2016 Fixture List

FA Women’s Super League (FA WSL) 1 champions Chelsea will face newly-promoted Doncaster Rovers Belles when they begin their title defence in March.

The Blues will face the Belles on Thursday 24 March in their first game of the 2016 season.

The league, now in its sixth season, will kick off the day before [Wednesday 23 March] with FA WSL 2 title winners Reading travelling to two-time winners Arsenal for their opener. Last season’s runners-up Manchester City will host Notts County, while Liverpool will face Birmingham City.

FA WSL 1 has been expanded this season to nine teams for the first time, a gradual step to the league increasing to 10 teams in 2017. Sunderland’s first game of the season is at home against Reading on Saturday 26 March.

In FA WSL 2, promoted Sheffield FC will host Durham in their curtain-raiser on Wednesday 23 March.

Newly-named Bristol City, who were relegated from FA WSL 1, welcome Yeovil while London Bees host Watford. The following day [Thursday 24 March] Everton will play Aston Villa and Millwall Lionesses will travel to Oxford United.

The league will take a mid-season break from 26 May until 25 June. The league’s final day for both divisions will be on Sunday 6 November.

FA director of football participation and development, Kelly Simmons, said: “We’re set for another really exciting season in the FA WSL and the opening week’s fixtures demonstrate just that.

“Last season was a real landmark for women’s football in general. We saw record attendances and the awareness and positivity around the game really grow, and the FA WSL clubs played a huge part in this.

“It will be a big challenge to continue this momentum without the attention that a major tournament like the World Cup generates but we are confident that the supporter base and interest in the league is strong and that we’ll see even more growth in 2016.”

Read more at http://www.fawsl.com/news/fa_wsl_2016_fixtures_announced.html#Eyj0xhp1ioKYQFGI.99

Guest wrote:I haven't had a chance to look at everybody's list in detail, but at first glance that's a very sparse schedule for anybody who doesn't reach both cup finals. 18 guaranteed matches spread over nine months is ridiculous. Why did nobody explain to the FA that the way to ease fixture congestion is to extend the season not cut the number of games.

Guest wrote:It has only just occurred to me now the lists are out that the odd number of teams this season means somebody has to sit out the final day. Whose bright idea was it to pick a title favourite as the team to not be playing?

so it doesn't really matter who is or isn't playing because hardly anybody is going to see any of the conclusion anyway.

Guest wrote:They are stretching 18 games OVER six months if they have anyones attention at the point I will be shocked. Poor fixture list. I don't understand how this will help them grow the league.

Guest wrote:So if the break is not going to coincide with the Olympics... what happens to those who will lose players to that tournament? Are they allowed to postpone? Are we going to have another repeat of 2014 when there were so many games which needed to be rescheduled the end of the fixture list was ripped up and done again?

Guest wrote:I was going to ask what the point of a summer break was if it's not going to overlap with the summer intentional tournament but then I realised that if we don't have a month (a whole MONTH) off then the fixtures would be even more spread out.

Guest wrote:Last time this subject came up I think it was three outfield players (including youth level internationals) or one player if that one player is your goalkeeper.

Guest wrote:This list is not very conducive of gaining fans, what casual fan is going to start in March and follow all the way through till October with major gaps in between. I can see the FA cup final being popular for the casual fan due to Wembly but this will not grow the league for them.

somebody has asked me when the next game is because they are thinking about going to one only for them to turn around and say lol bye when I tell them it's three weeks away.

Guest wrote:Hayes isn't happy