WSL predictions 2025-26: BBC Sport pundits pick their top three

The Women’s Super League returns on Friday with Chelsea seeking to win a seventh successive title – will anyone stop them?

Sonia Bompastor’s side finished 12 points clear of Arsenal last season, but with a busy transfer window behind them the Gunners will hope to be closer challengers.

London City Lionesses are embarking on their debut campaign in the top-flight, while there have been a number of managerial changes over the summer, including at Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham.

Some of our pundits and presenters predicted their top three for the 2025-26 campaign, making their picks made before deadline day.

Having won six WSL titles in a row, it’s hard to look past Chelsea.

I was concerned by injuries in their frontline – Mayra Ramirez will be out until January following hamstring surgery, while Lauren James is also missing for a few weeks.

But they spent big money to bring in United States forward Alyssa Thompson on deadline day to sort that issue.

Arsenal have always been capable of winning the title but have lacked consistency and were miles off it at the start of last year.

They will be very close this time around off their back of their Champions League success but they need to turn that belief into ruthlessness.

Manager Renee Slegers has proven her pedigree and if anyone can get that out of them, it is her. But I think Chelsea still have an edge.

Under new manager Andree Jeglertz, Manchester City have made it clear they want to be challenging for the title and returning to Champions League football.

They have fallen behind in recent years with their lack of silverware but when they have a fully-fit squad, they have played some of the best football.

I need convincing they can compete with Arsenal and Chelsea but I see no reasons why they can’t qualify for the Champions League.

While Manchester United have added some quality in Sweden internationals Julia Zigiotti and Fridolina Rolfo, plus England midfielder Jess Park in the transfer window, they lost Grace Clinton and look short in depth in areas.

I hoped to see more ambition over the summer to prepare them for Champions League football, especially when you look at the business done by other clubs around them.

Perhaps a wild prediction to place a newly-promoted side so high up in the table but London City Lionesses are not your average club.

They broke the world-record transfer fee to bring in France international Grace Geyoro for £1.4m on deadline day, having triggered a release clause of £430,000 for young Spanish international Lucía Corrales earlier that day.

Their squad is full of players with Champions League and WSL experience. On paper, it is one that could challenge the top four.

Another club who have shown ambition in the window is Everton under new ownership The Friedkin Group.

They will be playing at Goodison Park this season which can only be a good thing and under manager Brian Sorensen, they have a clear identity on how they want to play.

Brighton made strides last season under manager Dario Vidosic and they have added more talent in the transfer window.

But the loss of experienced England international Nikita Parris was a blow and I still think they need time to allow their relatively young squad time to progress.

It’s been a very unsettling six months for Liverpool since the departure of former manager Matt Beard.

They fell behind in the summer when Gareth Taylor’s appointment as permanent head coach was delayed by contractual issues from his time at Manchester City and that meant they were scrambling around for new signings to add depth.

In the end, they did some good business on deadline day, bringing in Risa Shimizu on loan from Manchester City and making Alejandra Bernabe’s move from Chelsea permanent, giving them much-needed depth in full-back areas.

It’s hard to judge where Aston Villa are at because they were so disappointing last season but I don’t think they will have the same struggles this time around.

They have made some shrewd signings in the transfer window with England youth international Lucia Kendall among a group of talented youngsters.

Rehanne Skinner did a good job last season at getting the best out of her squad and West Ham showed more consistency.

It was a better transfer window for the club too as they managed to keep hold of their big-name players, such as top-scorer Shekiera Martinez.

Plenty of Tottenham fans are concerned about their squad going into the new season and I can see why.

It was a disappointing transfer window with defender Toko Koga and forward Cathinka Tandberg the only additions.

New manager Martin Ho is a highly-regarded coach and had a successful time at former club Brann but he has his work cut out this season.

Like Tottenham, the depth in Leicester City’s squad is a concern .

They sacked manager Amandine Miquel just 10 days before their WSL season opener against Manchester United.

A flurry of late arrivals in the final 48 hours of the transfer window has helped them but I don’t think there is enough quality in the squad to compete consistently.