FA Women’s National League fixtures announced for 2025-26 season | OneFootball

Fixtures for the 2025-26 FA Women’s National League have been announced.

The new season will officially commence on Sunday, August 17th, and finish on Sunday, April 26th.

There will be changes to promotion during the 2025-26 season, which stems from the expansion of the Women’s Super League to 14 teams from the 2026-27 campaign.

Below, we run through the opening fixtures across the divisions in the Women’s National League, as well as what changes are being made to promotion.

Opening day fixtures for Women’s National League Southern and Northern Premier Divisions

Newly-turned professional side Burnley will host Middlesbrough on the opening day of fixtures for the 2025-26 Women’s National League Northern Premier Division.

It will be the first competitive game in charge for Matt Beard, who joined Burnley this summer after being sacked by Liverpool back in February.

Wolverhampton Wanderers missed out on promotion to the second-tier of English football by just three points last season. They will start their season off against Liverpool Feds.

Stoke City play Sporting Khalsa – a side based in Willenhall in the West Midlands.

In the Southern Premier Division, Hashtag United – who finished second last season – travel to Plymouth Argyle on the opening day.

Newly promoted sides Real Bedford and AFC Bournemouth face AFC Wimbledon and Billericay Town respectively.

WNL Southern Premier Division:

AFC Bournemouth vs Billericay Town

AFC Wimbledon vs Real Bedford

Cheltenham Town vs Exeter City

Gwalia United vs Oxford United

Lewes vs Watford

Plymouth Argyle vs Hashtag United

WNL Northern Premier Division:

Burnley vs Middlesbrough

Hull City vs Halifax

Liverpool Feds vs Wolverhampton Wanderers

Loughborough Lightning vs West Bromwich Albion

Rugby Borough vs Derby County

Stoke City vs Sporting Khalsa

What changes are being made to promotion?

For the 2025-26 season, an additional team will be promoted from Tier 3 to WSL2 for the 2026-27 season.

This will be determined by a play-off match between the second-placed teams from the Southern and Northern Premier Divisions at the end of the season. The play-off winner will join the champions of both the Southern and Northern Premier Divisions in WSL2.

Two additional teams will be promoted from Tier 4 to Tier 3, alongside the four division winners. These promotions will be decided through two play-off matches:

The first will feature the second-placed teams from Division One North and Division One Midlands.

Meanwhile, the second will involve the second-placed teams from Division One South West and Division One South East.

Rest of the opening day fixtures in the WNL

WNL Division 1 North:

Blackburn Rovers vs Cheadle Town Stingers

Huddersfield Town vs Doncaster Rovers Belles

Leeds United vs Chorley

Norton & Stockton Ancients vs Chester-le-Street Town

Stockport County vs Wythenshawe

York City vs Durham Cestria

WNL Division 1 Midlands:

Barnsley Women vs Worcester City

Lincoln United vs Boldmere St Michaels

Northampton Town vs Leafield Athletic

Notts County vs Peterborough United

Sheffield FC Women vs Kidderminster Harriers

Sutton Coldfield Town vs Stourbridge

WNL Division 1 South West:

Bournemouth Sports vs Abington United

Bristol Rovers vs Ascot United

Keynsham Town vs Marine Academy Plymouth

Moneyfields vs Bridgwater United

Portishead Town vs Worthing

Swindon Town vs Maidenhead United

WNL Division 1 South East:

AFC Sudbury vs Chatham Town

Chesham United vs London Bees

Fulham vs Cambridge United

Luton Town vs Dulwich Hamlet

MK Dons vs Queens Park Rangers

Norwich City vs Actonians