![]() FA WSL trophy | |
Season | 2019–20 |
---|---|
Matches played | 82 |
Goals scored | 240 (2.93 per match) |
Top goalscorer | Vivianne Miedema (16 goals) |
Biggest home win | Arsenal 11–1 Bristol City (1 December 2019) |
Biggest away win | Birmingham City 0–6 Chelsea (24 November 2019) |
Highest scoring | Arsenal 11–1 Bristol City (1 December 2019) |
Highest attendance | 38,262 - Tottenham 0–2 Arsenal (17 November 2019) |
← 2018–19 2020–21 →
All statistics correct as of 13 February 2020. |
The 2019–20 FA WSL season (also known as the Barclays FA Women's Super League for sponsorship reasons) is the ninth edition of the FA Women's Super League (WSL) since it was formed in 2010.[1] It is the second season after the rebranding of the four highest levels in English women's football and the twelve teams contesting the season will be the greatest number in the league's history thus far, following its steady increase from its original eight.[2] It is the first under the new Barclays title sponsorship following a landmark multi-million pound investment.[3]
On 13 March 2020, in line with the FA's response to the coronavirus pandemic, it was announced the season was temporarily suspended until at least 3 April 2020.[4]
Ahead of the 2019–20 season, the FA launched a new comprehensive streaming service available on desktop or mobile app that would broadcast every FA WSL game live internationally for free,[5] except in Australia where Optus Sport holds exclusive rights,[6] Central America where Sky México holds exclusive rights, and Scandinavia where NENT holds exclusive rights.[7] The FA Player also streams the majority of WSL games in the United Kingdom alongside the one game per weekend televised by BBC Sport digitally on their red button service and website[8] while subscription channel BT Sport holds the rights to televise a select number of matches which are geo-blocked from the FA Player in the UK.[7][9]
After the WSL's restructure going into the 2018–19 season, membership of the league returned solely to performance in the previous season, though the league expanded from eleven teams to twelve as Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur were both promoted after finishing first and second respectively in the Championship during the 2018–19 season[10] while only Yeovil Town were relegated.[11][12]
Team | Location | Ground | Capacity | 2018–19 season |
---|---|---|---|---|
Arsenal | Borehamwood | Meadow Park | 4,502 | 1st |
Birmingham City | Solihull | Damson Park | 3,050 | 4th |
Brighton & Hove Albion | Crawley | Broadfield Stadium[a] | 6,134 | 9th |
Bristol City | Filton | Stoke Gifford Stadium[b] | 1,500 | 6th |
Chelsea | Kingston upon Thames | Kingsmeadow[c] | 4,850 | 3rd |
Everton | Liverpool | Walton Hall Park[d][e] | 10th | |
Liverpool | Birkenhead | Prenton Park[f] | 16,587 | 8th |
Manchester City | Manchester | Academy Stadium[g] | 7,000 | 2nd |
Manchester United | Manchester | Leigh Sports Village | 12,000 | WC, 1st |
Reading | High Wycombe | Adams Park[h] | 9,617 | 5th |
Tottenham Hotspur | Canons Park | The Hive Stadium[i] | 6,500 | WC, 2nd |
West Ham United | Romford | Rush Green Stadium[j] | 3,000 | 7th |
In response to the record viewing figures during the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, three select fixtures were initially moved to Premier League grounds: The Manchester derby at the City of Manchester Stadium, Chelsea v Tottenham at Stamford Bridge and the North London derby at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.[13][14] In total, eight of the twelve teams have moved FA WSL fixtures to the larger grounds of their men's affiliate teams: Bristol City later announced their opening game would be played at Ashton Gate,[15] Reading moved one of their league fixtures (as well as all three League Cup games) to the Madjeski Stadium[16] and West Ham announced they would host Spurs at the London Stadium.[17] Brighton & Hove Albion moved their match against Birmingham to the Falmer Stadium to coincide with the FA's Women's Football Weekend, held during a men's international break.[18] Liverpool later moved their Merseyside derby, held on the same weekend, to Anfield and Everton moved the reverse fixture in February to Goodison Park.[19][20]
After originally planning to permanently relocate to their new Walton Hall Park stadium in October 2019 following their opening two home games, delays meant Everton had to postpone the move until February 2020 and eventually scheduled six of their 11 home league games at Haig Avenue in Southport.[21][22][23]
Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
---|---|---|---|---|
Arsenal | ![]() |
![]() |
Adidas | Fly Emirates |
Birmingham City | ![]() |
![]() |
Adidas | Maple from Canada |
Brighton & Hove Albion | ![]() |
![]() |
Nike | American Express |
Bristol City | ![]() |
![]() |
Bristol Sport | Yeo Valley |
Chelsea | ![]() |
![]() |
Nike | Yokohama Tyres |
Everton | ![]() |
![]() |
Umbro | SportPesa |
Liverpool | ![]() |
![]() |
New Balance | BetVictor |
Manchester City | ![]() |
![]() |
Puma | Etihad Airways |
Manchester United | ![]() |
![]() |
Adidas | Chevrolet |
Reading | ![]() |
![]() |
Macron | YLD |
Tottenham Hotspur | ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
Nike | AIA |
West Ham United | ![]() |
![]() |
Umbro | Betway |
Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Manchester City | ![]() |
Signed with New York City FC[24] | 2 February 2020 | 1st | ![]() |
3 February 2020 |
Birmingham City | ![]() |
Mutual separation[25] | 3 March 2020 | 11th | ![]() |
3 March 2020 |
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Manchester City | 16 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 39 | 9 | +30 | 40 | Qualification for the Champions League |
2 | Chelsea | 15 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 47 | 11 | +36 | 39 | |
3 | Arsenal | 15 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 40 | 13 | +27 | 36 | |
4 | Manchester United | 14 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 24 | 12 | +12 | 23 | |
5 | Reading | 14 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 21 | 24 | −3 | 21 | |
6 | Tottenham Hotspur | 15 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 15 | 24 | −9 | 20 | |
7 | Everton | 14 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 21 | 21 | 0 | 19 | |
8 | West Ham United | 14 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 19 | 34 | −15 | 16 | |
9 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 16 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 11 | 30 | −19 | 13 | |
10 | Bristol City | 14 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 38 | −29 | 9 | |
11 | Birmingham City | 13 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 23 | −18 | 7 | |
12 | Liverpool | 14 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 8 | 20 | −12 | 6 | Relegation to the Championship |
Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
Arsenal | 16 |
2 | ![]() |
Chelsea | 14 |
3 | ![]() |
Manchester City | 10 |
4 | ![]() |
Everton | 9 |
5 | ![]() |
Manchester United | 6 |
![]() |
Chelsea | ||
![]() |
Manchester City | ||
8 | ![]() |
Arsenal | 5 |
![]() |
Liverpool | ||
![]() |
Manchester City | ||
![]() |
West Ham United | ||
![]() |
Arsenal | ||
![]() |
Arsenal | ||
![]() |
Chelsea | ||
![]() |
Bristol City | ||
![]() |
Brighton & Hove Albion | ||
![]() |
Reading | ||
![]() |
Manchester United |
Rank | Player | Club | Assists |
---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
Arsenal | 8 |
2 | ![]() |
Manchester City | 7 |
3 | ![]() |
Reading | 6 |
![]() |
Chelsea | ||
5 | ![]() |
Chelsea | 5 |
6 | ![]() |
Arsenal | 4 |
![]() |
Arsenal | ||
![]() |
Manchester City | ||
![]() |
Manchester City | ||
10 | ![]() |
Chelsea | 3 |
![]() |
Chelsea | ||
![]() |
Manchester United | ||
![]() |
Chelsea | ||
![]() |
Arsenal | ||
![]() |
Manchester City | ||
![]() |
Birmingham City | ||
![]() |
Manchester City |
Rank | Player | Club | Clean sheets |
---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
Manchester City | 10 |
2 | ![]() |
Arsenal | 6 |
3 | ![]() |
Manchester United | 5 |
4 | ![]() |
Chelsea | 4 |
![]() |
Everton | ||
![]() |
Tottenham Hotspur | ||
![]() |
Brighton & Hove Albion | ||
8 | ![]() |
Bristol City | 3 |
9 | ![]() |
Birmingham City | 2 |
![]() |
Reading | ||
![]() |
Arsenal | ||
![]() |
Chelsea |
Month | Manager of the Month | Player of the Month | Ref. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Manager | Club | Player | Club | ||
September | ![]() ![]() |
Tottenham Hotspur | ![]() |
Everton | [26][27][28][29] |
October | ![]() |
Chelsea | ![]() |
Manchester United | [30][31] |
November | ![]() |
Everton | ![]() |
Chelsea | [32][33] |
December | ![]() |
Arsenal | ![]() |
Arsenal | [34][35] |
January | ![]() |
Chelsea | ![]() |
Chelsea | [36][37] |
February | ![]() |
Chelsea | ![]() |
Chelsea | [38][39] |
An FA WSL prize fund will be in place for the first time, following the new Barclay's sponsorship deal, with the entire pot totaling £500,000. The money will be awarded in decreasing increments with the champions winning £100,000 and the last placed team being awarded £6,000.[40][41]
Finish | Prize money |
---|---|
1st | £100,000 |
2nd | £67,000 |
3rd | £60,000 |
4th | £55,000 |
5th | £49,000 |
6th | £43,000 |
7th | £36,000 |
8th | £30,000 |
9th | £24,000 |
10th | £18,000 |
11th | £12,000 |
12th | £6,000 |