The 2020–21 FA WSL season (also known as the Barclays FA Women's Super League for sponsorship reasons) was the tenth edition of the FA Women's Super League (WSL) since it was formed in 2010. It was the third season after the rebranding of the four highest levels in English women's football.
From the 2020–21 season, the FA WSL was given three Champions League places per season, increased from the previous two.
Chelsea were the defending champions, having been awarded the 2019–20 title on a points-per-game basis following the curtailment of the season due to COVID-19 pandemic in England. They became the first team since Liverpool in 2014 to defend a WSL title.
Teams Twelve teams contested the FA WSL this season. At the end of the previous season, Liverpool were relegated while Aston Villa were promoted.
Team Location Ground Capacity 2019–20 season Arsenal Borehamwood Meadow Park 4,502 3rd Aston Villa Walsall Bescot Stadium 11,000 Birmingham City Solihull Damson Park 3,050 11th Brighton & Hove Albion Crawley Broadfield Stadium 6,134 9th Bristol City Bath Twerton Park 3,528 10th Chelsea Kingston upon Thames Kingsmeadow 4,850 1st Everton Liverpool Walton Hall Park 2,200 6th Manchester City Manchester Academy Stadium 7,000 2nd Manchester United Leigh Leigh Sports Village 12,000 4th Reading Reading Madejski Stadium 24,161 5th Tottenham Hotspur Canons Park The Hive Stadium 6,500 7th West Ham United Dagenham Victoria Road 6,078 8th
Stadium changes Four teams changed home ground prior to the start of the season: Reading relocated from Adams Park in High Wycombe to the Madejski Stadium, home of the team's male affiliate since it was constructed in 1998. Newly-promoted Aston Villa signed a two-year deal with Walsall to play their home games at Bescot Stadium, moving from the Trevor Brown Memorial Ground and West Ham United signed a one-year deal with Dagenham & Redbridge F.C. to play at Victoria Road for the season having previously played at the club's Rush Green training ground stadium. In a bid to enable increased attendances amid COVID-19 restrictions and social distancing measures, Bristol City announced they were moving from the 1,500 capacity Stoke Gifford Stadium in Filton which had been purpose-built by the club in 2011 ahead of the first WSL season, to Twerton Park, an 3,528 capacity stadium home to Bath City.
Personnel and kits Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsorArsenal AdidasFly EmiratesAston Villa (interim) KappaCazooBirmingham City NikeBiffaBrighton & Hove Albion NikeAmerican ExpressBristol City (maternity cover) HummelYeo ValleyChelsea NikeThreeEverton HummelMegaFonManchester City PumaEtihad AirwaysManchester United AdidasChevroletReading Kelly Chambers MacronYLDTottenham Hotspur Josie GreenNikeAIAWest Ham United UmbroBetway
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointmentManchester City (interim)End of interim period2 February 2020Pre-season 28 May 2020Birmingham City (interim)End of interim period3 March 2020 13 August 2020West Ham United Mutual consent19 November 20209th (interim)19 November 2020Tottenham Hotspur Juan Carlos AmorósSacked19 November 202011th 19 November 2020West Ham United (interim)End of interim period23 December 202010th 23 December 2020Bristol City Maternity leave15 January 202112th (interim)15 January 2021Aston Villa Retained head coach role25 January 202111th (interim)25 January 2021
League table
Results
Season statistics Top scorers Rank Player Club Goals1 Sam KerrChelsea212 Vivianne MiedemaArsenal183 Fran KirbyChelsea164 Caitlin FoordArsenal10 Chloe KellyManchester City Ellen WhiteManchester City7 Pernille HarderChelsea9 Ella TooneManchester United9 Caroline WeirManchester City8 Inessa KaagmanBrighton & Hove Albion
Clean sheets RankPlayerClubCleansheets1 Ann-Katrin BergerChelsea122 Ellie RoebuckManchester City113 Mary EarpsManchester United104 Lydia WilliamsArsenal75 Sandy MacIverEverton6 Megan WalshBrighton & Hove Albion Lisa WeißAston Villa8 Hannah HamptonBirmingham City4 Manuela ZinsbergerArsenal10 Courtney BrosnanWest Ham United3 Grace MoloneyReading
Awards
Monthly awards MonthManager of the MonthPlayer of the MonthRef.ManagerClubPlayerClubSeptember Hope PowellBrighton & Hove Albion Jill RoordArsenalOctober Carla WardBirmingham City Vivianne MiedemaArsenalNovember Casey StoneyManchester United Tobin HeathManchester UnitedDecember Casey StoneyManchester United Leah GaltonManchester UnitedJanuary Emma HayesChelsea Fran KirbyChelseaFebruary Hope PowellBrighton & Hove Albion Lucy BronzeManchester CityMarch Joe MontemurroArsenal Lotte Wubben-MoyArsenalApril Joe MontemurroArsenal Sam KerrChelsea
Annual awards
Award Winner Club Barclays FA WSL Player of the Season Fran Kirby Chelsea Barclays FA WSL Manager of the Season Emma Hayes Chelsea PFA Players' Player of the Year Fran Kirby Chelsea PFA Young Player of the Year Lauren Hemp Manchester City FWA Footballer of the Year Fran Kirby Chelsea
PFA Team of the Year Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger (Chelsea) Defenders Maren Mjelde (Chelsea) Leah Williamson (Arsenal) Magdalena Eriksson (Chelsea) Katie McCabe (Arsenal) Midfielders Caroline Weir (Manchester City) Sam Mewis (Manchester City) Forwards Chloe Kelly (Manchester City) Fran Kirby (Chelsea) Lauren Hemp (Manchester City) Sam Kerr (Chelsea)
See also 2020–21 FA Women's League Cup 2020–21 FA Women's Championship (tier 2) 2020–21 FA Women's National League (tier 3)
References
External links Official website