The Barclays Women’s Super League officially kicks off its 2024-25 run the weekend of September 20th with six matchups across three days setting the stage for the much-anticipated WSL season.
The WSL is growing in more ways than one, and next year’s league title is very much anyone’s to grab.
Growing attendance spurs Arsenal move to Emirates
After drawing an average of 52,000 fans to each of their six Emirates-hosted games last season — including two complete sell-outs and three WSL attendance records — all 11 of Arsenal’s upcoming home matches will be played at Emirates Stadium. This makes the North London behemoth — home to Arsenal’s men’s Premier League team — the women’s team’s permanent 2024–25 season home.
Of the league’s 12 teams, only Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Leicester City will share gameday facilities with a top flight men’s division. The rest will play the majority of their matches at practice fields or smaller multi-use stadiums.
In addition to field conditions, access to training centers and equipment, and other on-pitch concerns, capacity is a central differentiating factor between men’s and women’s grounds. For example, Chelsea’s primary home of Kingsmeadow seats just 4,850 fans. Their Premier League counterpart's digs, Stamford Bridge — the 11th largest football stadium in all of England — can accommodate 40,343.
Arsenal’s move to Emirates was motivated in part by this divide, and after finishing the 2023-24 season in third place — nearly missing the cutoff for UEFA Champions League eligibility — the club is hoping this momentum will fuel their quest to lift the WSL trophy in 2025.
Offseason moves shake up WSL rosters
Arsenal isn’t the only WSL team on a mission to top the 2024-25 table, and teams around the league made serious waves in the offseason in a bid for this season's title.
Manchester City, 2024’s second-place club, bid adieu to Esme Morgan and Ellie Roebuck, but the club added a whole slate of stong footballers, highlighted by star striker Vivianne Miedema. Former West Ham full-back Risa Shimizu and Japan international Ayaka Yamashita are also joining a Blues roster that already boasts superstars like Khadija "Bunny" Shaw and Mary Fowler, among others.
As if losing Sam Kerr to an ACL tear last season wasn't enough, 2023-24 champs Chelsea have since seen Fran Kirby depart for Brighton, and defender Jess Carter and goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger flip to the NWSL’s Gotham FC. On the bright side, they snagged England mainstay Lucy Bronze from Barcelona, and Kerr should return to play this fall.
In Manchester United news, the Red Devils picked up Dutch defender Dominique Janssen but bid farewell to 2023 World Cup Golden Glove winner Mary Earps, who joined Paris Saint-Germain. Meanwhile, former captain Katie Zelem signed with ACFC this week.
The WSL summer transfer window is heating up, with a number of big names on the move.
One of the biggest stars on the market is Dutch international Vivianne Miedema. The storied striker's contract with Arsenal — her team of seven years — expired on Sunday, with the Gunners choosing back in May not to offer the WSL’s leading scorer a new deal.
At the time, former England star Ellen White called the decision "shocking that [Arsenal] haven't shown her the love to want to keep her at the club… she's still got records to break. It's just outrageous."
Manchester City is reportedly in the market to land Miedema, who doesn’t appear to be leaving the WSL despite prior interest from outside of the UK.
Meanwhile, 2023 World Cup Golden Glove winner Mary Earps officially left Manchester United for a two-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain, the club announced on Monday.
And in other speculative news, five-time Champions League winner Lucy Bronze is reportedly set to sign with WSL side Chelsea, departing Barcelona after two seasons with the decorated Spanish team. The potential move follows ex-Barcelona coach Jonatan Giraldez's departure for the NWSL’s Washington Spirit, while Chelsea brought on former Lyon boss Sonia Bompastor following Emma Hayes’s departure.
English defender Esme Morgan has signed with the Washington Spirit, the club announced Thursday.
Morgan had been with WSL side Manchester City since 2017, with one year remaining on her contract. She’ll now make a move to the NWSL, with City receiving a fee for the move.
"I wanted to join the Spirit because they have the ambition and tools to be the best team in the NWSL, and trying to achieve that will be a great but enjoyable challenge," Morgan said in a club statement.
"On an individual level too, the opportunity to work under Jonatan [Giráldez], one of the world's best coaches, is really exciting and I look forward to learning from him and pushing myself to become the best player I can be, hopefully helping the team to success."
According to ESPN, Morgan’s lack of playing time under City manager Gareth Taylor played a key role in her decision to leave the league championship runners-up. She’ll join the Spirit in Washington, DC on July 15th, but won’t be able to begin play until August.
Spirit president Mark Krikorian called Morgan an "exceptional talent" and added that the club is "thrilled" to add her to the roster.
"I think she’s pretty talented," Giraldez told reporters on Friday. "A young player with a great future, but with experience already in a great league and with the national team. She’s been surrounded by great players and also great coaches, so she can give us experience."
A couple of marquee signings and one key absence highlight an eventful international break in the NWSL.
On Thursday, the Kansas City Current announced that star defender Gabrielle Robinson is out for the season with an ACL tear. Robinson, the only Current defender to start and play every minute of the team’s first 10 games, sustained the injury during the team’s 1-0 win over Utah.
"Gabby has been one of the league's best defenders this year and we are heartbroken for her," Current head coach Vlatko Andonovski said in a team release. "She has worked so hard to make an impact on our club. She has one of the best attitudes around this injury and we are confident she will make a full return as she tackles her recovery process with a positive attitude.
"Her teammates have been incredibly supportive, and we have talented players that will be able to step in during her absence."
The Current are one of just two undefeated teams left in the NWSL, sitting second behind the Orlando Pride. The Pride, running off an eight-game win streak, announced the signing of Zambian midfielder Grace Chanda on Thursday.
Her Zambia national team co-star Barbra Banda joined the Pride earlier this season, and currently tops the Golden Boot race with eight goals in seven games for Orlando. Chanda is set to join the Pride after the Summer Olympics.
Chanda played the last two years for Madrid CFF, making 28 appearances for the club. While she helped Zambia qualify for last summer’s Women's World Cup, she missed the tournament due to illness.
"I am extremely excited to join Orlando. It is a great club, where I will be able to play alongside amazing players, like Marta and Barbra," Chanda said in a statement. "This is a very important step in my life because I have always wanted to play in the NWSL, one of the best leagues in the world."
Also announcing a big-name pick-up is the Washington Spirit, who are set to add Manchester City defender Esme Morgan to the lineup.
Morgan made 53 appearances over her seven seasons with Manchester City, which included time spent on loan to Everton. A member of the England national team, she was named to the Women’s World Cup squad last summer.
WSL star Vivianne Miedema will be leaving Arsenal at the end of the season, she announced on social media Monday.
In a video posted to Arsenal's main Instagram page, the Dutch striker said that it was time for her seven-year journey with the club to come to an end.
"To have represented a club like this, with so much history and tradition, has been an absolute honor,” she said. "So above all else, I would like to say thank you for making this chapter of my life so memorable."
Widely regarded as one of the best forwards in the world, Miedema has been dealing with an ongoing ACL injury over the past two seasons, an issue that kept her out of last summer’s Women's World Cup. In her personal farewell post, the former Gunner said rupturing her ACL has been "one of the toughest things I’ve had to go through in my career," noting that her Arsenal teammates’ support was "something I’ll always remember."
Even still, she said, "it’s time to move on." Miedema joined the Gunners in 2017 from Bayern Munich, scoring 125 goals and providing 50 assists over 172 appearances. She was the WSL’s top scorer in 2018-19, setting the all-time record with 78 goals as she helped Arsenal win the league title for the first time in seven years.
Miedema took home a second Golden Boot for her efforts during the 2019-2020 season. Her six-goal outing against Bristol City in 2019 still counts as the most goals scored by an individual player in a single match in WSL history. In March 2022, she became the first player in WSL history to reach 100 goal involvements, and remains the league's all-time leading scorer.
Sources have said that head coach Jonas Eidevall's side opted not to offer Miedema a new contract for the upcoming season.
"On behalf of everyone at the club, we thank Viv for her huge contribution towards the success of the team during her seven years with us," said Arsenal sporting director Edu Gaspar in a team statement. "Viv’s goals and overall performances as an Arsenal player have been of the highest quality, and she has created so many wonderful memories for us over the years. We wish Viv and her family the best of health and happiness for the future."
Several hours after the news broke Monday morning, ESPN reported that Manchester City was interested in signing the 27-year-old, pegging City as her "most likely destination." Neither club has confirmed the reports.
Chelsea began Sunday with their WSL title hopes a distant dream... before closing out the weekend right back in the thick of the title chase.
The Blues made a last-ditch effort to claim their fifth consecutive Barclays WSL title on Sunday with an 8-0 win over relegation-bound Bristol City. The victory came after a visiting Arsenal upset current table-toppers Manchester City at Joie Stadium, besting the home side 2-1 on back-to-back goals from Stina Blackstenius. With the win, the third-place Gunners re-opened the door for Chelsea to finish level at the top of the table on points.
Chelsea remains second in the standing, with 49 points to Manchester City's 52. But the barrage of goalscoring over the weekend could be enough to overtake City's potential tiebreak advantage in goal differential, leaving even coach Emma Hayes in awe.
Chelsea holds a game in hand, but the Blues will need to win their May 15th match against Tottenham to give them a shot at the title. Should they take all three points, the title race will come down to the final weekend, when Chelsea squares off with Manchester United while City faces Aston Villa on Saturday, May 18th.
Set to take over the USWNT in June, Hayes acknowledged the likelihood of finishing out her time at Chelsea with zero trophies, after losing in both the Conti Cup final and UWCL semifinal last month. But for now, her initial pessimism has subsided.
"Let me be clear, it's not f*****g over," Hayes said after coaching her last home match with Chelsea on Sunday. "There's no time for sentimentality, all work drinks are canceled. There's a title to be won.
"This group of players taught me something so special this week — that you never ever give up."
England superstar Lucy Bronze is heading to European powerhouse Barcelona, with the club announcing the news Saturday.
The 30-year-old defender signed a two-year deal with Barcelona, joining the team on free transfer from Manchester City.
𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐫 @LucyBronze,
— FC Barcelona Femení (@FCBfemeni) June 18, 2022
𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 💙❤ pic.twitter.com/eIipRriMDr
Bronze made 111 appearances in her two-year tenure with the Women’s Super League club, taking home five trophies.
Representing England at this summer’s European Championship, Bronze will connect with her new team after the tournament.
Bronze joins Barcelona on the heels of a landmark season, with the club completing a domestic treble, winning all 30 of their league matches while making a Champions League final run before falling to Lyon in the title game.
Deyna Castellanos has signed with Manchester City, the club announced Friday.
The 23-year-old striker is joining the club on a three-year deal starting July 1. She previously had been with Atlético Madrid.
The Venezuelan native spent her college years at Florida State, scoring 48 goals in 82 appearances and earning one of the final three spots for FIFA Best Player of the Year in 2017.
Castellanos joined Madrid in 2020 and scored 23 times in 58 appearances for the club. During the 2020-21 season, she helped the team win the Supercopa de España Femenina.
She will wear No. 10 for City, the same number she wore when playing for the Seminoles.
“I’m very happy to be a Manchester City player – it is a huge move for myself in my career and I can’t wait for it to begin,” she said. “Looking around at all the facilities here, it is just amazing – I believe that this Club will help to improve me as a player, and I hope that I can help Manchester City too.
“The style of football that the team play was very attractive to me and I feel as though I can fit in very well here, whilst also being challenged to develop and grow.”
Manchester City coach Gareth Taylor added that the team is “thrilled” to have Castellanos on board.
“She is a player we have admired for a long time and we’re so pleased that we have been able to finally bring her to the club,” he said.
Castellanos also has been a member of the Venezuelan national team system since childhood. Last year, she was one of many players who alleged that coach Kenneth Zsermeta had sexually harassed and abused them.
Chelsea is set to face off against Manchester City in the FA Cup final Sunday, with both clubs looking to add to their 2022 trophy haul.
TWO DAYS TO GO 🙌@ChelseaFCW 🆚 @ManCityWomen #WomensFACupFinal pic.twitter.com/9DTMOVMEj6
— Vitality Women's FA Cup (@VitalityWFACup) May 13, 2022
How to watch:
The marquee matchup will air Sunday, May 15, at 9:30 a.m. ET on ESPN+.
Where:
Chelsea and Manchester City will take center stage at Wembley Stadium in front of what is predicted to be a record crowd for women’s football.
The standing attendance record for the Women’s FA Cup final is 45,423, set by Chelsea and Arsenal at Wembley Stadium in 2018.
Ahead of the title matchup, the FA Cup announced that over 50,000 tickets already had been sold.
What’s at stake for Chelsea:
The Blues will look to defend their FA Cup trophy from last season and add to their 2022 Women’s Super League title. Should Chelsea prove victorious Sunday, the club will have won five of the previous six domestic championships, extending their dominant streak.
Chelsea is coming off an emphatic 4-2 win over Manchester United backed by a stunning second-half performance by Sam Kerr to lock up the WSL table.
If Chelsea’s offense gets going as it did against United, they will be a hard team to beat.
What’s at stake for Manchester City:
Manchester City downed Chelsea in the duo’s last championship showdown, taking home the FA Women’s League Cup in March.
In search of a fourth FA Cup title, City will hope to extend its 13-game winning streak to add to its 2022 silverware.
Manchester City cruised to a 4-1 victory over West Ham on Saturday, booking their ticket to the FA Cup final.
West Ham put Man City under pressure early in the semifinal matchup, but two quick goals from Ellen White and Chloe Kelly quieted the hosts’ momentum.
Kelly’s first-half finish marks the 24-year-old’s first goal since returning from her ACL injury.
She won't miss from there 🙌
— Vitality Women's FA Cup (@VitalityWFACup) April 16, 2022
A first goal for @Chloe_Kelly98 since recovering from her ACL injury! 💙#WomensFACup @ManCityWomen pic.twitter.com/ySY2JQy0m9
Lisa Evans cut Man City’s lead in half, beating the goalkeeper one-on-one to give West Ham hope heading into the break.
The composure 🥶
— Vitality Women's FA Cup (@VitalityWFACup) April 16, 2022
A great move from @westhamwomen as Lisa Evans pulls one back! ⚒#WomensFACup pic.twitter.com/D6cU8FQKEX
Following the half, however, Man City continued to pull away, with Lauren Hemp scoring a pair of goals to hand her side the 4-1 victory.
Going it alone ⚡️ @lauren__hemp scores a stunning solo goal! #WomensFACup @ManCityWomen pic.twitter.com/36RFWMqUC2
— Vitality Women's FA Cup (@VitalityWFACup) April 16, 2022
Man City will face the winner of Sunday’s semifinal between Chelsea and Arsenal in the final at Wembley Stadium on May 15. The club last hoisted the competition’s trophy in 2020.