Barclays FA Women’s Super League heavyweights Manchester United and Everton will meet in the group stage of this season’s FA Women’s Continental League Cup with the draw having been conducted live on talkSPORT2 this lunchtime.
In total, 21 clubs from the Barclays FA Women’s Super League and FA Women’s Championship will compete in the group stage with Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal set to join the competition at a later stage as a result of their European commitments. Manchester City and Arsenal could be drafted into the competition at the group stage should they fail to qualify from their initial ties for the final group stage of the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
The FA Women’s Continental League Cup group stage sees the 21 teams contest four groups of four and one group of five, the larger group being Group A. The groups have been split into ‘Northern’ and ‘Southern’ sections.
Some of the highlights of the draw see FA Women’s Championship promotion rivals Liverpool and Sheffield United go head-to-head in Group A while Group B is made up of four very strong teams in Leicester City, Durham, Everton and Manchester United. Charlton Athletic boss Karen Hills will come up against former club Tottenham Hotspur in Group C while three top tier sides will compete in Group E, those being Birmingham City, Brighton & Hove Albion and West Ham United.
2021/2022 FA Women’s Continental League Cup Group Stage Draw
Northern Section
Group A – Liverpool, Sheffield United, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Sunderland
Group B – Leicester City, Durham, Manchester United, Everton
Southern Section
Group C – Charlton Athletic, Tottenham Hotspur, Coventry United, Watford
Group D – Lewes, Crystal Palace, Bristol City, Reading
Group E – London City Lionesses, Birmingham City, Brighton & Hove Albion, West Ham United
The group stage will run from 13-14 October through to 15-16 December with the quarter-finals scheduled for 19-20 January. The semi-finals have been pencilled in for 2-3 February and the final will take place on the weekend of 5-6 March.