WSL preview: Chelsea, City, Arsenal to fight for title? Liverpool, Spurs in danger?

The new Women's Super League (WSL) season kicks off on Friday with a huge game between champions Chelsea and title rivals Manchester City, before UEFA Women's Champions League (UWCL) winners Arsenal host newly promoted London City Lionesses (who are backed by the cash of Washington Spirit and OL Lyonnais owner Michele Kang) on Saturday.

The WSL transfer window ends on Thursday at 11 p.m. BST / 6 p.m. ET, so clubs still have a bit of time to do some deals. But what do we need to know about the upcoming season? Here are some burning questions.

What's more important to Chelsea and Arsenal: the WSL or UWCL?

Having fallen short for the past six years as Chelsea have won every WSL title since 2019-20, Arsenal's priority must be proving they can genuinely compete in the league. While retaining their European crown and reaching another final will be high on their agenda, their league form has been disappointing for three consecutive seasons.

Being two-time European champions is a remarkable achievement, but their inability to sustain a title challenge and keep pace with Chelsea remains a major concern. They have been out of the title race well before the final weekend for several seasons, and defeats to teams like Brighton & Hove Albion and Aston Villa can't happen again. The signings of Olivia Smith, Chloe Kelly and Taylor Hinds are a positive in this regard, but it would also help if the Gunners could beat Chelsea in the WSL for the first time since December 2023.

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Meanwhile, Chelsea have firmly established themselves as the dominant force in England. They've lifted the league eight times since 2015 and, amid the turbulence of Emma Hayes' departure last summer, Sonia Bompastor's arrival took them to a new level. With a refreshed squad, and strong financial backing, the Blues delivered an unbeaten season without missing a step and will be favorites again after signing Ellie Carpenter, Mara Alber and Livia Peng, with further links to Angel City forward Alyssa Thompson.

Yet for all their domestic dominance, a European trophy continues to elude them, with three straight semifinal exits (including an 8-2 aggregate loss to Barcelona last season) highlighting the gap they still need to bridge.

Both Arsenal and Chelsea will be dreaming of winning the WSL and UWCL, but their immediate priorities differ. Arsenal must show they can win the league again; Chelsea must finally translate their domestic dominance into European glory.

Can Man City, Man United challenge for the title?

There's renewed energy around Man City as new manager Andre Jeglertz, formerly in charge of Denmark, has implemented an open-door policy that encourages players to take ownership of plans and tactics. And, with impressive summer additions such as Sydney Lohmann, Iman Beney and Jade Rose, they have addressed the gaps exposed by last season's injuries.

After a turbulent campaign, the squad now looks refreshed and ready for a new challenge. This shift has given them an edge and, with the return of core figures like Khadija "Bunny" Shaw, Lauren Hemp, Alex Greenwood and Vivianne Miedema, Man City look like genuine contenders to mount a serious title push. Two seasons ago they finished second, only missing out to Chelsea on goal difference, and haven't won the title since 2016. But this could be their year with no European football to balance.

By contrast, Manchester United appear stretched and squad depth is an issue, with only two new signings added so far, and links to Man City's Jess Park surfacing recently. Their run to the third round of UWCL qualifying (where they face SK Brann over two legs later this month for a place in the league phase) is impressive, but competing consistently with the continent's elite looks like a tall order.

Furthermore, the negativity around the poor performance of the men's team and ongoing issues with ownership under the guidance of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who has generated headlines aplenty over his treatment of the women's side, are disrupting Marc Skinner's plans before the season has begun.

The WSL no longer offers easy fixtures; gone are the days when top clubs could coast against lower-ranked sides and the league is more competitive and balanced than ever. City seem ready for that challenge, but United risk slipping further away from title contention into mid-table, especially if the added demands of a Champions League campaign come into play.

What can we expect from newly promoted London City?

London City aren't here to settle for midtable, they're aiming much higher. With a purpose-built squad and an ambitious transfer strategy that has seen them sign 14 players this summer, they've become the first newly promoted side to seriously strengthen with top international talent such as Katie Zelem, Jana Fernndez, Danille van de Donk, Nikita Parris, Alanna Kennedy and Elena Linari.

Far from relegation candidates, they could actually surprise many who expect them to linger at the bottom. What sets them apart is something we haven't seen before from a promoted team: genuine competitiveness in the market. Financially, they operate on a different level compared to recent arrivals like Crystal Palace and Bristol City, and that investment makes it unlikely they'll be stuck in a relegation scrap.

Backed by Kang's money, bolstered by upgraded training facilities, and supported by a top-tier coaching staff, the Lionesses already look one of the stronger sides on paper. Their baptism in the WSL will be tough, with an opening game away at Arsenal before hosting Manchester United, but if they can navigate those challenges, they have the potential to disrupt the established order.

Which team could surprise this season?

Aston Villa and Everton look sharper this season. Both clubs have invested wisely, making key signings and benefiting from improved budgets. Having struggled to escape the middle-to-lower pack in recent years, this could finally be the campaign where they break through and push into the upper tier. Villa have added some big names like Lynn Wilms, Jill Baijings and Ellie Roebuck, while Everton have gone for young, hungry and versatile talent like Martina Fernndez, Rion Ishikawa and Ornella Vignola.

Brighton have also strengthened smartly, securing Arsenal duo Michelle Agyemang and Rosa Kafaji on loan, while adding Nigeria goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie and Japan defender Moeka Minami. They have lost some depth, which could pose problems later in the campaign, but a strong start could set them up for a top-half finish.

West Ham United also have made some impressive additions and though they are unlikely to finish much higher than the ninth place they managed in 2024-25, they could pull off some impressive wins against tougher opponents and held both Chelsea (2-2) and Man City (1-1) to draws last season.

Which young (U21) players do you think will shine?

With Man United's Grace Clinton, Man City's Mary Fowler, and Chelsea's Aggie Beever-Jones now beyond "young player" status, space has opened up for the next wave of talent to break through.

After her heroic Euro 2025 campaign for England, Agyemang will be one to watch. The 19-year-old returns to Brighton following a sensational summer where her two game-saving goals helped England secure a second European crown. Arsenal faced a tough decision: keep her in-house with limited minutes, or send her back on loan for regular football. They chose the latter and her move to Brighton, where she impressed last season, looks the perfect fit: a bigger role, greater responsibility, and a platform to ignite the WSL.

Lexi Potter is back at Chelsea after her loan spell with Crystal Palace, and is highly rated by the champions. Under Bompastor, a former academy manager with a proven record of developing talent, Potter will have the freedom to prove herself. Meanwhile, Veerle Buurman, 19, is already a first-choice centre-back for Netherlands and is now set for her first senior season at Chelsea after last year's loan at PSV Eindhoven.

Arsenal winger Smith has just turned 21, but needs a mention as she broke the women's transfer record to become the first �1 million signing this summer. The Canada international arrives from Liverpool with huge expectations but the challenge for manager Rene Slegers will be fitting her into an attack already stacked with Kelly, Beth Mead and Alessia Russo. The Gunners didn't spend that much to leave her as an option from off the bench, so Smith will certainly get plenty of chances to shine this season.

With the new playoff system, there's no straight relegation. But which teams will be in the mix to go down?

It's very different this season to accommodate the WSL being expanded to 14 teams for 2026-27 -- two teams will be definitely be promoted from WSL 2 this season. As for relegation, only 12th place in the WSL is in danger of going down -- but they will have a chance to stay up by contesting a playoff against the third-placed WSL 2 team. And it could be pretty open to which team that is.

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It's often difficult to separate the mid-table sides, but there are real concerns for Liverpool. Key departures, including Smith and Hinds, have left glaring gaps that remain unfilled. The arrival of former Man City manager Gareth Taylor offers experience but, just two seasons on from their impressive top-four finish, fears of a relegation battle are not unfounded due to their limited squad depth.