Manchester City Women manager Andrée Jeglertz has labelled the Women's Super League the best competition on the planet as his team prepare to begin their title defence this weekend. The reigning champions, who topped the final 2025 table with 55 points from 22 games, host newly-promoted Birmingham City at the Academy Stadium on Sunday. Jeglertz's comments were reported by ESPN this week as the new WSL campaign gets underway with an expanded 14-team format.
Manchester City finished four points clear of Arsenal last season to win their first WSL title in a decade, ending Chelsea's six-year reign. Their impressive campaign included 18 wins, a single draw, and just three losses, with a formidable goal difference of +43 from 62 goals scored and only 19 conceded. You can see how the teams stack up in our current standings page.
What did Andrée Jeglertz say about the WSL?
Andrée Jeglertz left no doubt about his assessment of the league's quality. "It's the best league in the world and has the best players," the Manchester City Women boss stated. He emphasised the challenge of defending a crown, adding, "We're stronger than last year, and we need to show that, winning one year is one thing but winning the next is something else." His team's strong finish last term, with recent form reading WWLWW, provides a solid platform. The manager's focus is now on translating that strength into a successful defence starting this Sunday.
How does the opening weekend shape up?
The opening weekend of the 2026-27 WSL season features a full slate of fixtures. While Manchester City Women face Birmingham City, their closest rivals from last season, Arsenal Women, begin their campaign away at Brighton under manager Renée Slegers. Arsenal last won the title in the 2018-19 season and will be aiming to close the four-point gap from last year. Chelsea Women, now led by Sonia Bompastor, kick off their season a day earlier on Saturday. They host Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge with Erin Cuthbert having been named as the club's new captain.
Other Sunday fixtures see Tottenham host West Ham, Charlton Athletic welcome Liverpool, and Crystal Palace face Everton. In the second tier, Sunderland play Bristol City in a WSL2 fixture. Sunderland Women, managed by Mel Reay, entered a new era over the summer after Bay Collective acquired a majority stake in the club.
What is Manchester City Women's squad situation?
Manchester City Women have bolstered their squad with the loan signing of England goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse from Orlando Pride. This addition provides depth and experience between the posts. However, the team will be without star forward Vivianne Miedema for the start of the season as she recovers from a knee injury. Her absence presents an early challenge for Jeglertz's side as they look to maintain their attacking output of 62 goals from the previous campaign. Fans can track the availability of all players on the club's injuries page.
What are the key challenges for the title defence?
The primary challenge is historical. No team has successfully defended the WSL title since Chelsea's dominant run, making Manchester City's task a significant one. The expansion of the league to 14 teams introduces new tactical puzzles and a more congested fixture list. Competing with a motivated Arsenal side and a Chelsea team eager to reclaim their throne will require consistency from the first whistle. Jeglertz believes his squad is stronger, and the early test against a promoted Birmingham side will be a first indicator. Supporters can follow the entire title race and check the full fixtures list for the season ahead.
Manchester City Women begin their Women's Super League title defence at home to Birmingham City on Sunday, 7 September 2026.
