Arsenal Women have officially confirmed two pre-season friendlies at Meadow Park, giving fans their first glimpse of a squad that’s been rebuilt from top to bottom this summer.
Renée Slegers’ side will host Paris FC on Sunday, 23 August (1pm kick-off) before welcoming Charlton Athletic three days later on Wednesday, 26 August at 7pm. Tickets for both matches are expected to go on sale soon.
It’s a busy stretch. And it needs to be.
A Summer of Sweeping Change
Arsenal haven’t stood still this off-season. Six permanent arrivals have arrived alongside several notable exits, making this one of the most active transfer windows in the club’s recent history.
The headline signings tell the story:
- Georgia Stanway from Bayern Munich, bringing four consecutive Bundesliga titles and 24 league goals in her time in Germany
- Ona Batlle from Barcelona, a World Cup winner with Spain who registered 16 Liga F assists across three seasons
- Selina Cerci, the Bundesliga’s most prolific scorer over the past two campaigns
- Géraldine Reuteler, a creative Swiss midfielder who shone at Euro 2025
- Lisa Baum, a 19-year-old winger signed from RB Leipzig for a reported £510,000
- Misa Rodríguez the goalkeeper arriving from Real Madrid.
Four of those five arrived on free transfers. That’s clever business from Arsenal’s recruitment team, and it frees up resources elsewhere.
But arrivals only tell half the story. Beth Mead and Katie McCabe, two of the club’s longest-serving players, have moved on after a combined 568 appearances. Laia Codina and Victoria Pelova also departed. That’s a lot of experience walking out the door.
These pre-season friendlies aren’t just warm-ups. They’re the first real test of whether these new pieces fit together.
Why the Double-Header Matters
Before hosting Paris FC and Charlton, Slegers and her squad will travel to Spain for a training camp. Reports suggest a behind-closed-doors match is likely during the trip, with another private fixture possible on the weekend of 29-30 August.
That’s a tight schedule leading into the WSL opener away at Brighton on Sunday, 6 September. Less than two weeks will separate the Charlton friendly from competitive football. Every session counts.
The expanded 14-team WSL also raises the stakes. Arsenal now face a 26-match league season, up from 22 last term. Add in Champions League commitments and the FA Cup, and squad depth becomes critical.
Can Stanway fill the midfield hole left since Lia Wälti’s departure? Will Batlle replicate McCabe’s influence at full-back? How quickly can Cerci’s goalscoring instincts click with new teammates? Pre-season should start answering those questions.
Arsenal’s opening run doesn’t offer much breathing room either. The first five WSL fixtures include meetings with every other side that finished in last season’s top four. By early October, we’ll know if this rebuild has real title credentials.
All Eyes on Meadow Park
There’s genuine excitement around what Slegers is building. The signings haven’t just replaced departing players — they’ve added different tactical options and lowered the squad’s average age.
Every home league match this season will take place at the Emirates Stadium, which makes these Meadow Park friendlies feel especially intimate. It’s a rare chance for supporters to see the new squad up close before the big-stadium atmosphere takes over.
Arsenal finished second in the WSL last season and won the inaugural FIFA Women’s Champions Cup in February 2026. The ambition is clear: close the gap and end an eight-year wait for the league title.
Two friendlies won’t decide the season. But they’ll set the tone. And for a squad with this many new faces, that first outing together matters more than the scoreline.
