2025–26 Women's League Cup

2025–26 Women's League Cup
Tournament details
CountryEngland
Dates24 September 2025 – 15 March 2026
Teams24
Final positions
ChampionsChelsea (4th title)
Runners-upManchester United
Tournament statistics
Matches played41
Goals scored127 (3.1 per match)
Attendance65,044 (1,586 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)Shekiera Martinez (West Ham United)
4 goals

The 2025–26 Women's League Cup was the 15th edition of the Women's Super League and Women's Championship's league cup competition. It was sponsored by Subway, which had been a partner of the competition since 2024, and was officially known as the Subway Women's League Cup for sponsorship reasons. All 24 teams from the WSL and Championship took part in the competition. Chelsea were the title holders.[1] They successfully defended their title after defeating first time finalists Manchester United 2–0 in the final.[2]

This was the last season of the tournament in its group and knockout stages format, and the last involving teams competing in the UEFA Women's Champions League.

Format

The competition kept the same format as the previous season, starting with a group stage split regionally. Teams competing in the UEFA Women's Champions League group stage were exempt from the League Cup group stage, earning a provisional bye to the quarter-finals. As a result, the initial group stage draw made on 30 July 2025 featured 21 of the 24 teams.[3] The three teams excluded from the draw were Arsenal and Chelsea, who automatically entered the Champions League group stage, and Manchester United who advanced in the Champions League qualifying rounds, therefore joining the League Cup at the quarter-finals.

The first place team in each of the five groups qualified for the knockout stage.

Group stage

Group A

Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Manchester City 3 2 1 0 0 8 4 +4 8 Advanced to knockout stage
2 Everton 3 1 1 0 1 5 5 0 5
3 Nottingham Forest 3 1 0 1 1 3 4 −1 4
4 Newcastle United 3 0 0 1 2 5 8 −3 1
Source: Women's League Cup
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of wins; 5) Head-to-head record
Nottingham Forest2–1Newcastle United
  • Claypole 55'
  • Smith 58'
 Report
  • Lumsden 54'
Attendance: 258
Referee: Alice Parker
Manchester City3–1Everton
 Report
Attendance: 1,350
Referee: Sophie Dennington
Everton1–1Nottingham Forest
 Report
  • Claypole 56' (pen.)
Penalties
 4–3
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: Adewunmi Soneye
Nottingham Forest0–2Manchester City
Report
Attendance: 2,624
Referee: Lauren Impey
Newcastle United1–3Everton
  • Lumsden 79'
 Report
Attendance: 1,153
Referee: Adewunmi Soneye

Group B

Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Liverpool 3 3 0 0 0 11 2 +9 9 Advanced to knockout stage
2 Sheffield United 3 1 1 0 1 3 5 −2 5
3 Durham 3 0 0 2 1 3 4 −1 2
4 Sunderland 3 0 1 0 2 1 7 −6 2
Source: Women's League Cup
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of wins; 5) Head-to-head record
Liverpool5–0Sunderland
 Report
Attendance: 2,018
Referee: Abby Dearden
Durham1–1Sheffield United
 Report
  • Ralph 18'
Penalties
 2–3
  • Bristow
  • Butler
  • Foy
  • Phillips
Attendance: 617
Referee: Ruby Sykes
Durham1–2Liverpool
 Report
Attendance: 844
Referee: Lucy May
Sunderland0–1Sheffield United
Report
  • Andrews 39'
Attendance: 400
Referee: Julia Kings
Sheffield United1–4Liverpool
  • Thomas 44'
 Report
Attendance: 2,597
Referee: Lucy May
Sunderland1–1Durham
 Report
  • Hepple 72'
Penalties
 4–3
Attendance: 453
Referee: William Davis

Group C

Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 West Ham United 4 3 0 0 1 12 4 +8 9 Advanced to knockout stage
2 Charlton Athletic 4 3 0 0 1 7 6 +1 9
3 Brighton & Hove Albion 4 2 0 0 2 6 3 +3 6
4 Portsmouth 4 1 0 0 3 2 6 −4 3
5 Southampton 4 1 0 0 3 2 10 −8 3
Source: Women's League Cup
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of wins; 5) Head-to-head record
Charlton Athletic1–5West Ham United
  • Bradley 55'
 Report
Attendance: 352
Referee: Levi Gray
Portsmouth0–2Brighton & Hove Albion
Report
Westleigh Park, Havant
Attendance: 623
Referee: Lisa Benn
Southampton1–0Portsmouth
 Report
Attendance: 751
Referee: Lauren Impey
West Ham United2–1Brighton & Hove Albion
 Report
Attendance: 478
Referee: Megan Wilson
Charlton Athletic3–0[a]
Charlton awarded a 3–0 win		Portsmouth
Brighton & Hove Albion3–0Southampton
 Report
Attendance: 980
Referee: Abigail Byrne
Brighton & Hove Albion0–1Charlton Athletic
Report
Attendance: 566
Referee: Ryan Atkin
West Ham United5–0Southampton
 Report
Attendance: 546
Referee: Megan Wilson
Portsmouth2–0West Ham United
  • Gale 70'
  • Sheffield 86'
 Report
Westleigh Park, Havant
Attendance: 523
Referee: Joanne Horwood
Southampton1–2Charlton Athletic
 Report
Attendance: 537
Referee: Aaron Ford

Group D

Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Crystal Palace 3 2 0 0 1 7 4 +3 6 Advanced to knockout stage
2 Leicester City 3 2 0 0 1 6 4 +2 6
3 London City Lionesses 3 2 0 0 1 4 2 +2 6
4 Ipswich Town 3 0 0 0 3 3 10 −7 0
Source: Women's League Cup
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of wins; 5) Head-to-head record
Crystal Palace1–2London City Lionesses
 Report
Attendance: 478
Referee: Stacey Pearson
Ipswich Town1–5Leicester City
  • Seaby 39'
 Report
Attendance: 455
Referee: Richie Watkins
Crystal Palace3–2Ipswich Town
 Report
Attendance: 337
Referee: Levi Gray
London City Lionesses0–1Leicester City
Report
Attendance: 990
Referee: Sophie Dennington
Ipswich Town0–2London City Lionesses
Report
Attendance: 901
Referee: Megan Wilson
Leicester City0–3Crystal Palace
Report
Attendance: 519
Referee: Alice Parker

Group E

Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Tottenham Hotspur 3 2 1 0 0 4 0 +4 8 Advanced to knockout stage
2 Aston Villa 3 1 0 2 0 6 3 +3 5
3 Birmingham City 3 0 2 0 1 5 8 −3 4
4 Bristol City 3 0 0 1 2 2 6 −4 1
Source: Women's League Cup
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of wins; 5) Head-to-head record
Birmingham City2–2Bristol City
 Report
Penalties
 4–3
Attendance: 458
Referee: Adewunmi Soneye
Tottenham Hotspur3–0Birmingham City
 Report
Attendance: 680
Referee: Ryan Atkin
Bristol City0–3Aston Villa
Report
Robins HPC, Failand
Attendance: 654
Referee: Phoebe Cross
Aston Villa3–3Birmingham City
 Report
Penalties
 2–4
Attendance: 1,513
Referee: Sophie Dennington
Bristol City0–1Tottenham Hotspur
Report
Robins HPC, Failand
Attendance: 667
Referee: Amy Fearn

Knockout stage

The draw for the quarter-finals and semi-finals took place on 25 November on the official WSL TikTok channel. It was conducted by GK Barry and Ella Rutherford.

The draw was highly criticised due to the conduct of Barry, who sang an anti-Tottenham call and response chant ("What do we think of Tottenham?", in which the respondent(s) reply "Shit!") and dropped a ball and reselected the ball. Tottenham raised concerns about the draw and received an apology from the WSL. Additionally a number of lewd jokes were made, deemed inappropriate for the audience demographic, along with a lack of knowledge of football displayed by Barry.[6][7]

Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
21 December
West Ham United1
21 January
Manchester City5
Manchester City0
21 December
Chelsea1
Liverpool1
15 March – Bristol
Chelsea9
Chelsea2
21 December
Manchester United0
Crystal Palace0
21 January
Arsenal2
Arsenal0
21 December
Manchester United1
Manchester United2
Tottenham Hotspur1

Quarter-finals

Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United entered the League Cup at the quarter-finals, having been exempt from the group stage due to their participation in the Champions League league phase. The draw for the quarter-final and semi-final took place on 25 November 2025.[8]

Liverpool1–9Chelsea
 Report
Attendance: 2,467
Referee: Grace Low
Manchester United2–1Tottenham Hotspur
 Report
Attendance: 2,027
Referee: Phoebe Cross
Crystal Palace0–2Arsenal
Report
Attendance: 3,040
Referee: Abigail Byrne
West Ham United1–5Manchester City
 Report
Attendance: 1,008
Referee: Adewunmi Soneye

Semi-finals

Arsenal0–1Manchester United
Report Terland 45+2'
Attendance: 2,418
Referee: Stacey Fullicks
Manchester City0–1Chelsea
Report
Attendance: 1,967
Referee: Phoebe Cross

Final

On 19 December 2025, it was announced that the 2026 final would be held at Ashton Gate, the home of Bristol City. It was also confirmed that VAR and goal-line technology would be used for the third successive final.[9]

Chelsea2–0Manchester United
 Report
Attendance: 21,619
Referee: Grace Lowe

Notes

  1. ^ Charlton Athletic were awarded the win after Portsmouth withdrew from the game due to an unprecedented number of injuries and being unable to field a team.[4][5]

References

  1. ^ Garry, Tom (16 March 2025). "Chelsea win Women's League Cup final after own goal denies Manchester City". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
  2. ^ Sanders, Emma (15 March 2026). "Chelsea 2–0 Manchester United: Lauren James and Aggie-Beever Jones score in League Cup final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  3. ^ "2025-26 Subway Women's League Cup groups confirmed". Women's Super League. 1 August 2025. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
  4. ^ "Portsmouth FC Women Statement: League Cup Game At Charlton". Portsmouth F.C. 16 October 2025. Retrieved 15 October 2025.
  5. ^ "A Statement from WSL Football". Barclays WSL Football. 5 November 2025. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  6. ^ "WSL clubs furious over 'unprofessional' cup draw run by influencer". ESPN UK. 26 November 2025. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
  7. ^ "Womens Super League apologises to Tottenham for GK Barrys comment during League Cup draw". SkySports. 26 November 2025. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
  8. ^ "Subway®️ Women's League Cup quarter and semi-final draw details confirmed". Barclays WSL Football. 19 November 2025. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  9. ^ "Ashton Gate Stadium confirmed as 2025–26 Subway Women's League Cup final venue". The Football Association. 19 December 2025. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
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