The top upcoming free agents in women’s football in 2026 | OneFootball

Lucy Bronze’s contract with Chelsea expires this summer (Rebekah Wynkoop / SPP)

A large number of high-profile players in the women’s game will become free agents in the summer of 2026, and here SheKicks takes a look at which stars are on expiring contracts.

The top upcoming free agents in the Women’s Super League

There are some huge names in the Women’s Super League who will be free agents in the summer of 2026.

Reigning Women’s Super League champions Chelsea have eight players either out of contract or needing options on their deals to be exercised.

That list includes Lucy Bronze, Hannah Hampton, Millie Bright, Aggie Beever-Jones, Sam Kerr, Catarina Macario, Guru Reiten and Rebecca Spencer.

All of these players are available to sign pre-contracts with clubs outside the WSL from this month.

The player most likely to leave is Macario amid interest from the NWSL.

Arsenal also have several top players requiring action. That list includes Emily Fox, Katie McCabe, Kim Little, Stina Blackstenius and Beth Mead.

Mead is a player who could be on the move after being linked with London City Lionesses last summer.

The WSL’s leading goalscorer Bunny Shaw is an upcoming free agent for Manchester City. Leila Ouahabi and Laura Coombs are also both out of contract.

Manchester United meanwhile will be keen to exercise the option on Ella Toone’s deal.

Bunny Shaw is out of contract this summer (Manchester City FC)

Other WSL players set to be free agents in 2026

Below is a list of other notable players who are out of contract this summer in the WSL or needing options on their contract to be exercised.

Top players outside the WSL who will become free agents

England midfielder Georgia Stanway is attracting interest from clubs including Arsenal, with her contract at Bayern Munich expiring this summer.

The future of Alexia Putellas is uncertain, as she is one of several Barcelona players out of contract this summer.

That list also includes defender Mapi Leon and attackers Salma Parralluelo and Caroline Graham Hansen.

Caroline Weir is on an expiring contract at Real Madrid, while former England No.1 Mary Earps could leave Paris Saint-Germain this summer.

Lindey Heaps is on an expiring contract with Lyon, while there is uncertainty over Trinity Rodman, whose contract at Washington Spirit is set to expire.

There is WSL interest in Rodman, including from WSL champions Chelsea.