There are just a few weeks left of the 2025-26 Women’s Super League season.
Manchester City look to be on course for the title, ending Chelsea’s six-year reign as champions. They’ve had a bit of a wobble and still need five more points from their final two matches to guarantee the title.
Chelsea can still mathematically win the title, but it’d take an improbable sequence of results. Arsenal are the more likely threat, given their games in hand.
What Man City have secured, however, is a spot in the Champions League for next season — the third qualifying round at the very least. But there are two Champions League spots left to be secured, with Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United all fighting for them.
So, who has the best chance, and which of the three teams will miss out?
Arsenal
- Position: Third
- Points: 41
- Remaining fixtures: Brighton (A), Aston Villa (A), Everton (H), Liverpool (A)
Although they sit third, Arsenal are in pole position to secure second place and the final automatic group stage spot. The Gunners are playing catchup, as a result of reaching the Champions League semi-finals. And by the time they play their next WSL game, they’ll have three matches in hand on everyone else. Arsenal have hit good form at the right time too.
Renee Sleger’s side have won 13 of their last 15 games across all competitions. And one of the defeats came in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final, which they still won on aggregate. In the WSL alone, they’ve won their past six games and are unbeaten since the start of October.
The Gunners won a game in hand in midweek, moved because of their participation in the inaugural Women’s Champions Cup (which they also won). Arsenal thrashed Leicester City 7-0 while being able to rotate their squad ahead of their Champions League semi-final second leg. Stina Blackstenius scored twice, while Frida Maanum scored one and provided two assists behind her.
Now, fans would rather have points on the board than games in hand. And Brighton and Hove Albion will be a tricky oppostion next up. After all, they were the responsible for the other of those two defeats in 15, knocking Arsenal out of the FA Cup. But Arsenal only need five points from four games to secure at least third. And they may have the title still in their sights.
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Chelsea
- Position: Second
- Points: 43
- Remaining fixtures: Leicester (A), Man Utd (H)
Chelsea have had a strange season, especially considering their domestic dominance in 2024-25. The Blues only dropped six points en route to the title, breaking so many records along the way. But the comparison has been made to Arne Slot’s Liverpool. A new manager was able to build on pre-existing foundations, before things fell apart in the second campaign. There was a point when a return to the Champions League looked out of their hands. But the Blues have their fate in their own hands.
Sonia Bompastor’s side could realistically qualify for the Champions League with one point from their final two games. They only need to avoid defeat against Man Utd on the final day of the season. On paper, they should seal the deal with one game left to play. Chelsea face Leicester at the weekend, a team they have played nine times in the WSL, winning eight. The Foxes are bottom of the table and have to fight for their spot in the WSL through the relegation play-off. And they’ve just conceded seven against Arsenal. But Leicester are the only team to avoid defeat at home to Bompastor’s Chelsea with their 1-1 draw last season. And Chelsea scraped a 1-0 win earlier this term.
Chelsea have looked unconvincing at both ends of the pitch this season. They’ve scored 40 goals after 20 games, some 17 behind Man City. And five fewer than Arsenal, despite playing two games more. Alyssa Thompson is Chelsea’s top scorer in the league this season, but she’s only scored seven goals. Sam Kerr is the only other to have scored at least five. Chelsea have also conceded 19 goals, their most in a single season since 2013, when they conceded 27 goals in 14 games and finished second-bottom. There is the caveat of the WSL only becoming a 12-team league in 2019. But it’s still a worry for Chelsea fans.
Man Utd
- Position: Fourth
- Points: 39
- Remaining fixtures: Brighton (H), Chelsea (A)
It wasn’t too long ago that Man Utd appeared to be in control of top three race. Now, they’re on the outside looking in and have a huge mountain to climb. The Red Devils need to beat Chelsea in their final game of the season. Regardless of what happens this weekend, that much is a must. But Man Utd also need to better Chelsea’s result in the penultimate gameweek (and the Blues need to drop points). If Chelsea draw with Leicester, Man Utd need to beat Brighton. If Chelsea lose to Leicester, Man Utd only need a draw. But if Chelsea beat Leicester, Man Utd’s dream is over.
Man Utd’s wobble actually started with a defeat to Chelsea in the FA Cup at the end of February. The Red Devils had won their past eight across all competitions before that match, and were unbeaten in 12 since a defeat to Lyon. Including the defeat to Chelsea, Man Utd have managed just one win in eight across all competitions. That includes another loss to Chelsea in the Subway Cup final, and just five points from four league matches. The Red Devils were lucky to get a point against Tottenham Hotspur last season in a goalless draw, with Spurs peppering Fallon Tullis-Joyce’s goal to no avail.
It’s not a surprise, either. Man Utd are the least dominant of the so-call Big Four, and struggle when things are close. Marc Skinner has come under fire from fans for many years for this exact reason, but the board have always kept their faith in him. Man Utd average 55.1% possession in the WSL this season, behind Chelsea, Arsenal and Man City. They’ve also averaged 24.7 clearances per match as a team, which is quite a bit more than their rivals and even higher than Tottenham and Liverpool.
They have a similar problem to Chelsea at the other end of the pitch too. Elisabeth Terland, Melvine Malard and Jess Park are their joint-top scorers in the league this season, but they’ve only scored six goals each. Park has been very good, adding five assists, but she’s not good enough to carry them alone. And she shouldn’t have to be. No one is.