Wigan Warriors will kick off their defense of the Women's Super League title against Leeds Rhinos at home on May 16, just weeks after celebrating lifting the trophy last season. The Warriors completed a historic treble of Challenge Cup, League Leaders' Shield, and Super League title, defeating St Helens in the Grand Final.
The new season also marks a significant change in format, with seven rounds of fixtures where every team plays each other once before being split into two groups of four. This will be followed by an extended play-off series to determine the league leaders and the teams that finish at the bottom.
In this restructured competition, the winners of the top group will lift the League Leaders' Shield and automatically qualify for the Grand Final, while the teams in second and third place will face off for the remaining spot. Conversely, the team finishing eighth will have to play the winners of the National Championship for a final Super League spot in 2027.
The revamped format is designed to increase competition, elevate performance, and boost commercial growth. According to Thomas Brindle, general manager of the Women's Super League, "every game matters" and momentum will build across the season, culminating in the biggest moments showcased when attention peaks.
Wigan Warriors face a tough test against Leeds Rhinos on May 16, with York Valkyrie hosting Huddersfield Giants at the same time. Leigh Leopards are set to play newly promoted Featherstone Rovers later that day. The opening fixtures kick off this weekend, marking the start of an exciting new season in the Women's Super League.
The new season also marks a significant change in format, with seven rounds of fixtures where every team plays each other once before being split into two groups of four. This will be followed by an extended play-off series to determine the league leaders and the teams that finish at the bottom.
In this restructured competition, the winners of the top group will lift the League Leaders' Shield and automatically qualify for the Grand Final, while the teams in second and third place will face off for the remaining spot. Conversely, the team finishing eighth will have to play the winners of the National Championship for a final Super League spot in 2027.
The revamped format is designed to increase competition, elevate performance, and boost commercial growth. According to Thomas Brindle, general manager of the Women's Super League, "every game matters" and momentum will build across the season, culminating in the biggest moments showcased when attention peaks.
Wigan Warriors face a tough test against Leeds Rhinos on May 16, with York Valkyrie hosting Huddersfield Giants at the same time. Leigh Leopards are set to play newly promoted Featherstone Rovers later that day. The opening fixtures kick off this weekend, marking the start of an exciting new season in the Women's Super League.
i think the restructured format is gonna be a game changer - its gonna make every single match super important and the competition level will go thru the roof! 
and the fact that york valkyrie is hosting huddersfield giants on opening day makes me wanna watch it all day long 
leeds rhinos are gonna be tough to beat tho, those ladies are always fierce 
and the new format is gonna shake things up - i love how every game matters now 
cant wait to see the play-off series too! 
the new format is lit too, it's like a mini grand final every week 
and the league leaders' shield is always a bonus 
i'm watching the opening games on live tv with my squad and we're gonna be screaming our heads off whenever wigan scores 
. It's going to be awesome to see all the teams playing each other once before being split into groups. The play-off series is going to be so intense! 
I'm loving the fact that the winners of the top group will get the League Leaders' Shield and a spot in the Grand Final... that's like, ultimate bragging rights 
I'm predicting Wigan Warriors will do great against Leeds Rhinos... they've got this 
. I don't get why they need to make it so complicated. Seven rounds and then a play-off series? It sounds like just a money grab to me 
. What's wrong with just having a straight-up season where everyone plays each other once? Less travel, less fatigue... less drama 
. And what's the point of all these trophies? It's not like it's gonna make that much difference in the grand scheme 
.
. Bring it on! 
. Can't wait to see how the teams adapt to the new format and which ones will be the dark horses this year 
can't wait to see how it all plays out this season... brings back memories of watching my fave teams battle it out on TV 
. Still, it's always exciting to see women's rugby gain more traction and attention - let's hope Wigan can come out on top against Leeds Rhinos! 
they were on fire last season and i think they'll give leeds rhinos a run for their money 
what i do know is it's gonna be a wild ride with 7 rounds of fixtures and all that jazz 
The revamped format is going to be lit 
️ as teams battle it out for the top spots. Wigan Warriors vs Leeds Rhinos on May 16 is already giving me major league vibes 
. But I'm also low-key rooting for York Valkyrie 
, they've got some talented players and I think they could pull off a few upsets 
. Bring it on! 