There is a particular kind of momentum that comes from losing a cup final. It stings, yes — ask anyone who made the trip to Wembley last season and watched Manchester City lift the trophy — but it also plants a seed. Brighton Women know they belong on that stage. The question Dario Vidosic has spent his summer answering is whether the squad can get back there, and go one better.

On the surface, it has been a composed close season on the south coast. Seven arrivals, four departures: the sort of measured reshaping that reflects a club with a clear identity rather than one lurching for a quick fix. The standout business is unambiguous. Bringing Lia Wälti to the Broadfield Stadium — the 33-year-old Switzerland captain returning to England after a year at Juventus — is, quite simply, one of the most eye-catching signings of the summer across the entire WSL. Seven years with Arsenal gave her a league title and a Champions League winners' medal; Euro 2025 saw her guide Switzerland to the quarter-finals. If she stays fit, her ability to dictate play from central midfield will lift everyone around her.

Alongside Wälti, Gabby George adds defensive experience, while young attacking talents Emily Murphy and Nadia Krezyman — representing the Republic of Ireland and Poland respectively — suggest Vidosic is investing in both the present and the future.

The problem up front

Brighton's real headache, though, remains unresolved, and anyone who watched them last season will know exactly what it is. The ACL injury that ended Michelle Agyemang's loan spell from Arsenal deprived them of a genuine centre-forward at a critical point, and the squad never truly recovered. Kiko Seike finished as the club's top league scorer with eight goals — respectable, but worrying when she was their sole representative in the WSL's top 20 for goals and assists combined.

More telling still is this: Brighton posted the highest shot accuracy of any team in the division last season. They were getting the ball on target consistently. Yet only three clubs converted a lower proportion of those on-target efforts into goals. All that clean striking, aiming straight at the goalkeeper. If Vidosic can address that clinical edge — either through the remainder of the transfer window or by nudging his forwards to work the corners — there is a genuine argument that Brighton could significantly outperform their predicted sixth-place finish.

Vidosic: building something real

Now entering his third season, Vidosic is the second-longest serving manager in the WSL. That kind of continuity is rarer than it should be in women's football, and it shows in the cohesion Brighton have developed. His aggressive pressing and possession-based style has been refined with a more deliberate out-of-possession structure — something that became necessary when they started facing the division's elite more regularly.

Brighton were one of just three teams to beat champions Manchester City last season. They also drew with Arsenal towards the end of the campaign. Those results are not flukes; they are evidence of a side that, on their best days, can compete with anyone. The inconsistency that plagued their season — they finished seventh in the league — is the only thing standing between this group and a genuine top-five challenge.

Opening fixtures and off-field news

The opener is a proper test. Brighton host Arsenal at Crawley on 6 September, welcoming Renée Slegers's side in what looks, on paper, the toughest of their first four fixtures. A positive result there would send a statement early in the campaign.

Off the pitch, Pinterest has signed a four-year deal as the first solo sponsor of Brighton's women's team, built around the idea of matchday style and fan expression. Meanwhile, plans for what would be Europe's first purpose-built women's football stadium — sited next to the Amex — continue to take shape, with an anticipated opening at the start of the 2030-31 season. That is the kind of infrastructure commitment that tells you the ambition here is serious and long-term.

Brighton Women are a club trending in the right direction. The FA Cup final gave them a glimpse of what is possible. Whether they can convert that promise into points — and sort out their finishing once and for all — will define how this season is remembered.

Frequently asked

When do Brighton Women play their first WSL game of the 2026-27 season?
Brighton Women open their 2026-27 WSL campaign at home to Arsenal on 6 September 2026, playing at Crawley's Broadfield Stadium.
Who has Brighton Women signed ahead of the 2026-27 WSL season?
Brighton's headline signing is Switzerland captain Lia Wälti, who returns to England after a spell at Juventus. They have also brought in Gabby George, Emily Murphy, and Nadia Krezyman among seven new arrivals.
Are Brighton Women building a new stadium?
Yes. Plans are in progress for a purpose-built women's football stadium next to the Amex Stadium in Brighton, which would be the first of its kind in Europe. It is expected to be ready for the 2030-31 season.