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Chelsea arrive at Villa Park looking to continue their perfect start to the WSL season under Sonia Bompastor, as the defending champions face an Aston Villa side eager to build on their promising end to last campaign. With both teams making notable squad improvements over the summer, this clash at Villa Park promises to be an intriguing early-season test of ambitions.
Date / Time: Sunday, September 14, 2025, 12:00 BST; 7:00am EDT
Venue: Villa Park, Birmingham, UK
Referee: Stacey Pearson
Forecast: Light rain and a gentle breeze
On TV: Sky Sports (UK); none (USA); elsewhere
Streaming: Sky GO (UK); ESPN+ (USA)
Aston Villa team news: It’s been a positive stint for Villa under Natalia Arroyo, who steadied the ship after taking over in January and sparked a remarkable late surge last season. They did have to hold the fort to snatch a goalless draw away against Brighton in the their WSL opener.
The club prioritized defensive reinforcements over the summer, signing Dutch international Lynn Wilms from Wolfsburg and bringing England goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck back to the WSL from Barcelona. They also secured midfielder Jill Baijings on a permanent deal from Bayern Munich after an impressive loan spell.
Rachel Daly will wear the captain’s armband this season and remains their primary attacking threat. The veteran striker will be looking to open her account for the season against the defending champions at Villa Park.
Chelsea team news: Much like last season, Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Manchester City wasn’t the best they could put on the table. But it sufficed to bring home the three points and get things going on a right foot instead of having to scramble in the future as City will have to do after the result.
The Blues could hand a debut to new signing Alyssa Thompson, who joined from Angel City in a deal worth around £1 million just before the transfer deadline. Manager Sonia Bompastor is awaiting confirmation on whether the USWNT winger will be eligible to play despite wearing a protective cast on her arm. The 20-year-old has already shown promising signs in training and would bring electric pace and one-on-one ability to Chelsea’s attack.
Erin Cuthbert is available after recovering from a knock sustained against Manchester City, but Naomi Girma will miss the trip to Villa Park. Sam Kerr is fit and ready for selection after her long injury layoff, though Bompastor will carefully manage her minutes as she continues her return to full match fitness.
Previously: A narrow win with a late own goal from Sarah Mayling bailing us out.
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