Subway Women’s League Cup draw sees south coast trio grouped together

The 2025-26 Subway Women’s League Cup group stage draw sees Southampton, Brighton and Portsmouth all in the same section.

Newcomers Nottingham Forest will face Everton, Manchester City and Newcastle United, while Ipswich Town’s first entry into the competition will bring them up against Crystal Palace, Leicester City and London City Lionesses.

Group A: Nottingham Forest, Everton, Manchester City, Newcastle United

Group B: Sheffield United, Sunderland, Liverpool, Durham

Group C: Southampton, Brighton & Hove Albion, West Ham United, Charlton Athletic, Portsmouth

Group D: Crystal Palace, Leicester City, Ipswich Town, London City Lionesses

Group E: Aston Villa, Birmingham City, Tottenham Hotspur, Bristol City

The opening group games will be on 24/25 September 2025.

Arsenal and Chelsea have byes to the quarter final stage due to their Champions League duties. Manchester United will also be straight into the last eight unless they fail to qualify for the UEFA Women’s Europa League, in which case a further draw will determine if they will join Group A or Group B.

Wilf Frith

Wilf Frith is a women’s football news editor who works for Her Goal Magazine and had been with all its predecessors since 1996, becoming a founding team member after running Sunday Kicks. He has also held previous long-term roles as press officer for the Cornwall Women’s Football League and Penzance Ladies FC.

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