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What’s In (and Out) for the WSL in 2026
- Amelie Kirk
- Jan 6
- 6 min read
The WSL has officially entered its we know who we are era. Fans are louder, opinions are sharper and matchdays feel more intentional than ever. From Sunday kick-offs and away ends to group chats that double as tactical briefings, the culture around the league is growing up fast. As 2026 approaches, some habits are thriving while others are getting gently side-eyed out of existence. Consider this your WSL ins and outs, straight from the stands, the timelines and the places football actually happens.
WSL Ins for 2026
Goalkeepers getting their flowers
Clean sheets are being celebrated like goals and keepers are finally getting main-character treatment, because one big save can change the whole mood of a match. Expect more chants, more fan edits and more respect for the graft that happens when everyone else is sprinting and you’re doing 90 minutes of chaos management from the box.
And if you want a few under-the-radar names to watch, Courtney Brosnan at Everton has been quietly elite for ages and feels like she’s always one ridiculous performance away from full cult-hero status. Chiamaka Nnadozie at Brighton is another one to keep an eye on too, a proper statement keeper who already plays with the kind of presence that makes strikers panic.
£1m+ Signings
Seven-figure signings are officially in. After 2025 smashed the glass ceiling with multiple £1 million-plus moves, big transfers now feel less like shock moments and more like statements of intent. Clubs are backing the talent, players are being valued properly and ambition is loud. For 2026, record fees aren’t a headline grab anymore, they’re part of the landscape, proof that serious investment in the women’s game is finally matching the hype, the crowds and the quality on the pitch.
Matchday routines
The same pub, the same seat, the same scarf. WSL fandom is built on rituals and nobody’s pretending otherwise, because half the fun is believing your small habits are somehow part of the outcome. Lucky socks, the exact pre-match playlist, always entering through the same gate, never switching up your order at half-time, it all matters. Even Heineken tapped into this with their campaign celebrating football superstitions, acknowledging that these routines are a shared language among fans and a core part of the matchday experience.
Away ends with personality
Smaller numbers, bigger vibes. Away fans bring the best energy in the league, loud from warm-up to full-time and never waiting for permission to start a chant. There’s something about travelling that makes it feel more communal too, you clock familiar faces, you share the highs and the pain together and you leave feeling like you were part of the whole thing.
WSL2 getting the respect (and funding) it deserves
The WSL2 isn’t a stepping stone you ignore until promotion races heat up, and it deserves real investment to match what’s already happening on the ground. Fans are showing up week after week, learning squads, backing players, and treating it as its own league with its own stories. The football is competitive, the access feels closer, and the connection between clubs and supporters is real. With proper funding, visibility, and long-term support, WSL2 can keep growing on its own terms. If you want pure, community-driven women’s football, this is where it’s happening.
WSL Outs for 2026
12pm Kick-Offs
Early kick-offs are doing too much. A 12pm start kills the build-up, rushes the rituals, and leaves no room for the fun part of match day. Everyone’s arriving flustered, the atmosphere takes longer to land, and the day feels cut short before it’s even started. Staggered kick-off times just make sense. Fans can actually settle in, enjoy the build-up, and even dip between games, watching more football without having to choose. Better vibes, better atmospheres, and a match day that feels like a proper event.
Not giving referees the support they deserve
Referees are a crucial part of the WSL and the game doesn’t work without them. As the league grows, so does the pressure on officials, which means better training, clearer pathways and stronger support systems really matter. Backing our refs properly helps raise standards across the board and makes the whole matchday experience better for players, fans and the flow of the game itself.
Sanitised atmospheres
Muted celebrations and cautious crowd behaviour have no place in the WSL. This league is at its best when women are raucous, when we take up space vocally, physically and emotionally. Sing louder, celebrate harder, lose your voice by full-time. In 2026, the out is making ourselves smaller to seem palatable. The in is letting matchday be loud, joyful and unapologetically ours.
Only showing love to top-table teams
The WSL isn’t just built at the top. When attention, coverage and hype only follow the title race, whole stories get missed. Some of the most exciting football, strongest atmospheres and most loyal fanbases live outside the top few places. In 2026, the out is only turning up when silverware is on the line. The in is backing clubs across the table, because depth is what makes the league feel alive.
The ACL injury crisis
The out for 2026 is accepting it as “just part of the game”. Watching players go down, miss seasons and rebuild from scratch has become far too normal. We can’t magic it away overnight, but we can push for better answers, more research, smarter load management and proper investment in rehab and recovery facilities, so players aren’t forced to do elite-level comebacks with anything less than elite support. All I’m hoping for is a year with fewer of these injuries and more of our girls staying on the pitch.
2026 Football Culture Ins
Fan-led media
The best WSL coverage often comes from the people who are actually there. Podcasts, zines, Substacks, TikToks and threads made by fans who know the squads, clock the patterns and care about more than the headline result. It feels more specific, more opinionated and more honest and it’s building a culture where women’s football is talked about properly, with context, humour and real love for the league. And if you’re reading this on Girlactico The Group Chat, congrats, you’re already exactly where you need to be.
Football knowledge without gatekeeping
More fans are talking tactics, line-ups and in-game decisions with confidence, without turning it into a competition. Knowing your stuff doesn’t mean talking down to anyone and the best WSL spaces are the ones where curiosity is encouraged and learning happens in real time. In 2026, football knowledge feels shared rather than guarded and that’s what keeps the culture welcoming and growing.
Retro Kits
Retro kits in 2026 are pure main-character energy. Loud badges, throwback stripes, colours that just hit. They’re worn oversized, half-tucked, layered, restyled, and loved. It’s nostalgia with a wink, the kind of kit you throw on and suddenly the whole day feels better. Football heritage but make it playful.
Match Day Fit Content
Match day doesn’t start at kick-off anymore, it starts at the fit check. Mirror pics, “what I’m wearing to the game” videos, blurry clips with your mates on the way in. It’s fun, chaotic, and completely unserious in the best way. The outfit, the energy, the build-up all get posted because that’s part of the joy now. You’re not just going to the match, you’re making a moment out of it.
2026 Football Culture Outs
Player and ref abuse
The out for 2026 is brushing off abuse as “just part of football”, whether it’s online or in the stands. Passion is part of the game, but targeting players or referees isn’t. The in is backing them properly and knowing that reporting actually helps, flagging abusive posts on social media or letting a steward know at games so it can be dealt with or you can use organisations like Kick It Out to report discrimination connected to football. Creating a loud, joyful atmosphere also means making sure the WSL stays a space where everyone feels safe to show up and do their job.
Half-and-Half Scarves
Sorry but it’s time. Half-and-half scarves are officially out. They’re trying to be diplomatic but end up pleasing no one, and match day is not the place for neutrality. Football is about picking a side, backing your team, and wearing it with pride. In 2026, fans want pieces that say something, not accessories that sit on the fence. Commit to the colours, commit to the chaos, and leave the split loyalties at home.
Only going to your own team’s games
Loyalty is iconic, but the out is keeping your football world tiny. The in is being a proper women’s football explorer, go to a neutral WSL match, try an away day, pop to a WSL2 game and see what the atmosphere is like there too. If you’re on holiday, look up whether there’s a local women’s match on and make it part of the trip. Following one club doesn’t mean you can’t support the wider game and half the time, those “random” matches end up being the ones you talk about all week.
The WSL in 2026 feels louder, sharper and more self-assured than ever and honestly, it’s because of the people showing up week after week. From raucous away ends and lucky scarves to fan-led media and niche matchday rituals, this is a league shaped by women taking up space and caring loudly. If there’s one thing to take into next season, it’s this: turn up, back the whole pyramid, make some noise and don’t apologise for loving the game the way you do. See you in the stands.
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