All the essential stats and facts as the WSL returns

The Women’s Super League returns on Saturday with the game on a high following England’s Euro 2022 success. 

Ahead of the opening match between Tottenham and Manchester United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, we round up all the essential stats for the new campaign. 

The numbers game

This will be the 13th WSL season, including 2017’s Spring Series, and the sixth to follow the current winter schedule.

Chelsea have won the WSL a record five times, in addition to their Spring Series win. They have won the last three in a row.

Including the Blues, four teams have won the WSL. Arsenal have scooped the title three times, Liverpool have won it twice and Manchester City, who have been runners-up on six occasions, have lifted the trophy once.

Chelsea’s 2020-21 title win produced a record WSL points total of 57. Arsenal’s 55 last season matched City the previous campaign for the most without winning the league.

The North London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham at the Emirates Stadium on September 24 has already sold 40,000 tickets, beating the WSL record of 38,262 when the two teams met at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2019.

Arsenal’s Vivianne Miedema netted a record 22 goals in 2018-19. Sam Kerr won last season’s Golden Boot with 20 for Chelsea, her second win in succession.

Miedema is also the competition’s record scorer over the course of a career with 74 goals. 

Recently retired Euros winner Jill Scott holds the record for most appearances with 174 but the ex-England star is set to be surpassed this season, with Liverpool newcomer Gilly Flaherty and Tottenham’s Kerys Harrop just five behind.

Brighton reported a 155 per cent rise in season-ticket sales in August.

Sky Sports and the BBC will broadcast 66 games between them this season, with all other fixtures streamed on the FA Player.

WSL Matchday 1 fixtures

Tottenham vs Manchester United (Saturday, 12.30pm) 

Chelsea vs West Ham (Sunday, 12.30pm) 

Everton vs Leicester (Sunday, 1pm) 

Reading vs Liverpool (Sunday, 2pm) 

Brighton vs Aston Villa (Sunday, 2pm) 

Manchester City vs Arsenal (Sunday, 7pm)