Charlton Athletic return to Women’s Super League after playoff promotion

Charlton Athletic are preparing for the Women’s Super League 2026-27 season in a preview published on 25 August 2026, having secured promotion via a playoff after finishing third in WSL2 last season; Guardian writers’ average prediction places them 14th.

Just under 20 years after the club’s women’s side was disbanded following the men’s team’s relegation from the Premier League, Charlton are back in the spotlight under manager Karen Hills, who was appointed in 2021 with a five-year plan. Hills, 51, represented Charlton for six years as a player and was part of the 2005 FA Cup-winning side; this is the second time she has taken a team into the top flight, having previously done so with Tottenham in 2019.

Charlton’s promotion followed a season that featured a 27-game unbeaten run and the meanest defence in WSL2, but a mid-season blip allowed Birmingham City to overhaul them on the final day; they then beat Leicester in the playoff to clinch promotion. Goalkeeper Sophie Whitehouse was a standout figure: she played every minute, Charlton kept the joint-most clean sheets and conceded the fewest goals in the division, no club saved as high a percentage of shots on target faced, and Whitehouse saved four penalties in the playoff shootout.

There has been notable turnover ahead of the WSL campaign, with six players departing since last season including influential Katie Bradley, and a recruitment drive that mixes experience and youth. Ashleigh Neville and Emily van Egmond have joined to add knowhow, while Leah Davidson and Grace Johnston arrive from Australia; attacking output remains a concern after Charlton scored only 31 goals last season, the lowest total among WSL2’s top six.

Ashleigh Neville completed a two-year deal after lining up against Charlton in the playoff three months earlier, arriving from Leicester with more than 100 WSL appearances to her name, many of them under Hills at Tottenham following her move from Coventry United. Neville, described in the club’s profile as a tough-tackling, intuitive full-back and a strong leader, said: “I know what Karen’s about and vice versa; she knows what I bring. I’m really looking forward to working with her again” – Ashleigh Neville.

Grace Johnston was announced as Charlton’s first signing of the summer, joining from Perth Glory as a versatile young full-back who played every minute last season and won her club’s 2026 best young player award. Johnston earned a call-up to the Young Matildas in 2023, has represented Australia at under-20 and under-23 levels, and was part of the squad that won the Asean Women’s Championship last year.

Off the field, Charlton prepared for the new season with a pre-season trip to Cádiz and secured a record-breaking sleeve partnership with haircare brand Sofnfree, whose branding will appear on all playing and replica shirts while the club focuses on content creation and has launched its first women’s-centric TikTok channel. Ownership group Global Football Partners have put the club up for sale, which could cause a bit of instability in the short term.

Season-ticket sales began almost immediately after promotion, and the club will continue to allow alcohol at the Valley alongside an established alcohol-free section; other fan activations include the opportunity to sponsor a player. Charlton’s first home game in the Women’s Super League will see them walk out at the Valley against Liverpool on 6 September.