6 days to kickoff: WSL countdown – Charlton Athletic vs. Liverpool

The beginning of the Women’s Super League (WSL) 26/27 season is inching closer, with the opening match set for Friday 4 September. With six days to go, The Boar Sport is counting down to kickoff!

Every day leading up to inaugural blow of the whistle, we will preview a pair of WSL sides facing off on opening weekend, analysing their summer business and setting expectations for the campaign ahead. Up first: Charlton Athletic and Liverpool!

Charlton Athletic

Once upon a time, Charlton Athletic belonged to the elite “top three” of English women’s football alongside Arsenal and Fulham, lifting the FA Cup in 2005 and the League Cup in both 2004 and 2006. Yet despite this golden era, the team suffered a sudden and highly controversial disbandment in 2007 following the men’s side’s relegation from the Premier League. Now, after nearly twenty turbulent years of rebuilding, Charlton Athletic are finally back in the big leagues.

Led by former player Karen Hills, the Addicks reached great success in the last season of the Women’s Super League 2 (WSL2), which saw them mount a formidable 27-unbeaten streak that was carried over from the previous season. Their dominance was anchored by their tight defensive structure, who conceded only 21 goals throughout the entire season – the lowest out of all the WSL2 clubs.

While their defensive stability is unquestioned, goals were hard to come by in their promotion campaign

Despite occupying the top spot going into the final matchday, the team experienced a minor wobble towards the tail end of their campaign, which resulted in them finishing in third place and just missing out on automatic promotion. Yet, they showcased their resilience in their play-off match against Leicester City, winning on penalties after a 0-0 draw to earn promotion to the WSL. Charlton goalkeeper Sophie Whitehouse made four saves during that penalty shoot out, while subsequently being awarded the WSL2 Golden Glove for keeping eight clean sheets. Karen Hills was also presented with the WSL2 Manager of the Year award.

The challenge now is adapting that resilient foundation to the higher demands of the WSL. Knowing the physical step-up required for the league, Hills focused on introducing top-flight pedigree combined with international depth in hopes of elevating the existing attack. The Addicks prioritised experience by securing defender Ashleigh Neville and Australian international midfielder Emily van Egmond from Leicester City, while further expanding their central depth by bringing in exciting young talents Leah Davidson from Melbourne City and Grace Johnston from Perth Glory.

Charlton’s primary objective will be survival. While their defensive stability is unquestioned, goals were hard to come by in their promotion campaign, with them managing just 31 goals in WSL2 – the lowest of any top five side. If Hills can convert their strong defensive shape into clinical transitional play, Charlton have enough structural organisation to avoid relegation and establish a foundation in the top tier.

Liverpool

While not quite as tumultuous as Charlton Athletic’s journey, Liverpool suffered a similar decline after their own golden era, having topped the Women’s Super League in back-to-back seasons in 2013 and 2014.

Liverpool focused their recruitment on adding midfield creativity and attacking output

The 2025–26 campaign was a grueling transition year for Liverpool. After the departure of their late long-time manager Matt Beard midway through the previous season, the summer of 2025 brought even more upheaval, including high-profile squad losses like star forward Olivia Smith and captain Taylor Hinds. Compounded by these structural shifts, the Reds struggled to find early momentum. Under the new management of Gareth Taylor, Liverpool spent much of the campaign adjusting and simply trying to survive relegation, enduring an eventual 11th-place finish with 17 points from 22 matches.

Though their final table position reflected a turbulent campaign, Liverpool demonstrated real grit down the stretch. Key derby victories helped anchor their fight for survival, while deep runs to the FA Cup semi-finals and League Cup quarter-finals offered tangible proof that the squad’s long-term plan was beginning to click.

After a season that generated only 21 league goals across 22 matches, Liverpool focused their recruitment on adding midfield creativity and attacking output, especially following the departure of over five members of the squad. Midfielder Natalia Ramos arrived from CD Tenerife Femenino following an impressive 10-goal, five-assist campaign in Spain, while former Wolfsburg winger Vivien Endemann was brought in to provide dynamic pace out wide. To maintain tactical stability through this squad overhaul, the club locked down primary midfield orchestrators Fuka Nagano and Ceri Holland with long-term contract extensions.

This opening weekend clash on Sunday 6 September promises to be an intriguing one to watch

Meanwhile, having failed to secure loanee goalkeeper Jennifer Falk on a permanent deal following her impactful stint after arriving in the winter, the Reds addressed the void between the posts by acquiring Khiara Keating from Manchester City

With a promising pre-season behind them, which has seen them beat the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool are primed for a bounce-back year. Mid-table stability is well within reach if they can continue improving on the upturn in form and can maintain a level of consistency that can help them see out matches (something which they so often struggled with last season). Opening their campaign against newly promoted Charlton gives them an immediate opportunity to state their intentions and put last year’s turbulence behind them.

This opening clash pairs two sides coming off scoring struggles, pitting Charlton’s disciplined defensive structure against a Liverpool side in the middle of an offensive rebuild. Which approach will prevail?

With Charlton eager to prove they belong back in the top-flight and Liverpool desperate to launch their redemption campaign, this opening weekend clash on Sunday 6 September promises to be an intriguing one to watch.