2025–26 Women's Super League 2

2025–26 Women's Super League 2

The 2025–26 Women's Super League 2 is the first season of the Women's Super League 2 since it was reverted to the WSL2 name, and the 11th since the creation of the WSL 2 in 2014. The season began on 5 September 2025 and will end on 3 May 2026.

On 16 June 2025 it was announced that the Women's Super League would be expanding to 14 teams for the 2026–27 season. Because of this, the 2025–26 WSL 2 season will have two promotions and a promotion/relegation play-off for the 3rd placed team.

Teams

2025–26 Women's Super League 2

Twelve teams compete in the WSL2 for the 2025–26 season, an increase of one from the previous season,.

London City Lionesses were promoted to the Women's Super League as 2024–25 Women's Championship winners. They are replaced by Crystal Palace who returned to the division following relegation from the Women's Super League after one season.

Nottingham Forest, winners of the 2024–25 FA Women's National League North, and Ipswich Town, winners of the 2024–25 FA Women's National League South were both promoted. Both clubs are making their WSL2 debuts.

On 20 May 2025, it was announced Blackburn Rovers had withdrawn from the WSL2 due to the club owner's unwillingness to meet league requirements on facilities, player welfare and staffing. They will re-enter at the fourth tier (Division One North). Sheffield United who were set to be relegated to the FA Women's National League after spending seven seasons in the Championship were reprieved from relegation.

<table><thead><tr><th>Team</th><th>Location</th><th>Ground</th><th>Capacity</th><th>Manager</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Birmingham City</td><td>Birmingham (Bordesley)</td><td>St Andrew's</td><td>29,902</td><td>Amy Merricks</td></tr><tr><td>Bristol City</td><td>Bristol (Ashton Gate)</td><td>Ashton Gate</td><td>27,000</td><td>Charlotte Healy</td></tr><tr><td>Charlton Athletic</td><td>London (Charlton)</td><td>The Valley</td><td>27,111</td><td>Karen Hills</td></tr><tr><td>Crystal Palace</td><td>London (Sutton)</td><td>Gander Green Lane</td><td>5,013</td><td>Jo Potter</td></tr><tr><td>Durham</td><td>Durham</td><td>Maiden Castle</td><td>1,800 (League) 2,400 (Cup)</td><td>Adam Furness</td></tr><tr><td>Ipswich Town</td><td>Colchester</td><td>Colchester Community Stadium</td><td>10,105</td><td>Joe Sheehan</td></tr><tr><td>Newcastle United</td><td>Gateshead</td><td>Gateshead International Stadium</td><td>11,800</td><td>Tanya Oxtoby</td></tr><tr><td>Nottingham Forest</td><td>Nottingham (West Bridgford)</td><td>The City Ground</td><td>30,404</td><td>Carly Davies</td></tr><tr><td>Portsmouth</td><td>Havant</td><td>Westleigh Park</td><td>5,300</td><td>Jay Sadler</td></tr><tr><td>Sheffield United</td><td>Sheffield</td><td>Bramall Lane</td><td>32,050</td><td>Ash Thompson</td></tr><tr><td>Southampton</td><td>Southampton</td><td>St Mary's Stadium</td><td>32,384</td><td>Simon Parker</td></tr><tr><td>Sunderland</td><td>Hetton-le-Hole</td><td>Eppleton CW</td><td>2,500</td><td>Melanie Reay</td></tr></tbody></table>

Managerial changes

Team	Outgoing manager	Manner of departure	Date of vacancy	Position in table	Incoming manager	Date of appointment
Crystal Palace	Leif Gunnar Smerud	Mutual agreement	11 May 2025	Pre season	Jo Potter	24 June 2025
Bristol City	Stephen Kirby	Mutual agreement	13 May 2025	Charlotte Healy	24 June 2025
Southampton	Marieanne Spacey-Cale (interim)	End of interim period	4 May 2025	Simon Parker	4 July 2025
Sheffield United W.F.C.	Ash Thompson	Mutual Agreement	30 September 2025	12th	Luke Turner (interim)	30 September 2025
Newcastle United	Becky Langley	Sacked	20 October 2025	9th	Claire Ditchburn (interim)	22 October 2025
Claire Ditchburn (interim)	End of interim spell	22 November 2025	4th	Tanya Oxtoby	22 November 2025

League table

2025–26 Women's Super League 2

<table><thead><tr><th>Pos</th><th>Team</th><th>Pld</th><th>W</th><th>D</th><th>L</th><th>GF</th><th>GA</th><th>GD</th><th>Pts</th><th>Qualification</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>Birmingham City</td><td>20</td><td>13</td><td>2</td><td>5</td><td>44</td><td>21</td><td>+23</td><td>41</td><td>Promotion to the WSL</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Charlton Athletic</td><td>20</td><td>12</td><td>5</td><td>3</td><td>29</td><td>17</td><td>+12</td><td>41</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Crystal Palace</td><td>19</td><td>10</td><td>5</td><td>4</td><td>35</td><td>24</td><td>+11</td><td>35</td><td>Qualification for promotion/relegation play-off</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Newcastle United</td><td>19</td><td>8</td><td>8</td><td>3</td><td>30</td><td>21</td><td>+9</td><td>32</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>Bristol City</td><td>19</td><td>9</td><td>3</td><td>7</td><td>39</td><td>28</td><td>+11</td><td>30</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>Southampton</td><td>19</td><td>8</td><td>4</td><td>7</td><td>34</td><td>22</td><td>+12</td><td>28</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>Nottingham Forest</td><td>19</td><td>8</td><td>2</td><td>9</td><td>25</td><td>31</td><td>−6</td><td>26</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>Sunderland</td><td>20</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>8</td><td>26</td><td>31</td><td>−5</td><td>24</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>Sheffield United</td><td>18</td><td>4</td><td>6</td><td>8</td><td>17</td><td>28</td><td>−11</td><td>18</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>Durham</td><td>19</td><td>3</td><td>6</td><td>10</td><td>22</td><td>32</td><td>−10</td><td>15</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>Ipswich Town</td><td>18</td><td>3</td><td>5</td><td>10</td><td>17</td><td>39</td><td>−22</td><td>14</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>Portsmouth</td><td>20</td><td>4</td><td>2</td><td>14</td><td>22</td><td>46</td><td>−24</td><td>14</td><td>Relegation to the Women's National League North or South</td></tr></tbody></table>

Season statistics

Top scorers

Rank	Player	Club	Goals
1	Rio Hardy	Bristol City	8
Abbie Larkin	Crystal Palace
Lexi Lloyd-Smith	Bristol City
4	Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah	Nottingham Forest	7
Lily Crosthwaite	Birmingham City
Jessie Gale	Bristol City
Beth Hepple	Durham Women
Megan Hornby	Portsmouth
Veatriki Sarri	Birmingham City
10	Amy Andrews	Sheffield United	6
Ellie Brazil	Southampton
Kirsty Howat	Crystal Palace
Katie Kitching	Sunderland
Emily Murphy	Newcastle United
Emily Scarr	Sunderland
16	Mary Bashford	Southampton	5
Rianna Dean	Ipswich Town
Lucy Fitzgerald	Charlton Athletic
Jodie Hutton	Charlton Athletic
Wilma Leidhammar	Birmingham City
Jordan Nobbs	Newcastle United

Clean sheets

Rank	Player	Club	Clean sheets
1	Sophie Whitehouse	Charlton Athletic	6
3	Fran Bentley	Bristol City	4
4	Adrianna French	Birmingham City	3
Fran Stenson	Southampton F.C.
Shae Yanez	Crystal Palace
Emily Batty	Nottingham Forest
5	Catriona Sheppard	Durham	2
Grace Moloney	Sunderland
9	5 players	1

Discipline

	Most yellow cards	Total	Most red cards	Total	Ref.
Player	Charlie Devlin (Bristol City) Jess Reavill (Sheffield United)	5	Sophie Barker (Plymouth) Katie Bradley (Charlton Athletic) Georgia Brougham (Nottingham Forest Izzy Collins (Portsmouth) Sophie Ingle (Bristol City) Beth Roe (Ipswich Town) Jessie Stapleton (Nottingham Forest) Emily Syme (Bristol City)	1

Awards

Monthly awards

Month	Manager of the Month	Player of the Month	Ref.
Manager	Club	Player	Club
September	Amy Merricks	Birmingham City	Emily Scarr	Sunderland
October	Simon Parker	Southampton	Jodie Hutton	Charlton Athletic
November	Karen Hills	Charlton Athletic	Megan Hornby	Portsmouth
December	Jo Potter	Crystal Palace	Jordan Nobbs	Newcastle