The WSL games chosen for live broadcast in landmark Sky Sports/BBC TV deal

Sky Sports and BBC have selected which 15 WSL games will be shown live on television in the first five weeks of the 2021/22 season as the historic new broadcast deal kicks in.

Typically, Sky will broadcast two live games per matchweek on Saturday mornings and Sunday evenings, with BBC taking one live fixture on early Sunday afternoons. However, there will occasionally be slight variations to the scheduling, including the opening weekend.

The very first live match of the new season has been brought forward to Friday night and will see a new look Manchester United host Reading at Leigh Sport Village on 3 September. It will be shown on Sky Sports Premier League and kicks off at 7.45pm.

Two days later on Sunday 5 September, Sky Sports Premier League will also be showing the heavyweight contest between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium, kicking off at 12.30pm. Meanwhile, BBC One will show Everton against Manchester City on the Saturday in between.

Other live games in the opening five weeks of the season will see Manchester United host Chelsea on BBC Two, Arsenal face Manchester City on Sky Sports Football and the Manchester derby on BBC One. All 12 WSL clubs will be on TV at least once during that time.

Live WSL games on TV: 3 September - 10 October

Friday 3 Sept: Man Utd vs Reading @ 7.45pm on Sky Sports Premier League

Saturday 4 Sept: Everton vs Man City @ 1.30pm on BBC One

Sunday 5 Sept: Arsenal vs Chelsea @ 12.30pm on Sky Sports Premier League

Saturday 11 Sept: West Ham vs Aston Villa @ 11.30am on Sky Sports Premier League

Sunday 12 Sept: Chelsea vs Everton @ 12.30pm on BBC Two

Sunday 12 Sept: Man City vs Tottenham @ 6.30pm on Sky Sports Football

Saturday 25 Sept: Everton vs Birmingham @ 11.30am on Sky Sports Premier League

Sunday 26 Sept: Man Utd vs Chelsea @ 12.30pm on BBC Two

Sunday 26 Sept: Arsenal vs Man City @ 6.45pm on Sky Sports Football

Saturday 2 Oct: Chelsea vs Brighton @ 11.30m on Sky Sports Premier League

Sunday 3 Oct: Aston Villa vs Arsenal @ 12.30pm on BBC Two

Sunday 3 Oct: Birmingham vs Man Utd @ 6.45pm on Sky Sports Football

Saturday 9 Oct: Man Utd vs Man City @ 1.30pm on BBC One

Sunday 10 Oct: Chelsea vs Leicester @ 12.30pm on Sky Sports Premier League

Sunday 10 Oct: Arsenal vs Everton @ 3pm on Sky Sports Premier League

Before now, the live rights to WSL had never been sold to UK broadcasters, with the previous domestic deal only requiring them to pay their own production costs to show live matches.

Now, however, the new deal is worth in excess of £7m per season to the league, with most of the money divided between the clubs and providing an invaluable and lucrative new source of revenue.

This is considered another landmark moment for women’s football in England, not only investing money into clubs, but making it more easily available to a much wider audience.

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