'Alarming' - does WSL have a homegrown problem?
What Happened London City Lionesses defeated Manchester United on the opening night of the 2025‐26 Women’s Super League season, a result that signalled a shift in the English women’s game, according to BBC Sport. The victory was notable because the Lionesses fielded a starting XI with no English players - the first time a WSL side had done so on the first day of a season, as reported by BBC Sport. Just two days later, Tottenham secured a win over West Ham with Scotland striker Kirsty Hanson the only British player in the starting lineup, further highlighting the league’s growing reliance on overseas talent, per BBC Sport. The Reaction Tom Garry of The Guardian described the trend as “alarming” for the hopes of the home nations, a sentiment echoed in the BBC coverage of the matches. Birmingham City manager Amy Merricks commented, “Our league has grown significantly and attracted world class athletes from all over the world,” reinforcing the view that the WSL’s appeal now extends glo...