WSL

Wales international Hannah Cain is leaving Leicester City following the club’s relegation from the Women’s Super League (WSL).

The 27-year-old forward is one of three players, external who will leave the Midlands club when their contracts expire at the end of the month, but Leicester have confirmed Wales goalkeeper Olivia Clark will remain with the Foxes for 2026-27.

Cain joined Leicester from Everton in 2020 and helped the club gain promotion to the WSL in her first season.

“After six unforgettable years, I feel that now is the right time for me to say goodbye, ” Cain said on social media.

“This club has been so much more than just a place to play football. It’s been a place where I’ve grown, learned, created lifelong friendships, and made memories that I’ll cherish forever.”

Cain is currently with the Wales squad preparing to face Montenegro and Czech Republic in their final Women’s World Cup qualifying fixtures and is yet to indicate where she will play next season.

“While it was always going to be difficult to leave, I’m incredibly grateful for everything this club has given me,” she added.

“I’ll always look back on these years with pride and appreciation.”

Manchester City striker Khadija Shaw has been named WSL Football’s Player of the Season after an impressive campaign in the Women’s Super League.

The 29-year-old also won the Golden Boot for a third successive season after scoring 21 goals in 22 appearances as City claimed a first WSL title in a decade.

She won the Football Writers’ Association Women’s Footballer of the Year award earlier in May and was named City’s Player of the Season on Sunday.

Known affectionately as ‘Bunny’, she has dominated headlines after contract renewal discussions broke down with her current deal set to run out in June.

WSL rivals Chelsea are favourites to sign Shaw on a free deal in the summer amid heavy interest from clubs around the world.

During City’s homecoming celebrations at Manchester’s Albert Hall on Sunday, fans chanted “we want Bunny to stay”.

Shaw, who arrived at City in 2021, has finished as the club’s top scorer in four of her five seasons there and holds the record for the most hat-tricks in the WSL (six).

Some of Shaw’s best performances this season included a hat-trick against Tottenham and a four-goal haul at home to Aston Villa, as well as scoring an important opener in the 3-2 win over Arsenal in October.

The Jamaica international could help City snatch a domestic double if they beat Brighton in the Women’s FA Cup final on Sunday, 31 May (15:00 BST).

Shaw beat team-mate Kerstin Casparij, Arsenal forward Alessia Russo and Aston Villa winger Kirsty Hanson to the award.

England international Russo netted 13 goals in 22 matches, playing as both a striker and a midfielder, while Hanson finished third in the goalscoring charts behind Shaw and Russo with 12 goals.

Also shortlisted for the main award were Manchester United’s Jess Park, Chelsea’s Alyssa Thompson, Tottenham’s Olivia Holdt and Everton’s Ruby Mace.

London City Lionesses are an ambitious club under owner Michele Kang and had a steady debut campaign in the WSL, finishing sixth after eight wins from 22 matches.

Sources at the club say an agreement with Earps has not yet been made, but they remain optimistic about their summer business.

Eder Maestre’s side have been linked with several players including Barcelona defender Mapi Leon and England winger Beth Mead, who announced her departure from Arsenal this week amid additional interest from Manchester City.

Earps is one of a number of big-name players potentially available on a free deal this summer, with Arsenal’s Mead and Katie McCabe leaving, Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas yet to sign a new contract, Sam Kerr departing Chelsea and Manchester City top scorer Khadija Shaw rejecting contract renewal proposals.

During her time in England, Earps became one of the country’s most recognised and influential players, though her book – released in November – caused controversy and dominated headlines in the media for several weeks.

Arsenal’s Stina Blackstenius scores a contentious goal in stoppage-time against Everton to secure a 1-0 win at the Emirates. The victory moves Arsenal into second place in the WSL ahead of the final day of the season.

MATCH REPORT: Arsenal 1-0 Everton

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An earlier version of this article was published on 4 April.

Hardly anyone was talking about Charlton Athletic being title contenders before the Women’s Super League 2 season.

So it is no surprise manager Karen Hills feels it would be “one of the greatest achievements of her career” if they were to gain promotion.

With one game remaining, her side sit at the top of the WSL 2 with 42 points, one point ahead of title rivals Birmingham City and Crystal Palace.

Charlton face Birmingham in a massive game on Saturday, 2 May at 15:00 BST, with Crystal Palace taking on relegated Portsmouth at the same time.

As the WSL expands from 12 to 14 teams next season, the top two in WSL 2 will automatically secure promotion to the WSL, while the team finishing third will face bottom-of-the-table WSL side Leicester in a play-off on Saturday, 23 May.

Charlton have led the way for the majority of the campaign, but their form has dipped significantly with three defeats in their past four matches.

With one of the lowest budgets in the league, competing against big spenders Newcastle United and Birmingham, as well as Crystal Palace, it has already been a remarkable campaign for the Addicks.

“If you’d have told me in pre-season this is where we would be at this point, I’d have bitten your hand off,” Hills told BBC Sport.

“These players deserve to be where they are. The amount of work that they’ve put in, the way that they’ve played and the way that they’ve executed everything we’ve asked of them, they deserve all the accolades and the achievements.

“If we were to be promoted then I believe it’s probably one of the greatest achievements in my career.

“Just in terms of where the league is at this moment, what other teams have spent and the calibre of players. I think it would be an unbelievable achievement.”

Arsenal close the gap on leaders Manchester City to eight points with two games in hand, after a resounding 7-0 win against Leicester City. The result confirms the Foxes will finish bottom of the Women’s Super League table and face a relegation play-off.

MATCH REPORT: Women’s Super League – Arsenal 7-0 Leicester City

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After watching Manchester City slip to a 3-2 defeat by Brighton on Saturday, Arsenal fans started to believe they had a chance.

And Slegers’ team made sure to capitalise on the opportunity with seven unanswered goals against Leicester, improving their goal difference to 33 – six behind City.

Leah Williamson’s glancing header – the Gunners’ seventh against Leicester – also took their tally to 103 goals under Slegers. No WSL team has scored more since she was appointed – initially as interim boss – in October 2024.

“Clean sheet, seven goals scored, different scorers – it was a great night for us,” Slegers said to Sky Sports.

“You saw so many players playing the Arsenal way, we played attractive football and we were very brave in everything we did.”

What will also boost Arsenal’s belief is their squad’s strength in depth.

With the second leg of their Women’s Champions League semi-final against Lyon awaiting on Saturday, Slegers rested Williamson, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Mariona Caldentey, Caitlin Foord and Alessia Russo against the Foxes.

Their replacements did the job.

On her 100th WSL appearance, Maanum scored the opening goal and assisted two more, while Smilla Holmberg bagged her first two goals in an Arsenal shirt.

Stina Blackstenius has often had to play second fiddle to Russo, but the Swede, who scored the winning goal in last season’s Champions League final, showed her quality with two goals in the space of nine minutes.

“Everyone knows their role and brings their strengths. There are such high levels of communication and trust within the team, on the pitch, off the pitch,” Slegers added.

As a player, Stoney lifted 12 major trophies – including two league titles and four FA Cups – during her time at Chelsea, Arsenal, Charlton Athletic, Lincoln Ladies and Liverpool.

She won 130 England caps and skippered her country, appearing in three World Cups. She also captained Great Britain in the 2012 London Olympics.

Stoney retired from playing at the age of 35 in February 2018.

“Destined for a career in management, she became the first ever head coach of Manchester United eight years ago, leading the club to promotion to the top flight in her first season in charge before consolidating their position in the league’s upper echelons,” said the WSL.

“Now heading up the Canadian women’s national team after a spell at San Diego Wave, Stoney’s impact on the game – particularly during its formative years – was profound, while her position as a trailblazer managerially has ensured that her name is firmly embedded in the history books.”

Harrop made her WSL debut for Birmingham City in 2011 and won the FA Cup with them in 2012.

She made 135 appearances for her hometown club before joining Tottenham Hotspur in 2020 and retired in 2023.

The WSL said Harrop was “a player who played the entirety of her 12-year career in the Barclays WSL and once held the title of being the division’s record appearance holder … earning legendary status during her time with the Midlands outfit [Birmingham City] and establishing herself as one of the game’s pioneers”.