FA Women's Super League kicks off with Merseyside derby

Friday 22 Sep 2017
New Everton skipper Danielle Turner

The FA WSL returns with a mouth-watering Merseyside derby on Friday night.

Everton, who were promoted to the top division, entertain two-time winners Liverpool at the Select Security Stadium in Widnes, and the match will be broadcast live on BT Sport 2.

FA WSL 1
  • Everton v Liverpool
  • Chelsea v Bristol City
  • Arsenal v Birmingham City
  • Reading v Sunderland
  • Yeovil Town v Man City
There are then nine fixtures on Sunday across FA WSL 1 and 2.

New Toffees skipper Danielle Turner said: “The team has changed quite a bit with six or seven new players.

“So with many new faces around we’re all still very much getting used to how each other plays.

“As a group that won the Spring Series, we feel we have developed a winning mentality and the girls we brought in have already added to that, so I think we have a very competitive squad right now with new faces.

“We have a great manager at the helm [Andy Spence], I really want to push on now and do the best I can. 

“We are not simply in there to just avoid relegation, we’re going to push further.”

FA WSL 2
  • Durham v Tottenham
  • Aston Villa v Brighton & Hove Albion
  • London Bees v Doncaster Rovers Belles
  • Oxford United v Sheffield FC
  • Millwall v Watford
The FA WSL will no longer be a summer league. It will, instead, be played alongside the traditional football calendar, from September until May.

The change in format was introduced to increase player welfare, further grow and develop the league and attendances, address issues around fixture congestion and planning and provide the platform for a winning England team.

The changes will also better support The FA WSL clubs taking part in the UEFA Women’s Champions League and align the league with The FA Women’s Premier League and wider women’s pyramid.

The SSE Women’s FA Cup will also be better integrated, with the showpiece Final at the end of the season.

Manchester City are the reigning FA WSL 1 champions, with Chelsea winning the one-off Spring Series title, while Tottenham Hotspur were promoted to FA WSL 2.

The FA WSL was launched as a summer league in 2011, with eight teams. In 2014 a second division, FA WSL 2, was created and there are now 19 teams across the two tiers.

By FA Staff