Key Dates for the 2026-27 Women's Football Season
Short overview
The 2026-27 women's football season is underway with Champions League qualifiers and the Women's Africa Cup of Nations. Key dates include the WSL and WSL2 starts in September, FA Cup rounds, and the Subway Players Cup, leading up to the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil.
The 2026-27 women's football season is officially underway, with the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Women's Champions League already in progress alongside the Women's Africa Cup of Nations. As the season unfolds, clubs and fans alike are marking their calendars for a series of pivotal fixtures across domestic leagues and cup competitions.
Domestic League Campaigns
Women's Super League (WSL)
The WSL season kicks off on Friday, 4 September 2026, with the opening matchday. The league will pause for a winter break from Monday, 21 December 2026 to Saturday, 3 January 2027, allowing players a brief respite. The regular season concludes on Saturday, 22 May 2027, followed by the promotion/relegation play-off scheduled for Saturday, 29 or Sunday, 30 May 2027.
Women's Super League 2 (WSL2)
WSL2 also begins on Friday, 4 September 2026, and shares the same winter break as the top flight. The regular season ends slightly earlier, on Saturday, 8 or Sunday, 9 May 2027. The play-off pre-qualifying match is set for Saturday, 22 or Sunday, 23 May 2027, with the promotion/relegation play-off taking place on Saturday, 29 or Sunday, 30 May 2027.
Cup Competitions
Women's FA Cup
The Women's FA Cup begins with the preliminary round on Sunday, 23 August 2026. Subsequent rounds follow a structured timeline: first qualifying round on 6 September, second qualifying round on 20 September, third qualifying round on 4 October, and the first round proper on 25 October 2026. The second round is slated for 15 November, the third round for 13 December 2026, and the fourth round on 17 January 2027. The fifth round takes place on 21 February, quarter-finals on 21 March, semi-finals on 11 April, and the final on Sunday, 15 May 2027.
Subway Players Cup (League Cup)
The Subway Players Cup, also known as the League Cup, begins its league phase in September 2026. Fixtures are scheduled across several dates: 23 and 30 September, 17-18 October (for WSL2 sides only), 21 and 28 October, 31 October-1 November (WSL2 only), 11 and 18 November, 22 November (WSL2 only), and 16 December 2026. The quarter-finals are set for 13-14 January 2027, semi-finals for 10-11 February, and the final on Saturday, 13 or Sunday, 14 March 2027.
International Calendar and World Cup
In addition to domestic competitions, the season includes five international breaks, providing national teams with preparation time ahead of the 2027 Women's World Cup, which will be held in Brazil across June and July 2027. These breaks are crucial for squad development and tactical planning as teams aim to qualify and compete on the global stage.
With a packed schedule spanning league, cup, and international fixtures, the 2026-27 season promises to be a landmark year for women's football.
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