WSL 2026-27 Kicks Off: Shaw, Hanson and a 19-Year-Old Steal the Opening Weekend
The Women's Super League returned with a 14-team format for 2026-27, and opening weekend delivered debut goals, landmark milestones, and a champions' warning.
Manchester City began their title defence with a 3-1 win over newly promoted Birmingham at the Joie Stadium on Sunday 6 September (Manchester City). Mary Fowler opened the scoring with a low finish that carried its own piece of history: the club's 1,000th goal as a professional women's side (The Guardian). Khadija "Bunny" Shaw then took over, scoring twice with second-half headers from corners — the first delivered by Kerstin Caspari, the second by Beth Mead. Birmingham's Océane Hurtré grabbed a 90th-minute consolation after a defensive lapse by Jade Rose, but the result was never seriously in doubt.
The match also marked Lauren Hemp's 200th appearance for City, a milestone that underlines how central she has been to the club's rise. On the other side, Birmingham goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley made her debut and was described as "exceptional" by head coach Amy Merricks — a glimmer of encouragement for a side stepping up from the second tier. City head coach Andrée Jeglertz, meanwhile, will be content with a professional start to the defence.
Across the league, debutants made the weekend their own. Kirsty Hanson, signed from Aston Villa where she had been their top scorer last season, struck twice on her Tottenham debut in a 3-1 win over West Ham (BBC Sport). At Brighton, Arsenal handed a first start to 19-year-old Lisa Baum, a Germany youth international who arrived from RB Leipzig in the summer. She scored in the 10th minute, firing in from a tight angle off the underside of the crossbar — the only goal of a 1-0 win (The Guardian).
Arsenal's new look ran deep. Georgia Stanway, Ona Batlle and Misa Rodriguez were among four summer signings in the starting XI, a statement of intent from a club that finished outside the top two last season. Brighton, by contrast, are still finding their feet under Arturo Ruiz, who had been in charge for just nine days when Arsenal came to visit.
Liverpool, who did not win a single WSL match until January last season, opened with a 4-0 demolition of newly promoted Charlton. Vivien Endemann was the standout performer, scoring in a performance that suggested last season's struggles are firmly behind them. Crystal Palace, another side looking to build, edged Everton 1-0 thanks to Lexi Lloyd-Smith's goal (BBC Sport).
For fans of the women's game, this opening weekend offered a taste of what the expanded 14-team league might bring: more clubs, more debuts, more storylines. The season is long, and one round of results tells you only so much. But Hanson's brace, Baum's stunner, Shaw's headers, and Fowler's milestone goal — they were all moments worth remembering.
