Women's Super League fixtures: Chelsea to play Tottenham in first weekend; Aston Villa against Manchester United

Chelsea players with the WSL trophy — Chelsea have won the Women’s Super League four times in a row and finished two points ahead of Manchester United in 2022-23

Reigning Women’s Super League champions Chelsea will play Tottenham at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, 1 October in their first match of the 2023-24 season.

Manchester United, runners-up in 2022-23, begin with an away game on the same day against Aston Villa at Villa Park, live on BBC Two.

Arsenal entertain Liverpool at Emirates Stadium in their opener, with Manchester City away at West Ham.

Newly promoted Bristol City face Leicester, while Everton play Brighton.

The Women’s Championship begins on 26 August with last season’s runners-up Birmingham City making an early trip to Blackburn Rovers, and newly promoted Watford welcoming Durham in their opener.

As a result of the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, with the tournament beginning on Thursday before the final on 20 August, the WSL season starts later than normal.

The Championship ends on 28 April and the final WSL league fixtures will take place on Saturday, 18 May, including Manchester United v Chelsea on the last day of the season.

Emma Hayes’ Chelsea side have won the title in each of the four previous seasons, but will be without last season’s captain Magdalena Eriksson and forward Pernille Harder, who have both joined Bayern Munich on free transfers.

Chelsea’s opener against Tottenham will be shown on Sky Sports and is the first competitive game in charge for new Spurs boss Robert Vilahamn after he was named the club’s new manager earlier this month.

Manchester United finished in their highest position in 2022-23, taking the title race to the final day of the campaign and ending two points behind Chelsea, and will start against a Villa side whose squad includes last season’s WSL top goalscorer Rachel Daly.

England striker Alessia Russo joined Arsenal on a free transfer earlier this month following her departure from Manchester United and will face her old side in the second match of the campaign with the Gunners playing at Leigh Sports Village on 8 October.

The Women’s Football Weekend makes a return from 23-24 March 2024, with new and existing fans encouraged to celebrate the game by attending fixtures across the women’s pyramid during an international window in the men’s calendar.

The fixtures on that weekend include Manchester City v Manchester United, Everton v Liverpool and West Ham v Chelsea.

Liverpool face Everton in the first Merseyside derby of the season in week three, on 15 October, and Manchester United play Manchester City on 19 November.

Tottenham host Arsenal on 17 December in the first of the north London derbies, with the reverse fixture on 3 March.