The Women’s League Cup is undergoing a major transformation for the 2026-27 season, rebranding as the Players Cup and adopting a regionalized league structure. Following a vote by Women’s Super League (WSL) and WSL 2 clubs last November, the tournament will now exclude teams participating in the Women’s Champions League. Consequently, current titleholder Chelsea, alongside Manchester City and Arsenal, will not compete in the upcoming edition.
The remaining 23 teams have been divided into Northern and Southern groups, though all will share a single standings table. Competition runs from September through December, with matches occurring on dates that overlap with Champions League fixtures. Each squad will play three home and three away games within their respective regions. To encourage results, any draw after regulation time will move directly to a penalty shootout; winners receive two points, while losers gain one.
The eight top-performing teams will advance to the quarter-finals in January. Higher-seeded teams earn home-field advantage for these rounds, leading to a single-legged semi-final and a neutral-site final on the weekend of March 13-14. Zarah Al-Kudcy, WSL chief revenue officer, noted that the goal is to provide meaningful minutes for fringe players and balance competition without neglecting athlete welfare.
This structure guarantees that a new name will appear on the trophy, as only Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester City have previously claimed the title. Official fixtures are scheduled for release on August 6.
