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

The 2026-27 season for women's football is underway, featuring ongoing Champions League qualifiers and the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. As August progresses, the FA Cup preliminary rounds will begin, followed by the start of the Women’s Super League (WSL) and Women’s Super League 2 (WSL2) campaigns in early September. The Subway Players Cup, also known as the League Cup, kicks off in September with the main FA Cup rounds beginning late October. This season includes five international breaks leading up to the 2027 Women’s World Cup hosted in Brazil during June and July.

Women’s Super League (WSL) Key Dates

• 4 September 2026: Season opener
• 21 December 2026 to 3 January 2027: Winter break
• 22 May 2027: Final regular season game
• 29 or 30 May 2027: Promotion/relegation play-off

Women’s Super League 2 (WSL2) Key Dates

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

FA Cup Schedule

• 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

Subway Players Cup Fixtures

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

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