There is a cautious, measured optimism around Everton Women as the 2026-27 Women's Super League season approaches. New manager Scott Phelan has had the summer to put his stamp on the squad, a completely overhauled attack is generating genuine excitement on Merseyside, and the fixture list has offered the Toffees a relatively gentle opening run of games. Nobody at Finch Farm is getting ahead of themselves — but the conditions are there for a solid campaign.
Phelan steps out of the shadows
Phelan, a former Everton youth midfielder who turned 38 this year, was formally confirmed as manager in June after spending four months in interim charge following the dismissal of Brian Sørensen. This is his first senior managerial appointment, having previously worked within the club's boys' academy, and he has spoken publicly of his "unbelievable pride" at taking the role. His approach is calm and methodical — qualities that will be tested as he tries to bed in a group of largely new faces before the schedule stiffens.
A new-look attack leads the summer business
The headline arrival is Australia forward Holly McNamara, signed on a free transfer from Melbourne City, where she claimed back-to-back Golden Boot awards in the A-League Women's competition. At 23, she has real upside and has been handed the No 9 shirt. Alongside her, Everton have brought in Jutta Rantala, Noémie Mouchon and Hannah Cain — all three arriving from relegated Leicester City — giving Phelan an entirely fresh frontline to work with. The noises out of pre-season have been encouraging, with the club recording a 1-0 friendly win over Hamburg as preparations gathered pace.
Elsewhere, Slovenia midfielder Zara Kramzar has made her loan move from Roma permanent, and Hannah Blundell — whose permanent arrival from Manchester United was announced in rather theatrical fashion at May's World Sevens Football event in London — adds experience at the back. Defensively, Everton have also moved smartly, signing centre-back Hannah Silcock from rivals Liverpool and bringing Naomi Layzell in on loan from Manchester City, both England youth internationals who strengthen a backline that will need to be solid if the club is to climb the table.
Fixture list offers a platform to build
Everton open the campaign with successive matches against newly-promoted Crystal Palace and Charlton Athletic, before hosting Birmingham City — the third promoted side — in their second home league game. Sandwiched between those fixtures are meetings with West Ham and Liverpool, who finished tenth and eleventh respectively last season. Crucially, Everton do not face any of last term's top three until November, giving Phelan's side a genuine opportunity to bank points early and arrive at the tougher stretch of fixtures in a strong position.
The bigger picture
The financial realities at Goodison Park — Everton's wage bill is roughly one-fifth the size of Chelsea's, according to the latest accounts — mean that competing for silverware remains some way off. The women's team was sold to parent company Roundhouse Capital Holdings last year, a move understood to have been driven partly by the men's club's need to satisfy Premier League profitability and sustainability rules. The women's setup does, however, benefit from training at the well-equipped Finch Farm complex in Halewood.
One statistical quirk from last season is worth noting. Despite registering the third fewest shots in the division, Everton generated a higher proportion of their chances from fast breaks — Opta-defined counterattacks — than any other WSL side, and they shared the honour of scoring the most goals from such situations. The challenge for Phelan is to add creativity and volume in regular, sustained possession-based play. If McNamara fires and the new attack gels quickly, a top-eight finish is very much achievable. Guardian writers have tipped them for tenth, but the market of informed opinion suggests they are capable of outperforming that projection if everything clicks.
Frequently asked
- Who is Everton Women's manager for the 2026-27 WSL season?
- Scott Phelan was formally appointed Everton Women's manager in June 2026, having served as interim boss for four months following the departure of Brian Sørensen. The 38-year-old former Everton youth midfielder previously worked in the club's boys' academy.
- Who has Everton Women signed this summer?
- Everton's key summer arrivals include Australia forward Holly McNamara (Melbourne City), Hannah Cain, Noémie Mouchon and Jutta Rantala (all from relegated Leicester City), Zara Kramzar on a permanent deal from Roma, Hannah Blundell permanently from Manchester United, Hannah Silcock from Liverpool and Naomi Layzell on loan from Manchester City.
- Where do Everton Women play their home games?
- Everton Women play their home matches at Goodison Park. The 2026-27 campaign is their second season at the historic ground, and the club train at the Finch Farm complex in Halewood.