Reading WFC vs. Chelsea FCW, WSL final day: Preview, team news, how to watch

Chelsea enter the final day of competition in the 2022-23 FA Women’s Super League with a two-point cushion over second place Manchester United, who would like nothing more than to dethrone the back-to-back-to-back defending champions.

It would take a monumental shock for that to happen. Reading are rock bottom of the table, having lost 16 of their 21 games in the league including five on the bounce. We’ve beaten them 5-0 three times in the last two years.

But we also might remember a 1-0 defeat at this very stadium in December 2021. You never know in football.

Victory guarantees our fourth title in a row, and would complete yet another Double.

Let’s go!

Date / Time: Saturday, May 27, 2023, 14.30 BST; 9:30am EDT
Venue: Madejski Stadium, Reading, England
Referee: Rebecca Welch
Forecast: Sunny and warm, title-winning weather

On TV: Sky Sports Main Event (UK); none (USA); elsewhere
Streaming: Sky Go (UK); Paramount+ (USA); The FA Player (int’l)

Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images

Reading team news: Barring a miracle win (and Leicester City also dropping points) Reading’s 8-year stay in the WSL is coming to an end after an horrendous campaign that’s seen them win just three games in the league and collect just 11 points from the 21 matches played so far.

Then again, miracles do happen.

“This is the position we’re in, can we do it? Well, if you don’t believe what’s the point stepping out there on Saturday. In football there is always a chance, we just have to give it everything [...] All I want to see is a team that fights for every ball, works for each other, and leave it out there – if they give me that, then we can at least hold our heads up high.”

-Kelly Chambers; source: Reading FC

Photo by Chloe Knott - Danehouse/Getty Images

Chelsea team news: Chelsea just need to be ruthless.

We remain without Fran Kirby and Millie Bright, but everyone else should be available, including Pernille Harder and captain Magda Eriksson, who will both be signing off as Blues after the game.

“Today’s game is probably one of the hardest games we will play. We can’t underestimate a team who are fighting relegation. Reading is and always has been a really tough team to play against. We know how serious we have to take it. It’s a lot for them to lose or gain and it’s the same for us. It will be a very good game.”

-Ann-Katrin Berger; source: Chelsea FC

Previously: Chelsea beat Reading 3-1 in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup two months ago. Jess Carter and Guro Reiten scored goals either side of a Maren Mjelde penalty before the hosts got a late consolation.