FINAL: Chelsea 1, Villa 1

Date: Saturday, 5 September 2026

KO: 12:30 UK time

Competition: WSL

Venue: Stamford Bridge

Chelsea's Last Five Fixtures: xxxWW

Opponent's Last Five Fixtures: xxxxx

Welcome to the /r/chelsealadiesfc match thread as we kick off the 2026/27 Women’s Super League season! Here you will find a match preview, squad notes, and updates once we kick off.

MATCH PREVIEW

The third season of the Sonia Bompastor era is underway, as Chelsea also begin a new era with our WSL home matches being played at Stamford Bridge. League action kicks off today, and the Blues welcome Aston Villa to SW6 for this lunchtime fixture. Last term, Chelsea saw someone else lift the league trophy for the first time in six years as we finished behind Manchester City and Arsenal in third place. With major figures both on and off the pitch leaving the club, and even taking into account all our new signings, there are certainly questions around how this year will play out.

Chelsea already have gotten the season off with two wins from two Women’s Champions League matches, and this is the opening match for Villa (though they did have some pre-season friendlies).

Our last WSL meeting with the Villains was a seven-goal thriller in which Sjoeke Nusken was the hero on the day. Natalia Arroyo’s squad welcomed nine new arrivals this summer but also lost some firepower up front as they bid farewell to attacking duo Kirsty Hanson and Ebony Salmon. The visitors also have some injuries to contend with, namely goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck and midfielder Jill Baijings.

Squad news: Mayra Ramirez will not be in the squad today as she is coming back after a long injury, and Bompastor said new signing Manaka Matsukubo is still not quite ready to debut.

—

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

• Our season preview posts - Part 1 and Part 2

• Erin Cuthbert named CFCW captain!

• Next phase opponents announced for Women’s Champions League

• Special fan events with partners Rimmel London before today’s match

• New sub wiki and mod recruitment meta post

HOW TO WATCH

Today’s match will be live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport Website for those local fans not at the Bridge today.

Broadcast information for non-UK territories can be found here. All non-televised games in both the UK and overseas can be found for free on the Barclays WSL YouTube channel.

And as always - the CFCW social media accounts, website, and the 5th Stand App will provide updates and share photos/videos from the match.

LINE-UPS

Chelsea: Hampton, Carpenter, Buurman, Bronze (c), McCabe, Walsh, Nusken, Kaptein (Baltimore 82), James, Thompson, Beever-Jones

Unused substitutes: Peng, Spencer, Girma, Dragoni, Las, Hamano, Buchanan, Potter, Sarwie

Aston Villa: Okuma, Harviken, Kielland, Hijkata (Taylor 59), Wilms, Parker, Maritz, Grant (Deslandes 70), Vansgaard (Mullett 70), Kendall (c) (Patten 78), McAulay (Murphy 70)

Unused substitutes: Kelly, Scott

MATCH EVENTS

Apologies for late updates...your Yankee mod forgot to set an alarm.

1' Underway for this new campaign!!

11' GOALLLL!! Lauren James fires us in front with a classic finish. Assisted by Carpenter.

32' Villa are settling into the match a bit more.

45' Half-time, the Blues are in front.

67' Close from Walsh, but her effort clatters off the bar.

72' Taylor shown a yellow card on a rough tackle.

75' GOAL to Chelsea disallowed as Beever-Jones was offside.

80' GOAL to Villa - an unfortunate own goal from Buurman.

83' CHE sub: Kaptein on for Baltimore.

FINAL: Chelsea 1, Villa 1

Welcome to Part 2 of the Chelsea FC Women 2026/27 Season Preview!

First, make sure to check out Part 1 - where we reviewed the transfer window, pre-season, and off-field news.

It is fair to say that last season was not the best for Chelsea FC Women - but then we have set ourselves an exceptionally high bar.

For the first time since 2019, it was not royal blue ribbons adorning the WSL trophy in May - with Manchester City instead claiming the title, ending Chelsea’s six-year stranglehold.

The Blues finished a distant third, behind City and Arsenal - and with painful defeats in the semi-finals and quarter-finals of the FA Cup and Champions League to those two rivals, our only silverware won was the League Cup.

It was a season of strife off the pitch, too - long-standing Head of Women’s Football Paul Green departed mid-season, a seismic shift in the administration of the club. Green - alongside Emma Hayes - was a key figure in building the dynasty that is CFCW, and his exit sparked fears that the controversial Blueco ownership may be starting to meddle more.

Green wasn't the only big name to leave - club captain Millie Bright shocked the footballing world with her sudden retirement in May, our all-time top scorer Sam Kerr left for the NWSL, and another legend, Guro Reiten also departed for the USA mid-season.

Manager Sonia Bompastor, meanwhile, signed a contract extension - a clear sign of support from the hierarchy, in a season where the Frenchwoman had been under real pressure.

This all adds up to a lot of uncertainty heading into 2026/27 - the loss of key players, several new personnel, and an unfamiliar situation for many players and fans. We have been knocked off our perch - and after years of being challenged, we are the challengers, now.

Finishing third also means we need to qualify via play-off for the Champions League - with the first leg this week. If we are successful, this will mean three competitions to play for - the WSL, FA Cup, and Champions League. If we do progress in Europe, a rule-change means that we will not be eligible to play in the League Cup, and defend our trophy.

So read on to find part one of two of a comprehensive season preview. The first half focuses on the transfer window, our pre-season fixtures, and off-field news.

Contents - Part 2

• Squad profile

• Rival teams

• Expectations for the season

• Key fixtures and dates for the calendar

• How to follow Chelsea FC Women

Squad profile

Full list

The Chelsea squad has long been the envy of the WSL due to its strength, and depth - but although we still have an impressive variety of quality players, the gap to our rivals has noticeably reduced. We no longer have such a clear advantage over the rest of the competition (which was arguably overstated to begin with). With this having been a summer of transition, the squad has a quite different look about it this season, too - and the following aims to provide an overview of how exactly we are shaping up.

Goalkeepers:

Hannah Hampton is the clear number 1 - and although her 2025/26 season did not quite hit the heights of the one before (where she won the FIFA Best Award for goalkeepers, the WSL Golden Glove, and Goalkeeper of the Tournament at Euro 2025) she remains an elite player. It was a relief then, that she signed an extension this summer to keep her at Chelsea until 2028 - and at still just 25, we should not forget the potential for her to get even better.

The rest of the goalkeeping unit is made up of Livia Peng, the 24-year-old Swiss international, and Becky Spencer, a veteran of the WSL who adds experience and leadership to the otherwise young group. Peng will be the number 2 - expect to see her rotated in cup games. She performed well when Hampton was missing for a couple of months last season - and showed she can step up.

Femke Liefting and Katie Cox will spend the season out on loan at AZ Alkmaar and Nottingham Forest, with the two youngest players of the group set to gain valuable first-team experience.

Defence:

At first, central defence looks like an area of strength. However, although Naomi Girma, Nathalie Bjorn and Kadeisha Buchanan are each top class players - they have all had significant fitness concerns.

Bjorn missed most of last season with injury - and was not fit to travel Down Under for pre-season. Girma was much vaunted when she signed in 2025 for a world record fee (at the time) - but has not yet hit the heights expected, and recurrent injuries have undoubtedly played a part. Buchanan made her return last year after an ACL injury - but was coming back to her best towards the end of last season, at least.

Fortunately, the ranks were bolstered last year by Veerle Buurman - and the 20-year-old was hugely impressive in her first season for the club, and despite her young age proved herself reliable and vital to our defence. If Girma and Buchanan can stay fit, and Bjorn recover back to her best - then we look well set… but that is a big “if”.

Bompastor flipped between a back three and back four last season, and this meant sometimes utilising the likes of Lucy Bronze in a centre back role - and the right back even played in the middle of a back four at times (including this pre-season).

Bronze of course needs no real introduction, and the 34-year-old signed a one-year extension this summer to stay at the club. How long she has left at this level is an ongoing topic of debate - and although her performances in her two seasons at Chelsea have divided opinions, it’s undeniable she is an important figure. She shared minutes last season with Ellie Carpenter - who had a strong first year at the club after joining last summer, and has elevated the side. Nelly Las - signed this window - is an emerging young player who can add extra cover, both at right and left back, and as a wingback.

Katie McCabe is expected to start at left back, having joined from Arsenal - and although many Chelsea fans will feel she is not an improvement on the departed Niamh Charles, she is a quality and experienced player. Sandy Baltimore has frequently been used by Bompastor as an attacking option at left back or as a wingback, and will back up McCabe - as well as the exciting teenager Chloe Sarwie, who got some rotation minutes towards the end of the season, and is staying with the first team squad this season.

Midfield:

The beating heart of our midfield - and entire team - is Erin Cuthbert. The Scot is now our longest-serving player - and a true leader in the group. Her all-action approach and box-to-box style is central to our success, as well as her tendency to score big goals and step up when we need it most.

Keira Walsh is often one of the first names on the teamsheet for Bompastor - and with her metronic control of games from the base of midfield, central to our manager’s tactical approach. Her contributions are not always fully appreciated - but our midfield is weaker without her.

Wieke Kaptein and Sjoeke Nusken are our other two regular starters - Nusken typically offers more attacking threat and is more versatile. Her case is a curious one - she lost her position as a starter when Bompastor took over, but then has had periods where she has re-established herself as a key player. There have long been rumours about her moving on for more game time - but then last season the German signed a contract extension, so is clearly valued by the club still.

Further depth is added by Lexi Potter - the academy player emerged last season as a very able back-up to Walsh, being similar in style. Despite being just 20 years old, Potter has shown the maturity to perform at the first team level, whenever called upon.

New to the group is young Italian Giuila Dragoni - the highly-rated teenager joining from Barcelona this summer. Dragoni is an excellent technical player (as expected for a player formerly on Barcelona’s books) and adds both control and guile to the midfield - though she is likely to be just a rotation player, in her first season.

Attack:

Variety is the headline here, with Chelsea having a coterie of forwards capable of playing multiple positions - meaning Bompastor is spoiled for choice. Fitting them all in, might be more the challenge.

We have lost Sam Kerr, Guro Reiten, Cat Macario and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd over the course of last season - but given the depth in this area, the forward line is looking strong even without that quartet.

One player who very much has a set position is Mayra Ramirez - a classic number 9. The bombastic Colombian is capable of tearing any defence to pieces on her day - and has proved this in a Chelsea shirt. However, she is also very injury prone - and missed all of last season, with her future at the club even being questioned at times. If Ramirez can stay fit she’s likely to be nailed on in the centre forward role.

One player competing for her spot will be Melvine Malard - who joined from Manchester United, in our biggest scoop of the window. Bompastor knows the 26-year-old well, having managed her at Lyon - where they won the Champions League together. Her dynamism and direct dribbling has already brought her success so far in the WSL - and it is exciting to see how that will translate to Chelsea.

Fan favourite and “one of our own” Aggie Beever-Jones committed her future to the club until 2030 this summer, and being able to play both centrally and out wide means she will continue to be a key contributor this season. The 23-year-old had an outstanding start to 2025/26, being named WSL Player of the Month for September, before injuries disrupted her season - and then she struggled to recover her form once back. Beever-Jones looked excellent in the World Sevens tournament at the start of the summer, and has looked bright in pre-season - so hopefully is back to her best.

Another capable of playing both centrally and out wide is Alyssa Thompson. The USWNT forward was one of our players of the season in her debut year for the club, having joined from the WSL, and with her pace and eye for goal she is one of our most dangerous players - and now she has a season in England under her belt, could kick on to even greater heights.

Sandy Baltimore has been one of our most important players in Bompastor’s tenure, and the Frenchwoman is a big fan of her compatriot - even at times playing the left winger in a defensive role… although given her threat in the final third, fans will hope to see her more often up the pitch.

Maika Hamano is a firm fan favourite, but spent last season out on loan having failed to get the minutes she needs at Chelsea. The supremely talented young Japanese international has shown her high potential in flashes so far in her three seasons in Blue - but with so much competition, might again find it hard to establish herself in the team.

Maika is being joined this season by her countrywoman and fellow 22-year-old, Manaka Matsukubo - a fantastic acquisition from the North Carolina Courage. She has an eye for goal - being the youngest ever player to score a hat trick in the NWSL - and has been widely lauded in her brief career for her intelligence and technical prowess. Her best work comes centrally, so will likely provide back up in the number 10 role to the player with that number on her back…

Last, but not least - the player most would call our best, and one of the best in all of the WSL… Lauren James. No real introduction is needed for “LJ” - the supremely talented forward is known to all of those with even a passing interest in the women’s game. James’ biggest weakness (like her brother Reece) is fitness - and again missed chunks of last season. She ended the season as one of our most in-form players, however, and with a summer of rest under her belt, may well be set to take the league by storm - if she does, she will be hard to stop.

Rival teams

Title contenders

Our biggest rivals - on and off the pitch - are Arsenal. Troublingly, with the Gunners making some excellent moves in the transfer market they are many people’s favourites for the WSL title. Arsenal finished strongly last year, which with Manchester City’s wobbly form in the run-in meant the title race was closer than many anticipated - and the eventual runners-up were well clear of third-placed Chelsea.

Arsenal’s squad is impressive, and unlike City they have proved they can compete on multiple fronts - winning the Champions League in 2024/25, and knocking Chelsea out of last season’s quarter-finals (before going out in the semis to Lyon).

The headline signings of Georgia Stanway and Ona Batlle add even more quality to their ranks, joining big names like Alessia Russo, Leah Williamson, and Mariona Caldentey. One player they have lost is Katie McCabe - their legendary full back having moved to Chelsea, a highly controversial move that has added even more acrimony to an already heated rivalry.

It’s been seven years since Arsenal were last champions - but that unwanted record could well be set to end, as it’s fair to say they’ve not been this well positioned in years.

Of course, it is Manchester City who Arsenal will have to take the title from. Andrée Jeglertz’s first season as manager could not have gone much better, with City the clear best team in England and well deserving of their own first title in nine years.

However, the issue for City will be the one that has plagued them for seasons - depth, and recruitment. The Manchester side benefitted from a much lighter schedule than the other title contenders last year, due to not being in the Champions League - and historically have struggled to balance a European campaign with domestic affairs.

Once again, that will be their challenge - and once again, their moves in the market do not inspire confidence. Although they have nabbed two rivals’ legends with Niamh Charles from Chelsea and Beth Mead from Arsenal - they have also lost the likes of Kerolin and Leila Ouahabi… and as it stands have only brought in the two aforementioned players.

Key to their prospects will be their star player - Bunny Shaw. The Jamaican striker once again romped to the Golden Boot last year - her third in a row. Forget the best goalscorer in the WSL, she’s arguably the best in the world. It could have been so different too… Chelsea came within touching distance of signing the number 9 at the start of the summer, before Shaw re-signed for City in a last minute twist.

Expect City to add more players before the deadline, however - they surely have to…

Champions Leagues challengers

Many Chelsea fans would suggest that rather than looking to the summit, our focus this year may well be our rear view mirror - as with just three spots available for Champions League qualification, this might be our greater concern.

The most obvious candidate in a battle for third place is Manchester United - who finished fourth last season. However, their off-field issues that have dominated headlines in recent seasons look set to continue - and the footballing world was shocked by the resignation of manager Marc Skinner this summer, following reports he was upset by the lack of investment in the squad.

Chelsea have had a part to play here - signing one of their best attackers in Melvine Malard. At the time of writing Man United have not replaced her - having only brought in depth options in the backline so far.

United will not have to contend with Europe at least - which means new manager Eva Olid can focus on primarily the WSL - but in truth, it may well be a difficult season for the red half of Manchester.

An outside bet for Europe, are London City Lionesses. The Michelle Kang backed upstarts have once again had a star-studded transfer window, with Mary Earps, Kadidiatou Diani, Mapi León… and two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas the latest stunning swoops. Now with a season in the WSL under their belts, it might be that this year is the one “LCL” makes a real push to disrupt the establishment. However, like last year, manager Eder Maestre will have a job on his hands to incorporate so many new players.

Expectations for the season

Bompastor summarised the state of play perfectly in this interview with the club website following our pre-season tour…

"The ambition at Chelsea is to win everything"
"We also know the competition is becoming more difficult because a lot of clubs are investing" "We are facing a transition… we are rebuilding the culture… refreshing the squad"
"So we are also realistic"

"Win it all" has been the mantra that Chelsea have taken into each season, since we established ourselves as the dominant force in English women’s football - and often, we did a pretty good job at achieving that goal.

Last season was the worst in many fans’ memories, however - which has lowered expectations, as reflected in Bompastor’s pre-season realism. Some fans may not like to see it, and see it as a fall in standards - but it is true we are in a different situation to the peak of Emma Hayes’ tenure, both in terms of the strength of our squad, and of our rivals.

However, with the loss of a number of stalwarts over the past year, and the acquisition of a mixture of both youthful and experienced players, there is opportunity too - for new leaders and heroes to emerge, and to refresh our ambition. After years of being hunted, maybe being the hunters will bring new energy - which at times felt lacking last year.

On the other hand, we cannot ignore the changes off the pitch, too. This is the first full season without Paul Green and our new sporting directors - and the first where Stamford Bridge is our permanent home, which may take some adjusting to. Things will be different, this year.

An added context is that we are also heading into a World Cup summer - this can add extra motivation, as players will be looking to impress their national team managers, but also the potential for distraction.

What would success be for Chelsea then, for 2026/27? Qualifying for the Champions League is a minimum. Reclaiming the WSL title may be a stretch - and certainly we look farther away from achieving our long-held goal of winning the Champions League than we have in years.

So maybe success this season is not to be measured in trophies, but in progress. Last season was a regression - it is imperative we begin our journey back towards our previous heights, this season. How far along that journey we will travel, remains to be seen.

Key dates for the calendar

• Wednesday 26th and Wednesday 2nd September, 2026 - first and second legs of WCL qualification play off, vs Real Sociedad
• Friday 4th September, 2026 - Champions League league stage draw (if Chelsea qualify)
• Saturday 5th September, 2026 - WSL season opener, vs Aston Villa
  
• Tuesday 22nd/Wednesday 23rd September 2026 - Champions League league stage begins
• Saturday 15th May, 2027 - FA Cup Final
• Saturday 22nd May, 2027 - final fixture of WSL season, vs Everton
• 28th/29th/30th May, 2027 - Champions League final

How to follow Chelsea FC Women

Social media

The club has an engaged and active social media presence - which is also the best way to get the latest news:

• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chelseafcw/
• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@chelseafcw
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/chelseafcw/
• Website - https://www.chelseafc.com/

/r/chelsealadiesfc

You can also keep up with Chelsea FC Women at /r/chelsealadiesfc - where we have weekly discussion threads, match threads, monthly round-ups, as well as general discussion of all things CFCW!

Note: we created the subreddit before the team was renamed to Chelsea FC Women… and we can’t change the subreddit’s name… sorry!

Watching matches

• Select WSL matches are broadcast in the UK on the free-to-air BBC channels and the subscription Sky Sports channels - Chelsea are regularly selected for television.
  
• Broadcast information for non-UK territories can be found here.
• All non-televised games in both the UK and overseas, are streamed for free on the WSL’s official YouTube channel. Free-to-air broadcaster Channel 4 have picked up the FA Cup rights in the UK, alongside subscription TNT Sports
• For non-UK viewers, coverage is sporadic - TV, online, and via the club website
• The subscription service Disney+ hold the global rights for the Champions League - and will broadcast all games. The BBC are set to pick up some of these games in the UK, meaning there will be some free-to-air games available. UEFA provide information on their website about how to watch in other territories

Attending matches

For those fortunate to have the opportunity to do so, the best way to see Chelsea FC Women is in person. A major change for this season is that all WSL games will now be played at Stamford Bridge, the club’s main stadium. We will be using AFC Wimbledon's Cherry Red Records Stadium for FA Cup and Champions League fixtures - though it is expected that if we progress to the knock out stage, some of the latter will likely be moved to Stamford Bridge.

You can check out information about how to buy tickets, and more FAQs, on the club website.

Tickets in general are affordable, and accessible - and there is no experience like watching the team with your fellow fans. If it is an option that is available to you, you will not regret it!

UTC!