Chelsea will open their defence of their Women’s Super League title with a game against London rivals Tottenham.

Spurs finished ninth in the table last season and Emma Hayes’ side will be confident of getting off to a good start with a win.

The Blues’ squad has already undergone a few changes over the course of the summer, but they will be favourites to finish top once again.

Runners-up Manchester United will take on Aston Villa away from home, which will be a tricky fixture for Marc Skinner’s team, with the Villans having been the surprise package last campaign, ending the season in fifth place.

Arsenal have been busy in the transfer market in recent weeks, having recruited the likes of Alessia Russo, but they will likely be given a test by Liverpool in their first match.

Newly promoting Bristol City have been handed a somewhat kind start as they take on Leicester, with the Foxes ending last season third from bottom of the table.

In the other two games, West Ham will host Manchester City, with the Hammers set to have a new manager in the dugout following the departure of Paul Konchesky, while Everton face Brighton & Hove Albion.

The WSL start date has been pushed back

After the 2022/23 campaign started in mid-September last year, the decision has been made to begin the 2023/24 edition of the competition on October 1st.

This means there will be a bigger buffer between this summer’s World Cup and the beginning of the new domestic season.

The tournament in Australia and New Zealand begins on Thursday, but the final takes place on August 20th. The new WSL start date means there will be a six-week gap for players to recover. A sensible decision that should help teams plan their pre-seasons accordingly and avoid any potential burnout for stars.