2025–26 Middlesbrough F.C. Women season

Middlesbrough
2025–26 season
ChairmanSteve Gibson
ManagerMichael Mulhern
(until 16 October)[1]
Joe Lillie
(from 16 October)[1]
StadiumBishopton Road West
Riverside Stadium
FA CupFourth round
WNL CupQuarter-finals

The 2025–26 season is the 50th season of competitive football in the history of Middlesbrough Football Club Women, and their first season back in the National League North, the third level of English women's football, following promotion the previous season. The club also participated in the FA Cup, and the WNL Cup.

The first round FA Cup fixture between Middlesbrough and Cheadle Town was broadcast live on TNT Sports, an historic first for a women's first round fixture.[2]

Squad

As of 6 February 2026.[3]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  ENG Megan Borthwick
3 DF  ENG Keira Skelton
4 DF  ENG Olivia Watt
5 DF  ENG Ellen Packham
6 DF  ENG Abby Towers
7 FW  ENG Ellen Turnbull
8 FW  NIR Emily Cassap (on loan from Sunderland)
9 FW  ENG Armani Maxwell
10 MF  ENG Lauren Robson
11 MF  ENG Leanna Giles
12 FW  ENG Erin Nelson
13 GK  ENG Ruby Cook
No. Pos. Nation Player
14 DF  ENG Emma Foster
15 DF  ENG Ella Baker (dual registration with Newcastle United)
16 FW  ENG Niyah Dunbar (on loan from Sunderland)
17 DF  ENG Millie Bell (captain)
18 MF  ENG Sarah Burn
19 FW  ENG Becky Ferguson
21 FW  ENG Annie Mitchell
22 DF  ENG Grace Boyes
23 MF  ENG Chelsea Callander
24 DF  ENG Abby Holmes
25 FW  ENG Maddie Myers

Transfers

In

Date Position Nationality Name From Ref.
1 July 2025 FW Becky Ferguson Newcastle United [4]
2 July 2025 DF Olivia Watt Newcastle United [5]
6 July 2025 FW Erin Nelson Stoke City [6]
8 July 2025 GK Megan Borthwick Sunderland [7]
11 July 2025 MF Chelsea Callander Manchester City [8]
25 October 2025 DF Abby Holmes Durham [9]

Loans in

Date Position Nationality Name From Until Ref.
12 December 2025 FW Niyah Dunbar Sunderland End of season [10]
27 January 2026 DF Ella Baker Newcastle United End of season [11]
6 February 2026 MF Emily Cassap Sunderland End of season [12]

Competitions

National League North

Main article: 2025–26 FA Women's National League

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3 Rugby Borough 17 10 3 4 34 17 +17 33
4 Stoke City 18 10 3 5 34 21 +13 33
5 Middlesbrough 18 7 4 7 24 26 −2 25
6 West Bromwich Albion 17 7 3 7 20 26 −6 24
7 Liverpool Feds 17 6 2 9 33 36 −3 20
Updated to match(es) played on 15 March 2026. Source: FA Women's National League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored

Results summary

Overall Home Away
Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts W D L GF GA GD W D L GF GA GD
18 7 4 7 24 26  −2 25 4 1 4 11 12  −1 3 3 3 13 14  −1

Last updated: 8 March 2026.
Source: Soccerway

Results by round

Round12345678910111213141516171819202122
GroundAHHAAHAHAHAHAAAHHH
ResultLDWLLWWWDLDLDWWLLW
Position11108997644546655555
Points014447101314141515161922222225
Updated to match(es) played on 8 March 2026. Source: Soccerway
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

The FA Women's National League fixtures were released on 15 July 2025.[13]

17 August 2025 1 Burnley 5–0 Middlesbrough Leyland
14:00 BST
  • Walker 8'
  • Lawley 25', 51'
  • Ravening 45+1'
  • Paul 90'
 Report Stadium: County Ground
24 August 2025 2 Middlesbrough 0–0 Rugby Borough Stockton
14:00 BST Report Stadium: Bishopton Road West
31 August 2025 3 Middlesbrough 1–0 Derby County Middlesbrough
14:00 BST
  • Turnbull 74'
 Report Stadium: Riverside Stadium
Attendance: 1,689
14 September 2025 4 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–0 Middlesbrough Wellington
14:00 BST
  • Merrick 8', 10'
 Report Stadium: SEAH Stadium
21 September 2025 5 Stoke City 2–0 Middlesbrough Stoke-on-Trent
14:00 BST
  • Stamps 48', 67'
 Report Stadium: bet365 Stadium
5 October 2025 6 Middlesbrough 2–0 Sporting Khalsa Stockton
14:00 BST
  • Turnbull 44'
  • Giles 90'
 Report Stadium: Bishopton Road West
19 October 2025 7 Liverpool Feds 1–4 Middlesbrough Walton
14:00 BST
  • Fisher 38'
 Report
  • Ferguson 12', 28', 43'
  • Watt 66'
 Stadium: Walton Hall Park
29 October 2025 8 Middlesbrough 2–1 Halifax Redcar
19:45 GMT
  • Robson 18', 67'
 Report
  • Dobson 35'
 Stadium: Green Lane
2 November 2025 9 West Bromwich Albion 1–1 Middlesbrough Birmingham
14:00 GMT
  • George 77'
 Report
  • Maxwell 34'
 Stadium: Alexander Stadium
16 November 2025 10 Middlesbrough 1–2 Hull City Stockton
14:00 GMT
Report
  • Tanser 39'
  • Knight 42'
 Stadium: Bishopton Road West
30 November 2025 11 Loughborough Lightning 0–0 Middlesbrough Loughborough
14:00 GMT Report Stadium: Loughborough University
7 December 2025 12 Middlesbrough 1–3 Burnley Stockton-on-Tees
14:00 GMT
  • Holmes 80'
 Report
  • Paul 15'
  • Docherty 34'
  • Chadwick 60'
 Stadium: Bishopton Road West
1 February 2026 13 Rugby Borough 1–1 Middlesbrough Rugby
14:00 GMT
  • Wiseman 40'
 Report
  • Maxwell 50'
 Stadium: Kilsby Lane
8 February 2026 14 Derby County 0–4 Middlesbrough Mickleover
14:00 GMT Report
  • Ferguson 40'
  • Maxwell 52'
  • Bell 62'
  • Dunbar 87'
 Stadium: Don Amott Arena
19 February 2026 15 Halifax 2–3 Middlesbrough Bradford
19:45 GMT
  • Hollin 57'
  • Whitham 75'
 Report
  • Ferguson 1'
  • Maxwell 21'
  • Turnbull 69'
 Stadium: Myra Shay Park
22 February 2026 16 Middlesbrough 1–2 Stoke City Stockton
14:00 GMT
  • Ferguson 39'
 Report
  • Cole 36'
  • Cook 44'
 Stadium: Bishopton Road West
1 March 2026 17 Middlesbrough 0–3 Wolverhampton Wanderers Stockton
14:00 GMT Report
Stadium: Bishopton Road West
8 March 2026 18 Middlesbrough 3–1 Loughborough Lightning Stockton
14:00 GMT
  • Watt 7'
  • Cassap 40'
  • Maxwell 75'
 Report
  • Jarowicki 34'
 Stadium: Bishopton Road West
22 March 2026 19 Hull City v Middlesbrough Barton-upon-Humber
14:00 GMT Stadium: Easy Buy Stadium
29 March 2026 20 Middlesbrough v Liverpool Feds Stockton
14:00 BST Stadium: Bishopton Road West
12 April 2026 21 Sporting Khalsa v Middlesbrough Willenhall
14:00 BST Stadium: Aspray Arena
26 April 2026 22 Middlesbrough v West Bromwich Albion Stockton-on-Tees
14:00 BST Stadium: Bishopton Road West

FA Cup

Main article: 2025–26 Women's FA Cup

As a member of the third tier, Middlesbrough entered the FA Cup in the first round.

25 October 2025 First round Middlesbrough 4–0 Cheadle Town Bishop Auckland
12:15 BST
  • Ferguson 45+4' (pen.)
  • Watt 55'
  • Robson 90+11'
  • Nelson 90+13'
 Report Stadium: Heritage Park
Note: Fixture was initially scheduled for 26 October, but was moved for live TNT Sports broadcast.[2]
23 November 2025 Second round Middlesbrough 3–0 Northampton Town Stockton
14:00 GMT
  • Holmes 33', 65'
  • Robson 61'
 Report Stadium: Bishopton Road West
14 December 2025 Third round Middlesbrough 3–0 AFC Fylde Stockton
14:00 GMT
Report Stadium: Bishopton Road West
18 January 2026 Fourth round Oxford United 3–1 Middlesbrough Oxford
13:00 GMT
Report
  • Ferguson 73'
 Stadium: Marsh Lane

WNL Cup

Main article: 2025–26 FA Women's National League Cup

Group stage

Pos Div Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 3 Middlesbrough 3 2 1 0 7 1 +6 7 WNL Cup Knockouts
2 PGA Sunderland PGA 3 1 2 0 6 3 +3 5 WNL Plate
3 4 Durham Cestria 3 1 1 1 5 7 −2 4
4 4 Chester-le-Street Town 3 0 0 3 2 9 −7 0
Source: The Football Association
21 August 2025 1 Durham Cestria 1–4 Middlesbrough Brandon
19:45 BST
  • Gibbon 51'
 Report
  • Robson 9', 45'
  • Turnbull 30'
  • Burn 42'
 Stadium: Welfare Ground
7 September 2025 2 Middlesbrough 0–0 Sunderland PGA Stockton
14:00 BST Report Stadium: Bishopton Road West
28 September 2025 3 Middlesbrough 3–0 Chester-le-Street Town Stockton
14:00 BST
  • Packham 4'
  • Nelson 55'
  • Ferguson 59'
 Report Stadium: Bishopton Road West

Knockout stage

12 October 2025 First round Middlesbrough 1–0 Rugby Borough Stockton
14:00 BST
  • Bell 70'
 Report Stadium: Bishopton Road West
9 November 2025 Second round Middlesbrough 2–1 (a.e.t.) Liverpool Feds Stockton
14:00 GMT
  • Ferguson 75'
  • Giles 115'
 Report
  • Fisher 88'
 Stadium: Bishopton Road West
11 January 2026 Quarter-final Burnley 3–0 Middlesbrough Darwen
14:00 GMT
  • Docherty 2'
  • Chadwick 45', 50'
 Report Stadium: Anchor Ground

References

  1. ^ a b "Boro Women: Statement". Middlesbrough F.C. 16 October 2025. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
  2. ^ a b "First-ever television pick made for the Adobe Women's FA Cup first round". The Football Association. Archived from the original on 24 October 2025. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
  3. ^ "Teams – Women's". Middlesbrough Football Club. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  4. ^ "Boro Sign Becky Ferguson". Middlesbrough F.C. 1 July 2025. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  5. ^ "Olivia Watt joins Boro Women". Middlesbrough F.C. 2 July 2025. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  6. ^ "Get To Know… Erin Nelson". Middlesbrough F.C. 6 July 2025. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  7. ^ "Megan Borthwick Joins Boro Women". Middlesbrough F.C. 8 July 2025. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  8. ^ "Chelsea Callander Signs Permanent Deal". Middlesbrough F.C. 11 July 2025. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  9. ^ @BoroWomen (25 October 2025). "Welcome to Abby Holmes" (Tweet) – via X (formerly Twitter).
  10. ^ "Niyah Dunbar Joins Boro Women On Loan". Middlesbrough F.C. 12 December 2025. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
  11. ^ "Ella Baker joins Boro on Duel Registration". Middlesbrough F.C. 27 January 2026. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  12. ^ "Emily Cassap joins Middlesbrough Women on Loan". Sunderland A.F.C. 6 February 2026. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  13. ^ "The FA Women's National League 2025/26 fixtures released". The Football Association. 15 July 2025. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
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