🏏 Sun, 6 Sep 2026 12:00 BST
Brighton Women
vs
Arsenal Women
Positions estimated (no formation data from the API)
Substitutes
Substitutes
Match Preview
- This is matchday one of the 2026-27 WSL season. In the fixtures already completed, London City Lionesses sit top on three points, while Aston Villa and Chelsea each took a point from a draw with a goal difference of zero. Brighton and Arsenal both start from scratch here, with the first three points of their campaign on the line.
- For Arsenal's Alessia Russo, this is a trip back to one of her former clubs. The 27-year-old striker counts Brighton alongside Manchester United and Chelsea on her CV, and the England international who made her name with that backheel finish at Euro 2022 now leads the line on the south coast. She pairs up front with Mariona Caldentey, offering hold-up play and a ruthless finishing touch.
- Brighton field Japan international Takako Seike (30) on the right flank. She arrived from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Urawa Reds Ladies after sweeping the 2023-24 WE League's individual honours as top scorer, MVP and Best XI, then became the first player in WSL history to score a hat-trick on debut. Capable of filling every position except goalkeeper, her duel with Australia's Steph Catley (32) at left-back is one to watch.
- At the heart of Brighton's defence, Japan's Moeka Minami (27) partners Caitlin Hayes. The centre-back won back-to-back Serie A Femminile titles with AS Roma before joining permanently in June 2025, reuniting her with former Urawa team-mate Seike. A former captain at the AFC U-19 Championship and the U-20 World Cup, her organisational qualities face an immediate test against Russo and Caldentey.
- Brighton lead the line with 28-year-old American striker Madison Haley. The Stanford graduate, daughter of NFL legend Charles Haley, joined in 2023 and signed an extension in 2025, bringing goals and physical presence. Behind her sits Fran Kirby (33), the playmaker nicknamed 'Mini Messi', a two-time PFA Player of the Year and multiple trophy winner at Chelsea whose vision and touch should be the key to releasing Haley.
- The midfield battle pits Brighton captain Maisie Symonds (23) against Arsenal's Kim Little (36). Symonds came through Chelsea's academy before joining in 2021, took the armband in the summer of 2025 and earned a first senior England call-up in March of that year. Little, a club legend with spells at OL Reign and Melbourne City behind her, may have retired from international football but remains one of the game's finest orchestrators.
- Arsenal's most talked-about attacker is Olivia Smith (22), the Canada international who became the first million-pound signing in women's football after moves through Liverpool and Sporting CP. She made her senior Canada debut at just 15 and brings raw pace and dribbling into Arsenal's front line. Her running should stretch Colombia's Manuela Vanegas (25), the left-footed defender who can cover both left-back and centre-back for Brighton.
- In goal for Brighton is Nigeria's first-choice keeper Chiamaka Nnadozie (25). The 180cm shot-stopper joined from Paris FC in the summer of 2025 and was honoured at the 2025 CAF Awards, relying on her reach to dominate her area. She faces Caldentey's left foot, Russo's finishing and, at set pieces, the aerial threat of England captain Leah Williamson (29) — how much of that she repels could decide the afternoon.
- Both benches carry serious weight. Arsenal can turn to Sweden striker Stina Blackstenius (30), Euro 2022 final match-winner Chloe Kelly (28), Norway's Frida Maanum and Australia's Caitlin Foord (31), who once played for Vegalta Sendai Ladies in Japan. Brighton's ace in reserve is Norway midfielder Tvedten (26), signed in January 2026 after scoring 52 goals across four seasons in Norway's Toppserien and winning the golden boot twice.