The 2025-26 Women’s Super League (WSL) season is up and running, and in some style, with reigning champions Chelsea and Champions League holders Arsenal lighting up the first two matches of the new campaign.

Chelsea picked up where they left off at the end of last season — as a relentless winning machine. The Blues claimed a domestic treble of trophies without losing a single game last term, and maintained coach Sonia Bompastor’s 100% record with a 2-1 win over Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on Friday night.

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European champions Arsenal took their turn Saturday, coming from a goal down to beat London City Lionesses 4-1 at Emirates Stadium. Michelle Kang’s newly promoted side has shown the size of their ambition with a series of big-name summer signings, but it was Arsenal’s big-money arrival Olivia Smith who shone brightest as the Gunners began their title tilt with gusto.

Here’s what we learned from the first games of the two teams who could be battling it out at the top of the WSL table this season.

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Chelsea secure first win of WSL season

Defending WSL champions Chelsea hold on to win 2-1 vs. Manchester City in the opening game of the season.

Chelsea remind Man City, rest of WSL why they’re No. 1

Aggie Beever-Jones netted the Blues’ final goal at Stamford Bridge last season to conclude their domestic treble-winning campaign, and the 21-year-old, fresh off a Euros triumph with England, netted the opening goal of this term.

It was a comfortable performance for Chelsea in the end, adding a second goal through Maika Hamano before a Niamh Charles own goal gifted one back for City.

Despite injuries and the pressure of being the team to beat following an invincible domestic season, record points total and three trophies won in 2024-25, it was a seamless and smooth showing from the reigning WSL champions. Though there were a few fumbles, a few skewed passes and some areas that Bompastor admitted she wanted to tidy up, it couldn’t have gone much better as an opening game for Chelsea.

There was a penalty shout for a handball on Gracie Prior which Bompastor admitted should have counted. The referee, Emily Heaslip, did not pick it up and with no VAR — something the French coach believes should be in the women’s game — there was no opportunity for appeal. It is a frustration that the teams will have to grapple with for another season as there are no plans to introduce the technology anytime soon.

Ellie Carpenter, on her debut, proved exactly why Chelsea went in hard to pen her signature. Despite it being her first game, she was controlled and fast, and she was involved in the buildup of both goals. Most of Chelsea’s threat came from the right side, where Carpenter was able to press high and move into space to create another problem for City.

This was a stark contrast to City’s use of the flanks in coach Andrée Jeglertz’s first competitive game in charge. Lily Murphy failed to make any impact before being stretchered off with a shoulder injury during stoppage time, while Alex Greenwood (who also went off injured) looked off the mark and out of pace. Lauren Hemp, dispatched on the right rather than her preferred left wing, was able to move centrally to put pressure on Chelsea’s back line, though it failed to level the score. Despite City getting into positive spaces and looking creative, they lacked cutting edge, with their buildup play often resulting in a loss of possession. Of their 17 shots — compared to Chelsea’s eight — only five were on target. Prolific forward Khadija “Bunny” Shaw was kept mostly quiet, leaving City without a clear attacking threat.

City are heavily changed from last season, with new signings Jade Rose and Sydney Lohmann making their debuts. Grace Clinton, a deadline-day arrival from Manchester United, was unavailable. But Iman Beney, who signed before an impressive Euros campaign with hosts Switzerland, came off the bench and looked sprightly.

There were issues with passing and retaining possession as well as some spacing concerns, with Murphy and Vivianne Miedema often moving into the same areas. This was the first time this team has played together, though, and it will take a few games at least before the team is operating as seamlessly as their Friday opponents. Plus, several key absentees (Aoba Fujino, Rebecca Knaak and Kerolin) will ease the strain once they’re available again.

It’s impossible to judge what a 22-game season will look like from the first game, but the opening fixture was a display of intent for Chelsea, who are eager to retain their domestic titles. Despite new faces and a new challenge, it is the same ruthless team. It was a positive start for Man City as they look to rebuild after last season’s turbulence, but they will need to correct their errors to avoid the title race running away from them.

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Arsenal ease past London City Lionesses in WSL opener

Arsenal get their WSL season off to a winning start, coming from 1-0 down to beat London City Lionesses 4-1.

Arsenal give London City lesson on life in WSL

After the joy of last season’s promotion, it was always going to be a harsh wake-up call for London City. After all, they were facing the reigning European champions to kick off their inaugural campaign in the WSL. But it did not start that way.

London City had the upper hand for the first 15 minutes and took an early lead through Kosovare Asllani, who drew a penalty from Katie Reid and dispatched it herself from the spot. It was just reward for the fearless way the visitors took the game to their hosts.

What coach Jocelyn Precheur’s side failed to do was capitalize on their shock lead. Instead, the early goal woke Arsenal up. Rather than being forced back, the Gunners were allowed to build pressure and settle into the game.

That pressure was released with a stunning goal from summer signing Olivia Smith — the first £1 million player in the women’s game — who worked around the edge of the box to shrug off her marker and rocket a strike into the top corner. Then, in first-half stoppage time, Chloe Kelly finished a well-crafted team goal to give Arsenal the lead.

They were profligate, too. Victoria Pelova missed two big chances and Alessia Russo overran a clear chance to add a goal to mark her new long-term contract. Those will put other teams on alert as areas to punish Arsenal. A lack of concentration at the start and only hitting the target with half of their chances shows that, despite last season’s European glory, there are still gaps in this Arsenal side that need correcting. With more time, London City will know how to exploit these.

There is plenty to take from London City’s opening game. Rofiat Imuran, the 21-year-old Nigeria defender, looked strong and clever against a dangerous Arsenal attack. Isobel Goodwin worked incredibly hard to push Arsenal’s defense, and the combination of Saki Kumagai and Asllani’s experience meant they were calm in pressured moments.

The back three of Elena Linari, Alanna Kennedy and Saki Kumagai — the former two being summer signings — had positive moments and did well in the first half to spoil Arsenal’s buildup play, but were eventually undone by Arsenal’s pacey attack. The wheels came off in the final 10 minutes as two quickfire goals from Stina Blackstenius and Frida Maanum derailed what was a fairly close game. Arsenal, veterans of the WSL, know how to deepen cracks and as fatigue set in, London City were vulnerable to being split open.

Knowing they were not going to have a lot of the ball — Arsenal held 61% of the possession — London City’s counterattack was not fast or precise enough to derail the hosts. They built up well in the center of the pitch but lacked a clear plan or clinical finishing in the final third.

This will be a steep learning curve for the Lionesses. Those first-match nerves will have been shaken off before facing Manchester United next week, but that meeting, their first home game in the league, will show how quickly they can come up with a plan for how to handle a top-three side.

It is far too early to place your bets on where London City will finish this season, but this was a perfect chance to strike a blow against a top side as Arsenal have had little to no information on how this team would work given the sheer amount of signings the club made this summer, amounting to almost £3 million.

As teams have more to study, it will only get harder. But on the flip side, the more this group can play together, the quicker it can adapt to life in the top tier.