Match Preview: West Ham United Women v Chelsea Women
- by Staff Writer
- Saturday, 3rd October 2026
West Ham United Women face one of their toughest assignments of the season on Sunday when Chelsea visit the Chigwell Construction Stadium in the Barclays Women’s Super League.
The London derby kicks off at 2pm on Sunday 4 October, with the match being shown live on Sky Sports. The Hammers head into the fixture looking to build on Wednesday night’s impressive 3-1 Subway Players Cup victory over Southampton, while Chelsea arrive unbeaten in the league and fresh from a 1-0 win over Arsenal last weekend.
Rita Guarino’s side have shown plenty of promise during the opening weeks of the campaign. Victories over London City Lionesses and Southampton have highlighted the attacking quality within the squad, while recent performances suggest the Hammers are beginning to adapt to the influx of summer signings and Guarino’s ideas.
Chelsea, however, represent a significant step up in opposition. Sonia Bompastor’s side have collected ten points from their opening four league matches, conceding just once in the process. The Blues possess strength across the pitch and have enjoyed plenty of success against West Ham in recent years, making them one of the favourites for the WSL title once again.
For West Ham, the key will be matching the intensity shown against Southampton and the spirit displayed in recent fixtures against London City and Tottenham. The Hammers will likely spend periods without the ball, meaning defensive organisation and discipline will be crucial. At the other end, Viviane Asseyi, Kelly Gago and Oona Siren will hope to exploit any opportunities that come their way on the counter-attack.
Wednesday's cup tie may also have given Guarino some selection headaches. Oona Siren's two-goal display against Southampton strengthened her case for a starting place, while debutants Niamh Peacock and Sienna Wareing impressed when handed their opportunities. With Riko Ueki still sidelined through injury, there could again be room on the bench for younger players, including recent debutant Sude Oztas.
Chelsea will start as favourites, but West Ham have already shown this season that they are capable of causing problems for any side when they play with confidence and aggression. A positive result would provide a huge boost heading into the international break.
Possible West Ham XI (4-4-2):
Picaud;
Riesen, Cascarino, Codina, Belloumou;
Kumagai, Zelem, Siren, Piubel;
Gago, Asseyi.
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