Arsenal women are coming into the 2025-26 WSL season with a renewed sense of purpose and confidence. Having just lifted the UEFA Women’s Champions League trophy after a stunning win over Barcelona, the Gunners have shifted the narrative—now they’re not just challengers; they’re contenders with real momentum behind them.
For six straight seasons Chelsea have set the domestic standard, clinching every WSL title since 2019-20 and establishing themselves as the team everyone chases. But Arsenal’s European triumph has emboldened the squad. Defender Steph Catley put it succinctly: “We have the team. We have everything in place. It’s about putting it together on the field and matching up to those expectations”.
This season isn’t just about bragging rights; the league itself is evolving. The WSL will expand to 14 teams by 2026-27, adopting new promotion and relegation rules and rolling out pilot fan engagement programs like permitting alcohol in stadium stands at selected venues.. Arsenal also made headlines in the transfer market by signing Canada’s Olivia Smith in a million-pound deal—briefly the most expensive transfer in women’s football—showing they’re willing to put resources into their ambitions.
While Chelsea head into the season as formidable favorites, bolstered by US winger Alyssa Thompson and driven by manager Sonia Bompastor’s treble-winning squad, Arsenal are not intimidated. Their European success helps underline that they can challenge not just domestically but also on the big stage.
Arsenal’s resurgence is built on more than trophies and headlines. Under coach Renée Slegers, a tactical evolution has seen them ramp up pressing intensity, transition speed, and finishing efficiency. In the previous season they became the WSL’s most prolific attacking force, scoring 62 goals and outperforming their expected goals by over 14 — truly one of the sharpest end products in the division. Defensively, they improved too, doubling their clean-sheet rate compared to the season before.
Slegers’ impact has also been clear from the start of her tenure. Arsenal scored heavily and hardly conceded—averaging three goals per game in her first seven matches and going through an impressive five-game winning run without letting in a single goal.
Still, Chelsea remain a monumental hurdle. Their depth, consistent attacking output, and ability to turn a lead into victory—winning every WSL match where they’ve scored first in recent years—highlight the scale of the challenge Arsenal face.
Yet Arsenal have shown they can compete head-to-head. One of their most defining recent moments came with a resounding 4-1 win over Chelsea at the Emirates—an emphatic statement that they are no mere pretenders. It wasn’t just the result—it was their confidence, control, and clear message: they are capable of toppling the reigning champions.
This season opens against newly promoted London City Lionesses, who are backed by billionaire Michele Kang and have also made ambitious moves in their squad. It gives Arsenal a strong launchpad to pick up early points and maintain momentum.
In short, Arsenal arrive this season fueled by European glory, stronger tactical cohesion, increased investment, and attack-minded energy. Chelsea might still be the benchmark—but Arsenal have the tools, belief, and form to challenge that dominance. It’s shaping up to be a WSL campaign filled with intrigue, ambition, and perhaps a changing of the guard.
