Women's Super League: Manchester City face Manchester United on 2019-20 opening day

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Manchester United won promotion from the Women's Championship in their first season last term

Manchester City will take on cross-city rivals Manchester United on the opening weekend of the 2019-20 Women's Super League on 7/8 September.

United won the Women's Championship and promotion from the second tier last season, 11 months after being formed.

City finished runners-up in the WSL and won both the Women's FA Cup and League Cup last term.

Meanwhile, champions Arsenal begin at home to West Ham, while newly-promoted Tottenham go to Chelsea.

Birmingham City host Everton, Brighton travel to Bristol City and Liverpool take on Reading.

The rest of the season's fixtures will be announced on 10 July.

In the Women's Championship, which gets under way on the weekend of 17/18 August, newly-promoted sides Blackburn Rovers and Coventry United travel to Lewes and Crystal Palace respectively.

Rovers comfortably won the FA Women's National League Northern Premier Division by a 21-point margin last season, while Coventry finished top of the Southern Premier Division.

Initially, both Blackburn and Coventry United won promotion in order to have 12 teams in both the top two divisions next term.

However, the second tier will run with 11 teams next term after Yeovil Town Ladies were denied a licence for failing to meet the relevant criteria in May.

The reduction in teams means that Charlton Athletic will now have a free week on the opening weekend.

FA WSL opening weekend fixtures:

Arsenal v West Ham United

Birmingham City v Everton

Bristol City v Brighton & Hove Albion

Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur

Liverpool v Reading

Manchester City v Manchester United

FA Women's Championship opening weekend fixtures:

Aston Villa v Sheffield United

Crystal Palace v Coventry United

Leicester City v Durham

Lewes v Blackburn Rovers

London Bees v London City Lionesses