For the first time in the Women's Super League era, three promoted sides have joined for the 2026-27 season. Birmingham City, Crystal Palace and Charlton Athletic arrive from WSL 2 as the top flight of women's football expands from 12 to 14 teams. All three will begin their campaign on Sunday with the season officially getting under way on Friday evening as London City Lionesses host Manchester United.
But who is best equipped to make their mark this season? BBC Sport takes a look at the newcomers. Following a four-season absence from the WSL, Birmingham are back, having won Women's Super League 2 last season.
The Blues edged a thrilling title fight with Palace and Charlton, clinching the trophy on goal difference by winning at The Valley on final day. They showed quality going forward and in defence, scoring the second-most goals and conceding the second-fewest. They also finished with the league's best goal difference, while striker Lily Crosthwaite picked up her award for WSL 2 player of the year last week.
Among six new signings, head coach Amy Merricks has recruited experienced centre-back Millie Turner, who made 145 WSL appearances in eight seasons at Manchester United, has two England caps and is the new Blues captain. She will play alongside talented 23-year-old Neve Herron, who was named in the WSL 2 Team of the Year. "There's going to be challenges, there's going to be moments, highs and lows, but come that first game of the season, we're going to be ready," Herron told BBC Sport.
How to follow women's football with BBC Sport this season To WSL supporters, Crystal Palace are the most familiar of the promoted sides, back in the top flight after just one season in the second tier. While Palace picked up one win fewer than Birmingham, which would ultimately prove costly, they were difficult to beat. Four defeats was the joint-fewest in WSL 2, alongside Charlton.
Attackers Kirsty Howat and Abbie Larkin were two of the league's top scorers with eight league goals each and the arrival of former Lioness Bethany England in the summer adds further firepower. She is one of the WSL's all-time leading scorers and bagged 32 goals during four seasons with Tottenham. "We're feeling in a privileged position," Palace head coach Jo Potter told BBC Sport.
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