The 2025–26 Women's Super League 2 is the first season of the Women's Super League 2 since it was reverted to the WSL2 name, and the 11th since the creation of the WSL 2 in 2014. The season began on 5 September 2025 and will end on 3 May 2026.
On 16 June 2025 it was announced that the Women's Super League would be expanding to 14 teams for the 2026–27 season. Because of this, the 2025–26 WSL 2 season will have two promotions and a promotion/relegation play-off for the 3rd placed team.
Teams
Twelve teams competed in the WSL2 for the 2025–26 season, an increase of one from the previous season.
London City Lionesses were promoted to the Women's Super League as 2024–25 Women's Championship winners. They were replaced by Crystal Palace who returned to the division following relegation from the Women's Super League after one season.
Nottingham Forest, winners of the 2024–25 FA Women's National League North, and Ipswich Town, winners of the 2024–25 FA Women's National League South were both promoted. Both clubs made their WSL2 debuts.
On 20 May 2025, it was announced Blackburn Rovers had withdrawn from the WSL2 due to the club owner's unwillingness to meet league requirements on facilities, player welfare and staffing. They re-entered at the fourth tier (Division One North). Sheffield United who were set to be relegated to the FA Women's National League after spending seven seasons in the Championship were reprieved from relegation.
Team Location Ground Capacity Manager Birmingham City Birmingham St Andrew's 29,902 Amy Merricks Bristol City Bristol Ashton Gate 27,000 Charlotte Healy Charlton Athletic London The Valley 27,111 Karen Hills Crystal Palace London Gander Green Lane 5,013 Jo Potter Durham Durham Maiden Castle 1,800 (League)2,400 (Cup) Neil Redfearn (interim) Ipswich Town Colchester Colchester Community Stadium 10,105 David Wright Newcastle United Gateshead Gateshead International Stadium 11,800 Tanya Oxtoby Nottingham Forest Nottingham The City Ground 30,404 Carly Davies Portsmouth Havant Westleigh Park 5,300 Jay Sadler Sheffield United Sheffield Bramall Lane 32,050 Stephen Healy Southampton Southampton St Mary's Stadium 32,384 Simon Parker Sunderland Hetton-le-Hole Eppleton CW 2,500 Melanie Reay
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment Crystal Palace Leif Gunnar Smerud Mutual agreement 11 May 2025Pre season Jo Potter 24 June 2025 Bristol City Stephen Kirby Mutual agreement 13 May 2025 Charlotte Healy 24 June 2025 Southampton Marieanne Spacey-Cale (interim) End of interim period 4 May 2025 Simon Parker 4 July 2025 Sheffield United Ash Thompson Mutual Agreement 30 September 2025 12th Luke Turner (interim) 30 September 2025 Newcastle United Becky Langley Sacked 20 October 2025 9th Claire Ditchburn (interim) 22 October 2025 Claire Ditchburn (interim) End of interim spell 22 November 2025 4th Tanya Oxtoby 22 November 2025 Ipswich Town Joe Sheehan Mutual agreement 7 January 2026 12th David Wright 7 January 2026 Sheffield United Luke Turner (interim) End of interim spell 25 January 2026 9th Stephen Healey 25 January 2026 Durham Adam Furness Mutual agreement 15 March 2026 9th Neil Redfearn (interim) 15 March 2026
League table
Matches
Promotion play-off
Season statistics
Top scorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Lexi Lloyd-SmithBristol City112 Rio HardyBristol City103 Amy AndrewsSheffield United94 Mary BashfordSouthampton8 Lily CrosthwaiteBirmingham City Jessie GaleBristol City Beth HeppleDurham Women Megan HornbyPortsmouth Kirsty HowatCrystal Palace Abbie LarkinCrystal Palace11 Chantelle Boye-HlorkahNottingham Forest7 Wilma LeidhammarBirmingham City Veatriki SarriBirmingham City Ashleigh WeerdenCrystal Palace15 Annabel BlanchardCrystal Palace6 Ellie BrazilSouthampton Katie KitchingSunderland Emily MurphyNewcastle United Jordan NobbsNewcastle United Emily ScarrSunderland Jess SimpsonSouthampton22 Rianna DeanIpswich Town5 Lucy FitzgeraldCharlton Athletic Jodie HuttonCharlton Athletic Gillian KenneyCharlton Athletic Beth LumsdenNewcastle United Michaela McAlonieSouthampton Sophie PeskettIpswich Town Molly-Mae SharpeCrystal Palace
Clean sheets
RankPlayerClub Cleansheets1 Sophie WhitehouseCharlton Athletic82 Fran StensonSouthampton F.C.6 Shae YanezCrystal Palace4 Fran BentleyBristol City5 Emily BattyNottingham Forest6 Adrianna FrenchBirmingham City4 Catriona SheppardDurham Anna TamminenNewcastle United9 Lucy ThomasBirmingham City310 Grace MoloneySunderland2 Jess GrayPortsmouth125 players1
Discipline
Most yellow cardsTotalMost red cardsTotalRef.Player Charlie Devlin (Bristol City)6 Izzy Collins (Portsmouth)2
Awards Monthly awards MonthManager of the MonthPlayer of the MonthGoal of the MonthRef.ManagerClubPlayerClubPlayerClub September Amy Merricks Birmingham City Emily Scarr Sunderland Angelina Nixon Portsmouth October Simon Parker Southampton Jodie Hutton Charlton Athletic Vicky Losada Bristol City November Karen Hills Charlton Athletic Megan Hornby Portsmouth Mary Corbyn Sunderland December Jo Potter Crystal Palace Jordan Nobbs Newcastle United Veatriki Sarri Birmingham City January Charlotte Healy Bristol City Lily Crosthwaite Birmingham City Jessie Gale Bristol City February Tanya Oxtoby Newcastle United Ashleigh Weerden Crystal Palace Lucy Watson Durham March Amy Merricks Birmingham City Aimee Everett Amy Andrews Sheffield United April David Wright Ipswich Town Beth Hepple Durham Jordan Nobbs Newcastle United
References