Key Dates for the 2026-27 Women's Football Season

The 2026-27 women's football season has begun, with Champions League qualifiers already underway alongside the Women's Africa Cup of Nations. The FA Cup preliminary rounds start later this month, while the Women’s Super League (WSL) and Women’s Super League 2 (WSL2) kick off in early September. The Subway Players Cup, also known as the League Cup, begins in September too. Full FA Cup rounds begin at October's end. This season includes five international breaks leading up to the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil during June and July.

Important Dates for WSL and WSL2

• Women’s Super League
• 4 September 2026: Season opener
• 21 December 2026 - 3 January 2027: Winter break
• 22 May 2027: Last regular-season match
• 29 or 30 May 2027: Promotion/relegation play-off

• 4 September 2026: First game of the season
• 21 December 2026 - 3 January 2027: Winter break
• 8 or 9 May 2027: Final regular-season match
• 22 or 23 May 2027: Play-off pre-qualifying match
• 29 or 30 May 2027: Promotion/relegation play-off

FA Cup and Subway Players Cup Schedule

• Women’s FA Cup
• 23 August 2026: Preliminary round
• 6 September 2026: First qualifying round
• 20 September 2026: Second qualifying round
• 4 October 2026: Third qualifying round
• 25 October 2026: First round
• 15 November 2026: Second round
• 13 December 2026: Third round
• 17 January 2027: Fourth round
• 21 February 2027: Fifth round
• 21 March 2027: Quarter-finals
• 11 April 2027: Semi-finals
• 15 May 2027: Final

• 23 & 30 September 2026: League phase fixtures
• 17 & 18 October 2026: League phase fixtures (WSL2 only)
• 21 & 28 October 2026: League phase fixtures
• 31 October & 1 November 2026: League phase fixtures (WSL2 only)
• 11 & 18 November 2026: League phase fixtures
• 22 November 2026: League phase fixtures (WSL2 only)
• 16 December 2026: League phase fixtures
• 13 or 14 January 2027: Quarter-finals
• 10 or 11 February 2027: Semi-finals
• 13 or 14 March 2027: Final

Champions League Key Dates

• 26 August 2026: Third qualifying round, first legs
• 2 September 2026: Third qualifying round, second legs
• 4 September 2026: League phase draw
• 22 & 23 September 2026: League phase, matchday one
• 30 September & 1 October 2026: League phase, matchday two
• 28 & 29 October 2026: League phase, matchday three
• 10 & 11 November 2026: League phase, matchday four
• 18 & 19 November 2026: League phase, matchday five
• 16 December 2026: League phase, matchday six
• 3 & 4 February 2027: Knockout phase play-offs, first legs
• 10 & 11 February 2027: Knockout phase play-offs, second legs
• 23 & 24 March 2027: Quarter-final, first legs
• 30 & 31 March 2027: Quarter-final, second legs
• 1 & 2 May 2027: Semi-final, first legs
• 8 & 9 May 2027: Semi-final, second legs
• 28, 29 or 30 May 2027: Final

Women’s International Breaks and Tournaments

• 24 July - 16 August 2026: Africa Cup of Nations
• 5 - 13 October 2026: October international break
• 24 November - 5 December 2026: November/December international break
• 23 February - 6 March 2027: February/March international break
• 13 - 24 April 2027: April international break
• 7 - 15 June 2027: June international break
• 24 June - 27 July 2027: Women’s World Cup in Brazil