Ahead of Barclays Women’s Super League fixture release day on Friday 25 July, we’re taking a look at each of West Ham United women’s team’s opponents for 2025/26. Starting with… Arsenal
2024/25 campaign
Arsenal may have fallen short in the Barclays Women’s Super League title race last term, but they more than made up for it when they beat Barcelona 1-0 to lift the UEFA Women’s Champions League trophy in May.
Stina Blackstenius' goal late in the day in Lisbon helped the Gunners win the continental title for the second time in their history and crown a successful campaign for Renée Slegers’ side, after the Dutch head coach replaced Swede Jonas Eidevall in the dugout midway through the season.
In both the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the Champions League, Arsenal turned around first-leg deficits against Real Madrid and OL Lyonnes to seal a date with Barcelona, having finished top of Group C, which comprised Bayern Munich, Juventus and Vålerenga.
Finishing 12 points behind eventual WSL winners Chelsea, Arsenal’s title dreams faded away with two losses against the champions as well as surprise defeats by Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion towards the end of the campaign.
In the Subway® Women’s League Cup, a Mary Fowler brace knocked the Gunners out at the quarter-final stage in February as Manchester City, who finished runners-up, secured a 2-1 win at Meadow Park. Arsenal also bowed out of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup at the last-eight stage after Liverpool stunned the north London outfit with a 1-0 away victory in March.
Transfer business so far
At the time of writing, Arsenal have made two signings, bringing a pair of former players back to the club.
First through the door was Chloe Kelly, who signed a permanent contract with the Gunners after spending the second half of last season on loan from Manchester City. In 13 appearances across all competitions last term, England international Kelly - who made 19 appearances for Arsenal between 2015 and 2018 - netted twice and contributed five assists.
Another player who has returned to north London is Taylor Hinds, who joined on a free transfer after the expiration of her contract at Liverpool. Full-back Hinds, who spent time in the Gunners’ first team between 2017 and 2018, made 131 appearances in five seasons with Liverpool, scoring eight goals.
Moving the other way, Teyah Goldie, following her contract expiration, joined WSL newcomers London City Lionesses after spending last season on loan at the Pride. Moreover, after making 36 appearances across all competitions, Sweden international Lina Hurtig departed at the end of last season, as did defender Amanda Ilestedt after nearly two years in north London.
One to Watch: Mariona Caldentey
It’s hard to look past the 2024/25 Women's Professional Game's WSL Player of the Season Mariona Caldentey as One to Watch for next term.
With nine goals and five assists to her name, the 29-year-old proved pivotal in her maiden WSL campaign after she ended her ten-year stay at Barcelona, for whom she made more than 200 appearances, to join the Gunners last summer.
The Spain international, at the time of writing, has already recorded a goal and two assists in her side's first two group-stage fixtures at UEFA Women's Euro 2025.
Played for both: Anouk Denton
West Ham United women’s team defender Anouk Denton used to don the colours of Arsenal, and made her debut in a north London derby against rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
That was the only appearance the England U23 international made for the Gunners before she joined the Hammers on loan for the second half of the 2020/21 campaign.
Denton, now with 53 West Ham appearances to her name, then returned to east London following a spell playing US collegiate soccer for the Louisville Cardinals in Kentucky.
Memorable meeting: West Ham 2-1 Arsenal, 2023/24
History was made in February 2024 when West Ham United women's team defeated Arsenal in the WSL for the first time.
Wiping out Alessia Russo’s first-half opener, two goals in the space of eight second-half minutes from Viviane Asseyi and Hawa Cissoko ensured fans at Chigwell Construction Stadium were sent into raptures - and left with beaming smiles on their faces.
Rehanne Skinner's side, who came so close to notching our first-ever away WSL victory over the Gunners last term, but were edged out 4-3 at Meadow Park, will be striving to recreate the scenes of 2024 when Arsenal visit east London next season.
