's Super League last season [Getty Images] Two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas is set to make her London City Lionesses' debut against Manchester United when the Women's Super League season kicks off. London City will host United in the opening match of the 2026-27 WSL season on Friday, 4 September (19:00 BST). Spain midfielder Putellas is the highest profile of the eight signings made by Eder Maestre. His ambitious side face a United team hoping to bounce back after failing to qualify for the Champions League last season. The BBC will broadcast 25 matches during the campaign, beginning with eight-time champions Chelsea taking on Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, 5 September (12:30 BST), live on BBC One. The Blues will play all of their home league matches at the main stadium this year, ending a nine-year stay at Kingsmeadow. On the season's first Sunday, defending champions Manchester City begin their campaign at home against promoted Birmingham City while Tottenham host West Ham United. Charlton Athletic and Crystal Palace, also promoted from the WSL 2 as the English top flight expands to 14 teams, will host Liverpool and Everton respectively. Finally, title hopefuls Arsenal return to Brighton where a 1-1 draw in May ensured Manchester City won the 2025-26 Women's Super League. Full list of 2026-27 Women's Super League fixtures Man City crowned WSL champions after Arsenal held at Brighton What's working - and what's not - for WSL fans? Last season's top three will all face each other before the end of November. Chelsea host Arsenal on 27 September with the Gunners travelling to Etihad Stadium to play Manchester City a week later on 4 October. Andree Jeglertz's side are scheduled to go to Stamford Bridge on 14 November , a game that will be live on the BBC. Also on the BBC will be Manchester United's derby games against Liverpool and Manchester City (currently 4 and 25 October respectively). Last season, most WSL matches took place at 12:00 on Sundays, a time that was not universally popular given its clash with grassroots fixtures. For 2026-27, the schedule is more varied, with more games planned for Friday evenings, as well as Saturday lunchtime fixtures and matches staggered across Sunday afternoons, including the return of an evening fixture on certain weeks. On Tuesday, the WSL released details of its new Players Cup , formerly the League Cup, and the BBC will show March's final in full, as well as numerous matches from the Women's Champions League - including the final - throughout the season. The campaign will culminate with the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil and the BBC will bring extensive coverage of the game's biggest event. All eyes on London City - analysis All eyes will be on Putellas' debut in the WSL - and London City have hit the jackpot with a home opener against a United team many believe they can topple this season. They will want to capitalise on that opportunity to bring in supporters and grow the fanbase - with Putellas, among other star signings, set to be the face of that opening fixture. It is a tough start for United, who take on London City, Chelsea and Arsenal in their first three games - a run that could show whether they can challenge for the title or are in shape to secure a Champions League spot. In contrast, champions Manchester City will be pleased with their start, avoiding their closest rivals until October, meaning they could have the chance to open up a lead at the top. Newcomers Charlton Athletic will play their first ever WSL fixture at home, which is sure to be a great occasion for the club. The match between Birmingham City and Crystal Palace in September – last season's WSL 2 top two – could be another key one in the calendar. The big derby matches taking place in February and March always carry intriguing storylines, while the expansion of the league means there is an additional game for fans to watch each weekend. Naturally, when European competition kicks in, there is scope for the calendar to shuffle around a little but clubs now have an idea of where their tricky spells could occur this season. [BBC] Find interviews and extra content from the Women's Super League and beyond on the Women's Football Weekly feed Get the latest WSL news on our dedicated page