Arsenal finished above Chelsea in the Women's Super League for the first time since 2018-19 last season, and also knocked their London rivals out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage, prompting questions about whether power in the capital's women's football is shifting. Both clubs have overhauled their squads over the summer, and their managers struck notably different tones ahead of the new season starting this weekend: Arsenal's Renee Slegers voiced strong title ambitions, while Chelsea's Sonia Bompastor described her side as being in a "transitional phase".

Chelsea won six straight WSL titles before Arsenal's rise, with Manchester City topping both clubs last season. Arsenal have brought in England's Georgia Stanway, Spain's Ona Batlle and Switzerland captain Geraldine Reuteler after losing Beth Mead and Katie McCabe, and open their campaign away at Brighton on Sunday. Chelsea, who signed McCabe and Melvine Malard but lost Sam Kerr and Millie Bright, host Aston Villa on Saturday and are Opta's favourites to win the league at 39.9%, though Bompastor dismissed the statistical prediction. London City Lionesses, now featuring Spain's Alexia Putellas, also began the season with a win over Manchester United.