Watford were welcomed back to the WSL2 with a 0-0 draw against promotion rivals Burley on an opening night under the Vicarage Road lights. 

Their first away test comes against solid league competition Nottingham Forest. A day at the City Ground awaits the Golden Girls on Sunday with award winning manager Renee Hector keen to keep focused, keep pushing and get more early points on the board as the side continue to settle back into tier 2 action. 

After years of hard work, setbacks and rebuilding, Wolves enter the 2026/27 campaign ready to compete in the Women’s Super League 2 for the first time in their history. 

The Old Gold secured promotion to the WSL2 by winning a dramatic post-season play-off final on Monday 4th May 2026. Wolves edged Plymouth Argyle 1-0, which saw Charlotte Greengrass 64th minute goal decide the game. This marks a huge moment for the club, with Wolves also transiting as a fully professional team for the first time. 

Leicester City Women, until being acquired by King Power in 2020, were an independent club who saw a record of four successive league promotions following their founding in 2004. 

They were first promoted to the WSL during the 2020/2021 season, and remained there until their relegation in the recent 2025/2026 season. While never finishing particularly impressively on the table across these years, the team earned their spot in the increasingly dynamic league by showing resilience amidst dips in success, and giving home to both budding young talents and players with lengthy WSL experience.

Although Durham have typically been a strong force in the second tier, their 2026/27 season looks to be a long road ahead in the WSL2 after finishing 10th last season, and narrowly avoiding the danger of complete club closure earlier this summer. As the club now looks to focus on pre-season preparations, the question arises, how hard will Durham have to fight to make sure they can secure their place in the WSL2 going forward?

After two seasons of midtable WSL2 finishes following their promotion from the Women’s National League in 2024, Newcastle come into the new season with hopes of being more competitive. With an experienced manager and talented additions to the squad, the Magpies will want to finish in the top four.

Ipswich Town Women head into the Barclays WSL2 2026/27 season looking to build on last year's ninth place finish. After a busy summer of recruitment, David Wright's side have added plenty of quality to the squad as they aim to make further progress in the second tier. With several new faces arriving, there is plenty of optimism ahead of the new campaign.

Ipswich have been one of the busiest clubs in the transfer market this summer, making twelve new signings ahead of the season.

After a win against Liga F side Granada on Sunday, Tottenham Hotspur continue their performance campaign in Spain with their second pre-season friendly against Real Madrid at the Pinatar Arena on the 12th of August. Speaking ahead of the match, Martin Ho affirmed his confidence in his side as they look to capitalise on the strength of their new signings and a successful start to their pre-season campaign.

The Saints finished 5th in the Barclays Women’s Super League (WSL2) last season, missing out on promotion for the fourth successive campaign. Southampton finished with 35 points and had the joint second highest goal difference at 18 which was helped by a staggering 4-0 victory over Ipswich Town on the opening weekend, but they struggled with irregular form and closely fought draws. 

From the high of finishing the season with a 3-0 victory against Nottingham Forest at St Mary’s Stadium, Southampton FC Women have been hit with devastating news during the summer break.

Ahead of the 2026/27 season, Southampton are set to make significant cuts to their women’s and girl’s programme reaching around £500,000. Around £100,000 of these cuts are expected to directly impact the senior team with the large remainder of the cuts expected to impact the club’s women’s and girl’s programme, including the demotion of the academy from Category 1 to Category 2 status.

Crystal Palace finished second in the Women’s Super League 2 (WSL) this season after their 6-1 thrashing of 12th-placed Portsmouth secured them promotion to the Women’s Super League 1 after a year's break. 

After a close title race with Palace tied on points with Birmingham City in the table this season, the Eagles ensured they had the game in hand with Molly Sharpe coolly levelling the score in the first half after Meg Hornby put the visitors ahead. 

It was total dominance after the break, with Palace in total control after a double from Ashleigh Weerden and a triple threat from Kirsty Howat and Annabel Blanchard, with Elise Hughes hitting for six. 

Crystal Palace Women took the crown in an exciting and closely fought South London Derby at Selhurst Park. Turning the streets of Croydon red and blue, 3,822 fans made the journey to the club’s main stadium for this landmark fixture against Charlton Athletic, the South-East London rivals both looking to cement their place in promotion territory of the Barclays WSL2 table. 

With a family friendly fanzone, Eagles mascots dancing on the sidelines, and a cracking playlist (of course featuring the club's anthem ‘Glad all Over’), the crowd were in full voice, with fans of all demographics, new supporters to lifetime ones, wanting to see women's football on the main stage.

Crystal Palace Women moved into fourth place in the Barclays Women’s Super League 2 after an emphatic 2-1 win over Bristol City at the VBS Community Stadium.

Palace, who had mixed results so far this season, looked to go one better than their rivals after their recent loss to Southampton. It was a close call between the teams in the league, with only four points separating them. 

Crystal Palace Women continued their winning momentum as they secured a convincing 4-0 victory over Durham in the Barclays Women's Super League (WSL 2) at the VBS Community Stadium. 

Durham looked the more dangerous team, pressing high and relentlessly attacking the Eagles' defence, but it was Palace that were triumphant in the end.  

Two goals from Molly Sharpe in the second half sealed the win, while a goal from forward Annabel Blanchard ensured the Eagles were in top form.

A club record league attendance of 7,561 are under the lights at St. Mary’s for a highly anticipated South Coast Derby in the Barclays Women’s Super League 2 - the first league match of 2026.

The previous meeting between these two finished in a 5-2 victory for the Saints, painting Hampshire red.

The hosts are looking to climb up the table, starting the day in 7th with 15 points. Portsmouth come into this hoping to get back to winning ways, having taken only 1 point from their last 3 fixtures in the league.

Crystal Palace Women cruised to an unexpected 3-0 win over Birmingham City Women at the VBS Community Stadium on Sunday. 

Despite sitting in eighth place in the Barclays Women's Super League 2 table, the Eagles ensured they had the bragging rights over their rivals.

After a slow start, the Eagles were fired up, with Molly-Mae Sharpe giving them the lead. Two goals in two minutes in the second half from Shanade Hopcroft and Annabel Blanchard sealed Birmingham City's fate, who looked lacklustre at times and struggled to create chances.

This is the Saints’ third season in the Barclays WSL 2 (formerly known as the Barclays Women’s Championship), after gaining back-to-back promotion in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 campaigns.

They have played nine league fixtures so far, having secured three of each possible result: winning, drawing and losing. This means they have twelve points on board and sit in sixth place.

With two fixtures remaining in 2025, Simon Parker’s side look to build upon recent performances and see the year out with six points in six.

Crystal Palace Women sailed into second place in Group D after a convincing win over Ipswich Town in the Subway Women’s League Cup.

A double by Emma Watson and Allyson Swaby ensured the Eagles were on top form to reach the last group stage game in style.

Palace, who were third from bottom in the group after a heavy defeat by London City Lionesses, started strongly but were evenly matched by Ipswich’s defence and attacking play.

Crystal Palace Women were held to a 1–1 draw with Sunderland Women at the VBS Community Stadium in the Barclays Women’s Super League 2.

Sunderland opened the scoring in the ninth minute when forward, Katy Watson’s effort took a heavy deflection and looped past Palace goalkeeper, Shae Yañez to give the visitors an early lead. 

However, Palace hit back just four minutes later, as Kirsty Howat latched onto a through ball from Scottish international, Emma Watson and calmly lifted her finish over the advancing keeper to make it 1–1.

Vicky Losada is a thirty-four-year-old midfielder for Bristol City Women.

Losada is an experienced and technically gifted midfielder, known for her composure, vision and leadership on the pitch. Calm under pressure, she dictates the tempo of play with her precise passing and intelligent movement, helping her side transition smoothly from defensive to attack.

A natural leader with a wealth of experience at the highest level, Losada brings control and creativity to midfield, often setting the rhythm of the game.

Ellie Brazil plays as a forward for Southampton FC Women. Having joined the Saints in the summer, she is an exciting prospect who is wonderful with the ball at her feet.

She has been capped for England throughout her youth (from under-15 to under-23 level), proving her to be a confident player.

Club-wise, she currently plays for Southampton in the Barclays WSL 2 (the second tier of women’s football in England). Her journey is certainly a testament to her hard work and determination beyond the pitch.