Brighton & Hove Albion Women are preparing to embark on the 2026-27 Women's Super League campaign with significant momentum following a historic year. After a respectable 7th-place finish last season, the Seagulls proved they can compete with the elite by reaching their first-ever FA Cup final, though they ultimately fell short in defeat to Manchester City at Wembley. Now, the club aims to translate that cup form into consistent league results.
39-year-old manager Dario Vidosic is now entering his third season at the helm, making him the second-longest serving manager in the history of the WSL. Vidosic has established a clear identity based on an aggressive pressing and possession-based style, complemented by a disciplined out-of-possession structure designed specifically to neutralize the league's bigger clubs. His goal remains clear: to bring silverware to the club for the first time.
The squad has undergone a transformation over the summer window with seven new signings and four departures. The headline acquisition is undoubtedly the arrival of 33-year-old Lia Wälti. The Switzerland captain returns to English football after a year-long stint at Juventus, bringing a wealth of experience from her seven years at Arsenal where she won a WSL title and a Champions League medal. Her technical ability and tactical intelligence are expected to dictate the tempo of play from midfield. Wälti, who recently guided Switzerland to the quarter-finals at Euro 2025, is optimistic about the environment. "Brighton is not a team that has to hide. In the last couple of years, they’ve been able to hurt the big teams in many moments, and they reached the FA Cup final last season as well. We’re not going to be favourites in every single game, but that’s a nice position to be in," she said.
To bolster the attacking options, the club secured young talents Emily Murphy from the Republic of Ireland and Nadia Krezyman from Poland. Additionally, 23-year-old Sophie Peskett joins after a prolific seven years at Ipswich, where she made 127 appearances and helped secure two promotions to the WSL. Peskett is viewed as a nifty player with a natural eye for goal, a vital addition for a team that struggled with finishing in 2025-26. Despite high shot accuracy, Brighton converted a lower proportion of on-target efforts than most peers last term.
However, injury concerns loom. Michelle Agyemang's anterior cruciate ligament injury leaves the squad without a natural out-and-out centre-forward. The burden falls on Kiko Seike, who finished last season as the top scorer with eight goals and was the only representative in the WSL top 20 for goals and assists.
The road ahead looks immediately immediately. Brighton & Hove Albion Women open their campaign on 6 September against Renée Slegers's side at Crawley. On paper, the opening four fixtures include a daunting clash against Arsenal. While most home games will be played at Crawley's Broadfield Stadium, four of the first six home fixtures will return to the Amex Stadium.
Off the pitch, the club is expanding rapidly. They have launched the 'Built For Her' membership tier and an 'Amex 4-Match Pack' priced at £45. Looking further ahead, the club is set to plans for Europe's first purpose-built women's football stadium, located next to the Amex, targeting an opening for the 2030-2031 campaign. Currently sidelined: Evan Ferguson, Yankuba Minteh.
