2026–27 Women's Super League 2
Football league season
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The 2026–27 Women's Super League 2 is the second season of the Women's Super League 2 (WSL2) since it was reverted to the WSL2 name, and the 12th since the creation of the WSL2 in 2014. The season will begin on 4 September 2026 and will end on 23 May 2027.[1]
| Season | 2026–27 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 4 September 2026 – 23 May 2027 |
| Matches | 7 |
| Goals | 15 (2.14 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Katy Watson (2 goals) |
| Best goalkeeper | Katie Keane Kirstie Levell Safia Middleton-Patel Anna Tamminen (1 clean sheet) |
| Biggest home win | Sunderland 4–1 Bristol City (6 September 2026) |
| Biggest away win | Durham 1–3 Southampton (6 September 2026) |
| Highest scoring | Sunderland 4–1 Bristol City (6 September 2026) |
| Longest winning run | 2 games Newcastle United |
| Longest unbeaten run | 2 games Newcastle United |
| Longest winless run | 2 games Bristol City |
| Longest losing run | 2 games Bristol City |
← 2025–26 2027–28 →
All statistics correct as of 12 September 2026. | |
This is the first season in which a pre-qualifying match will be played between the second- and third-placed teams in WSL2, with the winner advancing to face the 13th-placed WSL side in the promotion/relegation play-off final.[2]
Teams
Twelve teams will compete in the WSL2 for the 2026–27 season, the same number as the previous season.
In June 2025, it was announced that the Women's Super League would be expanding to 14 teams for the 2026–27 season, with two WSL2 teams being promoted.[3] Birmingham City and Crystal Palace were promoted as 2025–26 Women's Super League 2 winner and runner-up on the final day of the season.[4]
Burnley, winners of the 2025–26 Northern Premier Division,[5] and Watford, winners of the 2025–26 Southern Premier Division were both promoted.[6] Burnley make their WSL2 debut, while Watford returns to the league after being relegated at the end of the 2023–24 season.
There was a one game play-off between Premier Division runners-up Wolverhampton Wanderers and Plymouth Argyle to decide the third team promoted.[7] Wolves were eventual winners, and will make their WSL2 debut.[8]
On 23 May 2026, Charlton Athletic played off against Leicester City in a promotion/relegation match.[9] Charlton won the game on penalties and were promoted to the WSL, while Leicester were relegated, returning to the WSL2 for the first time since they gained promotion at the end of the 2020–21 season.[10]
Portsmouth were relegated after two seasons in the WSL2 on 26 April 2026.[11]
| Team | Location | Ground | Capacity | 2025–26 season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol City | Bristol (Ashton Gate) | Ashton Gate | 27,000 | 4th |
| Burnley | Leyland | County Ground | 2,300 | WNL North, 1st |
| Durham | Durham | Maiden Castle | 1,800 (League) 2,400 (Cup) | 10th |
| Ipswich Town | Colchester | Colchester Community Stadium | 10,105 | 9th |
| Leicester City | Leicester | King Power Stadium | 32,212 | WSL, 12th |
| Newcastle United | Gateshead | Gateshead International Stadium | 11,800 | 6th |
| Nottingham Forest | Nottingham (West Bridgford) | City Ground | 30,404 | 7th |
| Sheffield United | Sheffield | Bramall Lane | 32,050 | 11th |
| Southampton | Eastleigh | Siverlake Stadium | 5,250 | 5th |
| Sunderland | Hetton-le-Hole | Eppleton CW | 2,500 | 8th |
| Watford | Watford | Vicarage Road | 22,220 | WNL South, 1st |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | Telford (Wellington) | New Bucks Head | 6,300 | WNL North, 2nd |
Personnel and kits
| Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor | Shirt sponsor (sleeve) | Shirt sponsor (back) | Shorts sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol City |  Charlotte Healy |
Emily Syme |
O'Neills | Guinness | Exacta Technologies | Thatchers Cider | None |
| Burnley |  Jackie Bachteler |
Alethea Paul |
Castore | Finotive One | Sure | None | Chatbooks |
| Durham |  Willie Kirk |
Sarah Wilson |
Hummel | Vision for Education | MKM | None | None |
| Ipswich Town | David Wright |
Maria Boswell |
Umbro | Halo Service Solutions | Play | MSC | None |
| Leicester City | Rick Passmoor |
Sam Tierney |
Adidas | King Power | Bia Saigon | None | None |
| Newcastle United |  Tanya Oxtoby |
Rachel McLauchlan |
Adidas | KNOX Hydrate | Noon | None | None |
| Nottingham Forest | Tom Mallinson |
Georgia Brougham |
Adidas | E.ON Next | Ideagen | None | None |
| Sheffield United | Stephen Healy |
Mollie Rouse |
Erreà | Midnite | Village Hotel Club | None | None |
| Southampton | Simon Parker |
Emma Harries |
Puma | Starling Bank | P&O Cruises | Southampton Solent University | Bargate Homes |
| Sunderland | Melanie Reay |
 Rhiannon Roberts |
Hummel | Total Construction NE | Stephen Hope Wealth | Nuby | A.Jay Brickwork |
| Watford | Renée Hector |
Megan Chandler |
Kelme | MrQ.com | University of Hertfordshire | None | Sound of Gol |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | Daniel McNamara |
Anna Morphet |
Sudu | Midnite | Wolf Competitions | Reconomy | None |
Managerial changes
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burnley | Ross Wallace (interim) |
End of interim period | 2 May 2026 | Pre season | Jackie Bachteler |
24 July 2026[12] |
| Durham | Neil Redfearn (interim) |
Willie Kirk |
7 July 2026[13] | |||
| Nottingham Forest | Carly Davies |
Mutual agreement | 12 May 2026[14] | Tom Mallinson |
4 June 2026[15] |
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newcastle United | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 6 | Promotion to the WSL[a] |
| 2 | Sunderland | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 3 | Qualification for pre-qualifying play-off |
| 3 | Southampton | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 3 | |
| 4 | Leicester City | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 3 | |
| 5 | Ipswich Town | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 6 | Nottingham Forest | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 7 | Burnley | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 8 | Watford | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 9 | Sheffield United | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 0 | |
| 10 | Durham | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 0 | |
| 11 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | −2 | 0 | Relegation to Northern or Southern Premier Division |
| 12 | Bristol City | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | −4 | 0 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
Notes:
- Dependent on obtaining a licence.
Results
Season statistics
Top scorers
- As of 12 September 2026
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals[16] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Katy Watson |
Sunderland | 2 |
| 2 | 11 players | 1 | |
Clean sheets
- As of 12 September 2026
| Rank | Player | Club | Clean sheets[17] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Anna Tamminen |
Newcastle United | 2 |
| 2 | Kirstie Levell |
Burnley | 1 |
 Katie Keane |
Leicester City | ||
| Safia Middleton-Patel |
Watford |
Discipline
- As of 12 September 2026
| Most yellow cards | Total | Most red cards | Total | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player |  Signe Markvardsen (Bristol City) |
2 |  Emilia Pelgander (Leicester City) |
1 | [18][19] |
| Club | Bristol City | 4 | Leicester City | 1 |