Women's football scheduling is in disarray, with clubs facing challenges from stadium sharing, broadcast picks, and even local fun runs. Arsenal's seven games in 20 days highlights the issue, as the Women's Super League (WSL) struggles to accommodate men's fixtures, European competitions, and other events.
Behind the Scenes of Fixture Planning
Zarah Al-Kudcy, chief revenue officer at WSL Football, explains: "Stadium availability is led by the men's game and then broadcast is led by the men's game, so it can be really hard. Some of the reasons we are given as to why fixtures have to change, you just have to laugh or you'd cry."
Work on the current season's schedule began 18 months ago. The process starts with FIFA locking international dates, followed by UEFA for European club competitions. Then the WSL and FA negotiate cup tie slots. For 2027-28, discussions start early due to the Club World Cup in January 2028.
Holly Murdoch, WSL chief operating officer, notes: "We have 20 guaranteed available weekends a year compared with 33 in the Premier League." Once round dates are set, women's football waits for men's leagues, including the National League, as West Ham and Crystal Palace share grounds with National League clubs.
Stadium Sharing and Other Constraints
Clubs face numerous constraints. Last summer, three clubs requested home games in their main stadiums for the opening weekend. Others want home or local away fixtures after European matchweeks. Al-Kudcy says: "It's easier in the first half of the season. Where it becomes really difficult is in the latter rounds of the men's cup competitions." This challenge is worsened by nine English men's sides qualifying for Europe.
A computer system from Atos compiles fixtures, but often requires multiple runs. "I've sat in meetings where we've re-run it through the computer maybe eight or nine times," says Murdoch.
Broadcast Picks and Kick-Off Times
Broadcast picks add another layer. Premier League and EFL picks come first, then Sky Sports selects WSL games, followed by the BBC. Midday Sunday slots have become common after fan feedback. Al-Kudcy says: "We gave that feedback to Sky and that's how we landed on that midday slot. Clubs also said they didn't want 6.30pm kick-offs on a Sunday because it was affecting ticket sales."
Decisions for next season are pending, with the league reviewing data on food and merchandise sales. Sometimes external factors affect kick-offs, such as Manchester United sharing Leigh Sports Village with rugby league's Leigh Leopards, or BBC coverage of the Winter Olympics.
Expansion and Future Challenges
The WSL's expansion from 12 to 14 teams next season will increase complexity. More clubs moving to men's stadiums, like Chelsea, leads to clashes. Even clubs with their own women's stadiums face issues: a John Bishop gig at the Co-op Live venue affected a Manchester City WSL game. Transport for London must be consulted for games at Stamford Bridge when Fulham men play at Craven Cottage.
Al-Kudcy says: "I know the perception can be that we're not being fan-friendly but we're doing the best we can with the structure we've got."
Attendance and Viewership
Friday night games have performed well in broadcast viewership, but attendance data is limited after only 27 matches. A success story includes 32,970 watching Chelsea vs Arsenal at Stamford Bridge in 2023-24.
These challenges are global. The US NWSL recently announced it will continue with a spring-autumn calendar until 2030, rather than switching to Europe's September-May schedule, highlighting ongoing debates in women's football.
