This archive report was first published on 9 July 2019.
Following the success of the recent Women's World Cup, the momentum for women's football is set to continue with the opening fixtures of the Women's Super League (WSL) being played at Etihad Stadium and Stamford Bridge in September.
Manchester City will face WSL debutants Manchester United on September 7 at the 55,000-capacity Etihad Stadium, while Chelsea will battle it out with Tottenham Hotspur the following day at the 41,000-capacity Stamford Bridge.
Manchester City has previously played at the Etihad Stadium, defeating Everton 1-0 in the group stages of the 2014 League Cup.
As part of the event, Manchester City will allow up to three children under 16 to attend the match for free with the purchase of an adult ticket, while the Chelsea game will be free for all spectators.
The move is aimed at building on the momentum for women's football after the United States won a record-extending fourth title with a 2-0 victory over the Netherlands in the World Cup final on July 7, 2019.
England, who finished fourth, were beaten by the United States in the semi-finals, a match watched by almost 12 million people in Britain.
According to Kelly Simmons, the FA's director of women's professional football, some WSL matches will be played as 'double-headers' with men's Premier League games next season.
A full fixtures list for the remainder of the season will be announced on Wednesday, when the double-headers will become clear because the men's fixtures have already been announced.
