Coming up this weekend in the BWSL & BWSL2

The winter break comes to an end this weekend across the BWSL and BWSL2, with a full schedule returning as 11 fixtures take place over the next few days. After weeks away from league action, competitive football is back, and there is plenty for supporters to look forward to as the season resumes.

To mark the return, women’s football legend Karen Carney OBE has issued an open invitation to fans everywhere, encouraging them to attend a women’s match as part of a new film for WSL Football. Her message is a simple but powerful one.

To find out more about upcoming matches and fan activations near you in the Barclays WSL and Barclays WSL2, visit Back To Football on the WSL Football site.

Previously in the BWSL Gameweek 11

Arsenal v Manchester United

Saturday 10 January, Emirates Stadium, 12:30

A huge fixture in the race for third place takes centre stage as Arsenal welcome Manchester United to the Emirates Stadium in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off. It is the type of fixture that immediately signals the league’s return, with real significance at stake for both sides.

Arsenal’s season has perhaps not quite followed the script many expected back in August, but they head into this fixture unbeaten in their last five league games. Boosted further by the announcement that Renée Slegers has committed her future to the club with a new long-term deal, the Gunners will be aiming to close the gap on the top two while also opening up a four-point cushion over their rivals.

Manchester United, meanwhile, have picked up just two wins from their last five league outings, a run that has seen them lose ground on the title contenders. They now face a fight to secure the final UEFA Women’s Champions League place. However, confidence will be growing after consecutive victories over Juventus and Tottenham Hotspur, and Marc Skinner will be eager for his side to carry that momentum into this clash.

Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City

Sunday 11 January, BetWright Stadium, 12:00

A familiar storyline dominates the build-up to this encounter, with Thursday’s announcement confirming that Ashleigh Neville has completed a permanent move from Tottenham to Leicester City. The defender now prepares to face her former club just days after the deal was confirmed.

Tottenham have been active during the January window already, with several new arrivals strengthening Martin Ho’s squad. Sitting just two points behind Arsenal in third place, Spurs will be targeting a strong second half of the campaign as they push for a European finish for the first time in their history.

For Leicester City, last time out brought only their second league win of the season, edging past London City Lionesses with a 1-0 victory. The Foxes have also been busy in the transfer market, welcoming Sarah Mayling and Emma Jansson alongside Neville, while Janice Cayman has departed to PSV. It has been a period of significant change as Leicester look to climb the table.

Manchester City v Everton

Sunday 11 January, Joie Stadium, 12:00

For Andrée Jeglertz and his Manchester City side, the message is clear: replicate the form from the first half of the season and the title will be theirs. City went into the winter break with an outstanding record of ten wins and just one defeat, opening up a six-point lead over reigning champions Chelsea.

Standing in their way this weekend is an Everton side who delivered one of the biggest shocks of the season before the break, bringing Chelsea’s long unbeaten run to an end. Despite that memorable result, the Toffees sit tenth in the table, five points clear of the relegation zone, having managed just one win in their last five league matches. City will be favourites, but Everton have already shown they are capable of upsetting the odds.

Chelsea v West Ham United

Sunday 11 January, Kingsmeadow, 12:00

Chelsea closed out 2025 in inconsistent fashion, recording two wins, two draws and a defeat in their final five league games. Even so, their emphatic 9-1 victory over Liverpool in the Subway Women’s League Cup was a stark reminder of just how dangerous they remain when firing on all cylinders.

West Ham United arrive under new leadership, with Rita Guarino recently appointed as manager following spells at Juventus and Inter Milan. The Hammers currently sit just two points above the bottom of the table after a 2-2 draw with Liverpool, and Guarino will be hoping to spark an upturn in fortunes. She has already begun reshaping the squad, using her experience of Italian football to bring in Estelle Cascarino on loan, a defensive addition aimed at tightening up the league’s most porous back line.

Aston Villa v Brighton & Hove Albion

Sunday 11 January, Villa Park, 12:00

A mid-table encounter awaits at Villa Park as eighth faces seventh, with both sides arriving on the back of two wins from their last five league matches. On paper, this is a fixture that feels finely balanced and could swing either way.

For Aston Villa, the year ended on a disappointing note with a heavy 6-1 defeat to league leaders Manchester City. That result was far from how they would have wanted to head into the break, and they will be determined to put it firmly behind them in front of their home supporters.

Brighton were unable to round off the year with three consecutive victories. Wins over Leicester City and London City Lionesses had raised momentum, but a 3-0 defeat to Chelsea brought the year to a close. The reverse fixture on the opening weekend ended goalless, and it remains to be seen whether this meeting will produce a different outcome.

Liverpool v London City Lionesses

Sunday 11 January, St Helens Stadium, 14:30

The final match of Gameweek 12 brings together two teams experiencing very different seasons, as Liverpool host London City Lionesses in Sunday’s late kick-off.

Liverpool find themselves bottom of the table with just three points and are still searching for their first win after 11 league matches. However, there have been signs of resilience, with all three points coming from draws in their last five games against Brighton, Chelsea and West Ham. Gareth Taylor will also take encouragement from the form of forward Beata Olsson, who has netted five goals in nine appearances and is likely to play a crucial role in the months ahead.

For London City Lionesses, this campaign has largely been a positive one in their debut BWSL season. Five wins and six defeats see them sitting sixth in the table, but change has arrived ahead of 2026. Eder Maestre has been appointed as the new Head Coach following the departure of Jocelyn Precheur just before Christmas, meaning this fixture could mark the start of a new chapter for the Lionesses.

Here’s a reminder of how the BWSL league table looks heading into Gameweek 12.

Coming up this weekend in the BWSL2

Southampton v Portsmouth

Saturday 10 January, St Mary’s, 17:30

Nothing quite signals the return of football like a derby, and with a record crowd expected at St Mary’s, this one promises plenty of drama. Five points separate the two sides heading into the weekend, with Southampton sitting in seventh place and Portsmouth currently down in eleventh. The stakes are high, and local pride will only add to the intensity.

The Saints come into this fixture on the back of a much-needed win against Sheffield United, a result that brought an end to a four-game winless run in the league. That sequence of dropped points began after these two last met in October, when Southampton claimed an emphatic 5-2 victory over their south coast rivals. They will be eager to build momentum as the second half of the season gets underway.

Portsmouth, meanwhile, were unable to follow up a positive 1-1 draw with league leaders Charlton Athletic, falling to defeat against Newcastle United last time out. That result left them in the bottom two, although still just five points adrift of Ipswich. A derby victory could prove transformative, potentially lifting Pompey as high as eighth in the table depending on other results across the weekend.

Durham v Sunderland

Sunday 11 January, Maiden Castle Sports Park, 12:00

Durham and Sunderland, like Portsmouth, find themselves in the lower half of the table as they head into this weekend’s fixture. Both sides will see this as an opportunity to gain ground and pull further clear of the teams around them.

Durham closed out the year with a mixed run of results. Three consecutive draws helped them stay in touch with nearby rivals, showing resilience during a challenging spell. However, that momentum was halted by a 3-0 defeat to Birmingham City in their final outing before the break. They will be keen to rediscover that solidity as the league resumes.

Sunderland arrive with renewed confidence after securing their first league win since September. Ending a seven-game winless run, they came from behind to defeat Ipswich Town 2-1, with goals from Jessica Brown and Emily Scarr sealing the comeback. Scarr, in particular, ended 2025 in outstanding form, scoring five goals and registering one assist in her final five appearances, and she will be hoping to carry that momentum into the new year.

Newcastle United v Birmingham City

Sunday 11 January, Gateshead International Stadium, 14:00

At the opposite end of the table, this fixture pits fourth against second in what promises to be a high-quality encounter. The reverse meeting earlier in the season delivered plenty of goals, with Birmingham City emerging 4-2 winners at St Andrew’s.

Newcastle United have found their rhythm in recent gameweeks, collecting four of their five league victories across their last five matches. That impressive run has propelled them up the table, leaving them level on points with third-placed Bristol City and just three behind their opponents this weekend. Confidence will be high as they look to continue their climb.

Amy Merrick’s Birmingham City side head into the match having recorded three wins and two defeats in their last five games. Those results leave the Blues five points behind leaders Charlton Athletic, while maintaining a three-point cushion over both Bristol City and Newcastle United. Birmingham boast the most potent attack in the league, highlighted by their recent 3-0 win over Durham, but they face a stern test against one of the division’s strongest defensive units based on recent form.

Ipswich Town v Charlton Athletic

Sunday 11 January, JobServe Community Stadium, 14:00

It is a classic bottom-versus-top clash as Ipswich Town welcome league leaders Charlton Athletic to Suffolk. On paper, the challenge could hardly be tougher for the hosts as the league action resumes.

Ipswich have endured a difficult campaign since earning promotion last season, a struggle that led to the departure of First Team Manager Joe Sheehan just two days ago. Former Ipswich Town defender David Wright, who has been working within the academy and assisting the women’s side, is set to take charge from the dugout on an interim basis. The club has confirmed he will remain in the role until further additions are made in line with their long-term vision.

The picture could not be more different for Charlton Athletic, who sit proudly at the top of the table with an almost flawless record after 11 matches. Eight wins and three draws have given them a five-point lead at the summit, a gap extended by a dramatic finale to their last game of 2025. Trailing Nottingham Forest late on, the Addicks fought back, with Emma Bissell’s stoppage-time winner in the 90+8th minute securing all three points in memorable fashion.

Nottingham Forest v Bristol City

Sunday 11 January, The City Ground, 14:00

Third-placed Bristol City make the trip to The City Ground to face Nottingham Forest, who currently sit sixth in the table. With both sides harbouring promotion ambitions, this fixture carries significant weight.

Nottingham Forest were denied a valuable point in their final match before the break, conceding a late winner against Charlton Athletic. That result left them with a record of five wins, five defeats and one draw, placing them just three points behind the promotion play-off position currently occupied by Bristol City. A home win here could significantly tighten the race.

For the Robins, three victories in their last five league matches have put them in a strong position heading into the second half of the season. They remain firmly in the hunt for promotion, whether via the automatic spots or the play-offs. Bristol City have also been active in the January transfer window, completing the permanent signing of Katie Robinson from BWSL side Aston Villa. The England international adds real quality to their attacking options and could make her debut this weekend.

Sheffield United v Crystal Palace

Monday 12 January, Bramall Lane, 19:00

The final fixture across both leagues this weekend comes under the Monday night lights, as Sheffield United host Crystal Palace at Bramall Lane. It brings the curtain down on the round of matches in what should be a compelling encounter.

Sheffield United picked up back-to-back wins during their final five league games of the calendar year, including a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace. However, they have been unable to follow that result with another win, failing to pick up maximum points in their last three outings since that meeting.

Crystal Palace arrive in strong form, with recently crowned WSL2 Manager of the Month Jo Potter overseeing a run of three consecutive league victories. Wins over Ipswich Town (2-1), Birmingham City (3-0) and Bristol City (3-2) have lifted the Eagles into fifth place. With momentum on their side, Palace are now firmly part of the conversation for a potential promotion push as the season progresses toward May.

Here’s a reminder of how the full BWSL2 league looks heading into the weekend.

Can't make it to the game? Here's our guide on where you can watch each and every game across the BWSL and BWSL2 this weekend.