Chelsea vs Arsenal: WSL preview, predictions, team news and TV info

Arsenal enjoyed an excellent record against Chelsea last season, winning 2-0 at Stamford Bridge in January as well as knocking the Blues out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage. Overall though, the Gunners have won only five of their last 15 meetings with their fierce London rivals.

So, ahead of this heavyweight, not to be missed, Women's Super League clash on Sunday, check out our complete guide, featuring a preview, predictions teams news and all the TV listings.

Chelsea vs Arsenal match info

• Date: Sunday 27 September 2026.
• Kick off times: 4:30pm (local) & 11:30am (ET)
• Competition: Barclays Women's Super League
• Venue: Stamford Bridge - West London
• How to watch: Sky Sports (UK) and CBS Sports (USA).

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Chelsea vs Arsenal match preview

Arsenal have endured, at best, a pretty underwhelming start to this season, but now is the time they really need to perform. On Tuesday night, the Gunners were widely expected to swat HB Køge aside in the Champions League, but that is not how events transpired in Borehamwood. The scoresheet remained blank almost all night until, right at the end, referee Eleni Antoniou pointed to the penalty spot, and Mariona Caldentey converted the snatch victory.

Frustrating home matches have become something of a theme of this season, even at this early stage, for Gooners. Despite 30 shots, Renée Slegers' side could not find the breakthrough when newly-promoted Crystal Palace visited the Emirates. Then, on Saturday evening, despite the fact Manchester United were pointless and goalless at kick off, only a last gasp equaliser from Smilla Holmberg salvaged a point for Arsenal.

The Gunners began the season stating that their aim is become champions for the first time since 2019. Well, three games in, having beaten only Brighton thus far, they have not backed up this confidence. However, Slegers' side could change this perception. In a week's time, Arsenal travel to champions Manchester City, facing the two hardest fixtures on the WSL calendar back-to-back. Two wins will have everyone believing again, but two bad results could have them out of the title race before it ever truly begun, making this a massive week.

Chelsea, similarly, won six successive Women's Super League titles, before being dethroned by Man City, and their results thus far have been mixed. Similarly to their cross city rivals, the Blues beat Champions League minnows 1-0 at home in mid-week; Wieke Kaptein the only scorer against Austria Wien at Plough Lane.

Back in the WSL, the reason Chelsea finished third last season was that they would often start games very well, not take their chances and be punished. Well, that theme continued on the opening day when, despite Lauren James' thunderbolt, they could not beat Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge.

However, since then, the Blues have hit top form, steamrollering Manchester United 5-0 in Leigh, before a comfortable 2-0 victory over Birmingham at home. So, while this Chelsea team are obviously still strong, they are not as formidable as they once were. Thus, in short, this clash of two women's football juggernauts at Stamford Bridge is too close to call.

Chelsea team news

Sonia Bompastor's team may well be significantly depleted ahead of this huge game. Lauren James is sidelined, while both Naomi Girma and Kiera Walsh are doubts, the latter forced off just 20 minutes into Wednesday's Champions League game.

A lot of the attention will be on Katie McCabe. The Republic of Ireland international spent 11 seasons at Arsenal, making over 300 appearances, but will now face the Gunners for the first time.

Arsenal team news

Renée Slegers heavily rotated her team against HB Køge on Tuesday, very much with this trip to the King's Road in mind. Summer signing Misa Rodríguez is likely to be back in goal, while Emily Fox will also return, having signed a new contract earlier this week.

Like Fox, Georgia Stanway was an unused substitute at Meadow Park in mid-week, but Olivia Smith, scorer Mariona Caldentey and Alessia Russo were all required off the bench. Russo scored twice against Chelsea last season, so can she add to this tally?

Predicted Line-ups

• Chelsea predicted lineup: Hampton; Carpenter, Bronze, Buchanan, Buurman, McCabe; Potter, Nüsken, Thompson, Baltimore; Kaptein.

• Arsenal predicted lineup: Rodríguez; Fox, Williamson, Catley, Batlle; Little, Stanway, Caldentey; Smith, Russo, Blackstenius.

• Score prediction: Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal.

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