Key dates for the 2026-27 women’s football season

By Jonty Colman, BBC Sport journalist

• Published 7 August 2026

The 2026-27 women’s football season is under way, with the qualifying rounds of the Champions League already ongoing, as well as the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Later this month, the preliminary rounds of the FA Cup begin before the league campaigns of the Women’s Super League and Women’s Super League 2 start in early September.

The Subway Players Cup, also known as the League Cup, also gets under way in September, with the full rounds of the FA Cup starting at the end of October.

There will also be five international breaks during the season ahead of the 2027 Women’s World Cup, which takes place across June and July in Brazil.

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What are the key Women’s Super League and Women’s Super League 2 dates?

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption, Manchester City won the Women’s Super League and Women’s FA Cup during the 2025-26 season

Women’s Super League

• Friday, 4 September, 2026 – First game of the season

• Monday, 21 December 2026 to Saturday, 3 January, 2027 – Winter break

• Saturday, 22 May, 2027 – Last game of regular season

• Saturday, 29 or Sunday, 30 May, 2027 – Promotion/relegation play-off

Women’s Super League 2

• Friday, 4 September, 2026 – First game of the season

• Monday, 21 December 2026 to Saturday, 3 January, 2027 – Winter break

• Saturday, 8/Sunday, 9 May, 2027 – Last game of regular season

• Saturday, 22 or Sunday, 23, 2027 – Play-off pre-qualifying match

• Saturday, 29 or Sunday, 30 May, 2027 – Promotion/relegation play-off

When is the FA Cup and Subway Players Cup?

Women’s FA Cup

• Sunday, 23 August, 2026 – Preliminary round

• Sunday, 6 September, 2026 – First qualifying round

• Sunday, 20 September, 2026 – Second qualifying round

• Sunday, 4 October, 2026 – Third qualifying round

• Sunday, 25 October, 2026 – First round

• Sunday, 15 November, 2026 – Second round

• Sunday, 13 December, 2026 – Third round

• Sunday, 17 January, 2027 – Fourth round

• Sunday, 21 February, 2027 – Fifth round

• Sunday, 21 March, 2027 – Quarter-finals

• Sunday, 11 April, 2027 – Semi-finals

• Sunday, 15 May, 2027 – Final

Subway Players Cup

• Wednesday, 23 September, 2026 – League phase fixtures

• Wednesday, 30 September, 2026 – League phase fixtures

• Saturday, 17 and Sunday, 18 October, 2026 – League phase fixtures (for WSL2 sides only)

• Wednesday, 21 October, 2026 – League phase fixtures

• Wednesday, 28 October, 2026 – League phase fixtures

• Saturday, 31 October and Sunday, 1 November – League phase fixtures (for WSL2 sides only)

• Wednesday, 11 November, 2026 – League phase fixtures

• Wednesday, 18 November, 2026 – League phase fixtures

• Sunday, 22 November, 2026 – League phase fixtures (for WSL2 sides only)

• Wednesday, 16 December, 2026 – League phase fixtures

• Wednesday, 13/Thursday, 14 January, 2027 – Quarter-finals

• Wednesday, 10/Thursday, 11 February, 2027 – Semi-finals

• Saturday, 13 or Sunday, 14 March, 2027 – Final

When is the Champions League?

• Wednesday, 26 August, 2026 – Third qualifying round first legs

• Wednesday, 2 September, 2026 – Third qualifying round second legs

• Friday, 4 September, 2026 – League phase draw

• Tuesday, 22 and Wednesday, 23 September, 2026 – League phase matchday one

• Wednesday, 30 September and Thursday, 1 October, 2026 – League phase matchday two

• Wednesday, 28 and Thursday, 29 October, 2026 – League phase matchday three

• Tuesday, 10 and Wednesday, 11 November, 2026 – League phase matchday four

• Wednesday, 18 and Thursday, 19 November, 2026 – League phase matchday five

• Wednesday, 16 December, 2026 – League phase matchday six

• Wednesday, 3 and Thursday, 4 February, 2027 – Knockout phase play-offs first legs

• Wednesday, 10 and Thursday, 11 February, 2027 – Knockout phase play-offs second legs

• Tuesday, 23 and Wednesday, 24 March, 2027 – Quarter-final first legs

• Wednesday, 30 and Thursday, 31 March, 2027 – Quarter-final second legs

• Saturday, 1 and Sunday, 2 May, 2027 – Semi-final first legs

• Saturday, 8 and Sunday, 9 May, 2027 – Semi-final second legs

• Friday, 28, Saturday, 29 or Sunday, 30 May, 2027 – Final

Women’s international breaks and tournaments

• Sunday, 24 July to Sunday, 16 August, 2026 – Africa Cup of Nations

• Monday, 5 to Tuesday, 13 October, 2026 – October international break

• Tuesday, 24 November to Saturday, 5 December, 2026 – November/December international break

• Tuesday, 23 February to Saturday, 6 March, 2027 – February/March international break

• Tuesday, 13 to Saturday, 24 April, 2027 – April international break

• Monday, 7 to Tuesday, 15 June, 2027 – June international break

• Thursday, 24 June to Sunday, 27 July, 2027 – Women’s World Cup

This article is the latest from BBC Sport’s Ask Me Anything team.

More questions answered…

• All you need to know about the Uefa Super Cup

• Why is the EFL Cup being played on a weekend?

• What are the new financial rules Premier League clubs must stick to?

• What has changed in FPL for 2026-27 season?

Related topics

• Women’s Football
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