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

Overview of the 2026-27 Women's Football Season

The 2026-27 women's football season has kicked off, with Champions League qualifiers already in progress alongside the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. This month will also see the start of the FA Cup preliminary rounds, while the Women’s Super League (WSL) and Women’s Super League 2 (WSL2) league matches are set to begin in early September.

The Subway Players Cup, commonly called the League Cup, launches in September too. The FA Cup's main rounds commence at the end of October. Across the season, there will be five international breaks leading up to the 2027 Women’s World Cup held in Brazil during June and July.

Women’s Super League and Women’s Super League 2 Key Dates

• Women’s Super League
• 4 September 2026: Season opener
• 21 December 2026 – 3 January 2027: Winter break
• 22 May 2027: Final regular season match
• 29 or 30 May 2027: Promotion/relegation play-off

• Women’s Super League 2
• 4 September 2026: First game of the season
• 21 December 2026 – 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 and Subway Players Cup Schedule

• Women’s FA Cup
• 23 August 2026: Preliminary round begins
• 6 September 2026: First qualifying round
• 20 September 2026: Second qualifying round
• 4 October 2026: Third qualifying round
• 25 October 2026: First round proper
• 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 (League Cup)
• 23 & 30 September 2026: League phase fixtures
• 17 & 18 October 2026: WSL2 league phase fixtures only
• 21 & 28 October 2026: League phase fixtures
• 31 October & 1 November 2026: WSL2 league phase fixtures only
• 11 & 18 November 2026: League phase fixtures
• 22 November 2026: WSL2 league phase fixture
• 16 December 2026: League phase fixtures
• 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 play-offs first legs
• 10 & 11 February 2027: Knockout 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

International Breaks and Tournaments

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