Subway Players Cup revamp forces Champions League clubs out

Under the bright lights of the Etihad Stadium, officials unveiled the rebranded WSL Players Cup, signalling a sweeping overhaul for the 2026/27 season that promises more matches and a reshaped roster of contenders, as clubs and players gathered to hear the details of the new Swiss‑style league phase and the surprising exclusion of Europe‑bound teams.

The competition, previously known as the Women's League Cup, has been renamed the WSL Players Cup and will also carry the commercial title Subway Players Cup. The change reflects a partnership with the sandwich chain and a desire to modernise the brand.

A Swiss‑style league phase replaces the old group stage, consolidating all participants into a single league table. Twenty‑three clubs from the Women's Super League and WSL 2 will contest the opening phase.

Expanded league phase

Each side is guaranteed a minimum of six fixtures – three at home and three away – double the minimum of three matches under the previous format. The clubs are drawn into regional sections for scheduling, but points accrue in one unified table. A win in normal time yields three points; if level after ninety minutes the match goes straight to penalties, with the shoot‑out winner receiving two points and the loser one, and the top eight teams will advance to the knockout stage.

Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City, the three English clubs qualified for the Champions League, will sit out the Players Cup because of the increased fixture load. Their absence guarantees that the competition will crown a new winner for the first time since its inception in 2011.

Earlier this year, Lucy Bronze said she was ‘sad’ at the idea of not being able to compete for this piece of domestic silverware. The comment was made as clubs, players and fans participated in the review that led to the redesign.

Key dates

The league phase runs from September through December 2026, with fixtures slotted around Champions League match weeks. Quarter‑finals are set for 13 and 14 January 2027, semi‑finals on 10 and 11 February, and the final will be played at a neutral venue on the weekend of 13‑14 March 2027, with the location yet to be confirmed.

Image credit: Alex Broadway – WSL/WSL Football via Getty Images. The photograph was supplied by Getty Images.