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Three Teams Join Womens Super League as 2026-27 Season Expands to 14 Clubs
Three clubs are stepping into the spotlight, turning the Women’s Super League (WSL) into a 14‑team competition for the first time since its 2011 launch. Birmingham City, Crystal Palace and Charlton Athletic earned promotion from the Women’s Super League 2 (WSL2), a move announced in June 2025 that adds two new clubs to the existing 12‑team top flight. The 2026‑27 season will open on 4 September 2026, with London City Lionesses hosting Manchester United in the inaugural fixture, and the promoted sides will begin their campaigns on Sunday, 5 September. The full schedule will run until 22 May 2027.
Birmingham City capped a dominant 2025‑26 WSL2 campaign by winning the title. The club finished with the best goal difference in the division, the second‑most goals scored and the second‑fewest conceded. Striker Lily Crosthwaite earned WSL2 Player of the Year honors. Head coach Amy Merricks bolstered the squad with six new signings, including former Manchester United centre‑back Millie Turner, who brings 145 WSL appearances and two England caps, and 23‑year‑old Neve Herron, a WSL2 Team of the Year selection. Herron told BBC Sport that "there’s going to be challenges, there’s going to be moments, highs and lows, but come that first game of the season, we’re going to be ready."
Crystal Palace secured automatic promotion as WSL2 runners‑up. The team finished just one win behind Birmingham but posted four defeats, the joint‑fewest in the division. Attackers Kirsty Howat and Abbie Larkin each netted eight league goals, and the arrival of former Lioness Bethany England added fresh firepower. Manager Jo Potter said the squad felt "in a privileged position", noting that the club had strengthened in the right areas.
Charlton Athletic’s ascent came through a play‑off against Leicester City, the bottom team in the WSL. The Addicks won 2‑1 on penalties after a 0‑0 draw, with goalkeeper Sophie Whitehouse saving four of the spot‑kicks. Charlton finished the 2025‑26 WSL2 campaign with the best defensive record in the division, though they were the lowest scorers among the top six teams. New loan signing Paula Partido, a Spanish playmaker who has featured for Real Madrid and Celtic, joins the squad from London City Lionesses. Head coach Karen Hills recalled that Charlton had been in the top flight 18 years ago, before the WSL was rebranded.
The expansion follows Leicester City’s relegation after the play‑off, ending the club’s five‑year spell in the top flight. Manchester City remain the defending champions, having captured the 2025‑26 title. Opta’s pre‑season projections place Birmingham in ninth, Crystal Palace in 11th and Charlton in 12th, with the projected bottom six split by fewer than 1.5 points. The projections suggest a mini‑league between the three newcomers and Aston Villa, Everton and West Ham, which could shape the relegation battle in the months ahead.
Historically, promoted sides have performed well in the WSL. Since 2014, only three teams have stayed in the top flight after promotion, a trend that may be challenged by the expanded competition. The 2026‑27 season will feature 22 matchdays, with the final round on 22 May. The league’s new format, which began in 2026, will also see all 66 matches streamed on the WSL’s YouTube channel unless televised by the BBC or Sky Sports.
The WSL2 season ran from 5 September 2025 to 3 May 2026, featuring 12 clubs. The promotion of Birmingham and Crystal Palace came from the top two positions, while Charlton earned the final spot through the play‑off. The league’s competitive balance was highlighted by the close goal differences and the fact that the top scorer in the division was shared between two players. The expansion will also affect the scheduling of the WSL, with an additional 22 matchdays and a revised broadcast arrangement.
In summary, the 2026‑27 Women’s Super League will begin with 14 teams, including Birmingham City, Crystal Palace and Charlton Athletic. The season will start on 4 September, with the promoted clubs entering the top flight on 5 September. The expansion and the projected standings hint at a competitive relegation fight, while the newcomers’ recent form and new signings will be key to their survival. The league’s outcome will be decided over the next eight months, as the 14 clubs battle for titles, European qualification and the avoidance of relegation.
Birmingham City capped a dominant 2025‑26 WSL2 campaign by winning the title. The club finished with the best goal difference in the division, the second‑most goals scored and the second‑fewest conceded. Striker Lily Crosthwaite earned WSL2 Player of the Year honors. Head coach Amy Merricks bolstered the squad with six new signings, including former Manchester United centre‑back Millie Turner, who brings 145 WSL appearances and two England caps, and 23‑year‑old Neve Herron, a WSL2 Team of the Year selection. Herron told BBC Sport that "there’s going to be challenges, there’s going to be moments, highs and lows, but come that first game of the season, we’re going to be ready."
Crystal Palace secured automatic promotion as WSL2 runners‑up. The team finished just one win behind Birmingham but posted four defeats, the joint‑fewest in the division. Attackers Kirsty Howat and Abbie Larkin each netted eight league goals, and the arrival of former Lioness Bethany England added fresh firepower. Manager Jo Potter said the squad felt "in a privileged position", noting that the club had strengthened in the right areas.
Charlton Athletic’s ascent came through a play‑off against Leicester City, the bottom team in the WSL. The Addicks won 2‑1 on penalties after a 0‑0 draw, with goalkeeper Sophie Whitehouse saving four of the spot‑kicks. Charlton finished the 2025‑26 WSL2 campaign with the best defensive record in the division, though they were the lowest scorers among the top six teams. New loan signing Paula Partido, a Spanish playmaker who has featured for Real Madrid and Celtic, joins the squad from London City Lionesses. Head coach Karen Hills recalled that Charlton had been in the top flight 18 years ago, before the WSL was rebranded.
The expansion follows Leicester City’s relegation after the play‑off, ending the club’s five‑year spell in the top flight. Manchester City remain the defending champions, having captured the 2025‑26 title. Opta’s pre‑season projections place Birmingham in ninth, Crystal Palace in 11th and Charlton in 12th, with the projected bottom six split by fewer than 1.5 points. The projections suggest a mini‑league between the three newcomers and Aston Villa, Everton and West Ham, which could shape the relegation battle in the months ahead.
Historically, promoted sides have performed well in the WSL. Since 2014, only three teams have stayed in the top flight after promotion, a trend that may be challenged by the expanded competition. The 2026‑27 season will feature 22 matchdays, with the final round on 22 May. The league’s new format, which began in 2026, will also see all 66 matches streamed on the WSL’s YouTube channel unless televised by the BBC or Sky Sports.
The WSL2 season ran from 5 September 2025 to 3 May 2026, featuring 12 clubs. The promotion of Birmingham and Crystal Palace came from the top two positions, while Charlton earned the final spot through the play‑off. The league’s competitive balance was highlighted by the close goal differences and the fact that the top scorer in the division was shared between two players. The expansion will also affect the scheduling of the WSL, with an additional 22 matchdays and a revised broadcast arrangement.
In summary, the 2026‑27 Women’s Super League will begin with 14 teams, including Birmingham City, Crystal Palace and Charlton Athletic. The season will start on 4 September, with the promoted clubs entering the top flight on 5 September. The expansion and the projected standings hint at a competitive relegation fight, while the newcomers’ recent form and new signings will be key to their survival. The league’s outcome will be decided over the next eight months, as the 14 clubs battle for titles, European qualification and the avoidance of relegation.
