It is only November, and we have already seen a significant list of injuries plaguing the WSL, from ACL tears to the unknown. Here is a list of all the players currently unavailable in the WSL, their injuries and when they will return, plus the impact their absence will have on their side in the last few games of the year before the winter break.
Most importantly, these are the injuries I could verify through the club. There are likely to be more injuries; these are just the ones I have found credible sources for.
You will see a significant pattern: most of these players are ruled out due to ACL injuries. This is just more evidence to show that more needs to be done in that area of injury research and prevention.
Hannah Hampton
Chelsea has confirmed she suffered a quad injury in their London derby against Arsenal. This meant she was not part of the travelling squad for the Champions League match against St. Polten. This has impacted them massively. They have Barcelona midweek, a big side, one they have yet to beat at home. Her absence will be felt. Also, England is without their number one keeper, and since Mary Earps retired, they have no second keeper with senior-level experience. Khiara Keating got her first cap due to a minor Hampton injury in the last round of international friendlies, and England lost 2-1. This forces Chelsea into relying on a young Livia Peng, who kept a clean sheet in Europe but conceded to Liverpool, who sit at the bottom of the table. However, it was somewhat impossible for her to save one-on-one with the keeper, as Millie Bright didn’t get back in time. The only upside to Peng is that during the Euros, she saved a penalty from Alexia Putellas.
Leah Williamson
While she hopes to be back by Christmas and is already back on the grass working hard, her absence due to a significant knee problem has been significant. She had surgery after the Euros due to discomfort in her injured ACL knee. While it was not directly related to her previous tear, the surgeons had to go in and clean up the area. She is progressing through rehab, but the team is cautious and managing her, and will manage her return as she completes training before the end of the year. Though the exact game she will return to is uncertain, it is hoped to be before Christmas. Her return is crucial for Arsenal, who need some calmness in the team, especially in defence, and also a leader since Kim Little is also unavailable.
Phallon Tullis-Joyce.
She was unable to compete against PSG in the Champions League, and it has since been confirmed that she has suffered a fractured eye socket. This injury requires medical monitoring and a period out of action. She has been crucial to them, especially for reaching the Champions League and earning the joint WSL Golden Glove last season with Hampton, with 13 clean sheets. For United, they have a small squad and not much depth to take on that defensive responsibility, especially after losing two WSL games on the bounce and being seven points behind table toppers Manchester City. Orbital fractures typically need several weeks of recovery, with gradual return to non-contact work before full reinstatement once swelling and bone stability are confirmed, and reports indicated she would be sidelined for several weeks. The impact is the temporary loss of a senior goalkeeper option for her club and any national team plans, and her return will depend on medical clearance and protective protocols.
Noemie Mouchon
Noémie Mouchon picked up an ankle knock/ligament issue in a fixture, with club statements describing it as an ankle problem requiring short-term rehabilitation.
Club reporting put her recovery timetable at around four to six weeks, depending on scans and response to treatment.
The short-term impact is reduced attacking depth for her club; the injury was not described as season-ending and is being managed as a temporary absence.
Michelle Agyemang
Michelle Agyemang was stretchered off on international duty and was subsequently confirmed to have ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
An ACL rupture is a significant injury that typically requires surgery and a 9–12+ month rehabilitation period, and clubs and the FA confirmed that she will miss the remainder of the season while recovering.
Her loss is significant for both club and country because it removes an emerging forward from the pathway, and it denies England a young attacking option while she undergoes long-term rehabilitation.
Katie Reid
Katie Reid suffered a ruptured ACL in training, as confirmed by her club, and was ruled out for the season while she prepares for surgery and rehabilitation.
As with other ACL ruptures, the expected recovery timeline is many months, commonly 9–12 months or more, depending on surgical timing and individual rehabilitation progress.
Her absence represents a significant setback to the club and country's development plans for a young defender and reduces defensive depth while she recovers.
Manuela Zinsberger
Her club confirmed Manuela Zinsberger has ruptured her ACL in training and will be sidelined for an extended period while she undergoes surgery and rehabilitation.
An ACL rupture is typically season-ending and requires a long recovery timeline, often around 9–12 months or longer, depending on complications and rehab progress.
The impact for Arsenal is the loss of an experienced second-choice goalkeeper, which adds extra pressure on Daphne van Domsaalar, their first choice, to stay fit.
Alex Greenwood
Alex Greenwood is expected to be ruled out for ‘a number of weeks’ as she begins to work her way back to fitness with the Club’s medical staff.
Speaking about Greenwood’s absence, Jeglertz said, “Alex picked up an injury during the week when she came back.
“We expect her to be out for several weeks.”
The immediate effect is a short-to-medium-term absence of a versatile, experienced defender for both Manchester City and England, which necessitates rotation and tactical adjustments while she recovers.
Célin Bizet Ildhusøy
Club updates reported that Célin Bizet Ildhusøy had been managed for a niggle or minor knock, with short absences from some fixtures described as a precaution rather than a long-term medical issue.
Her absences were treated as short-term, and club statements suggested she would return when fully fit and assessed by medical staff.
The impact is limited to temporary rotation decisions; it was not reported as a significant or season-ending injury.
Kelly Gago
Reports and club updates indicate that Kelly Gago has missed matches because of hamstring issues and has also been managed for a concussion at different times this season, with the club treating her availability on a game-by-game basis.
Return timelines varied by episode: hamstring issues were managed across a few weeks, while a concussion followed standard graduated return protocols until clearance.
The impact has been intermittent interruptions to her club availability, with game-to-game management limiting consistent selection until fully cleared.
Mary Fowler
Manchester City confirmed that Mary Fowler suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in April during the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United, and club and national reporting put her return well into the following season with rehabilitation under City’s medical staff; outlets reported she was targeting a return around January in subsequent updates. This is a long-term, season-changing injury that removes a key attacking player from City and Australia for many months.
Mayra Ramírez
Chelsea issued a medical statement confirming that Mayra Ramírez required surgery on a hamstring injury sustained in a pre-season friendly against AC Milan, with the club reporting she would miss the remainder of the calendar year while she recovers from the operation. The surgery and recovery timeline means Chelsea loses her attacking option for several months.
Kadeisha Buchanan
Chelsea and major outlets confirmed Kadeisha Buchanan suffered a torn ACL in late 2024; the injury required surgery and a lengthy rehabilitation, and the club described her as sidelined for an extended period. This is a significant loss to Chelsea’s defensive stability and has implications for Canada’s availability as well.
Ella Morris
Tottenham Hotspur confirmed that Ella Morris sustained an ACL injury (right knee). At the same time, on international duty in late May 2025, the club said she would undergo surgery and a long rehabilitation period. The injury rules her out of the immediate international programme and requires a lengthy recovery before she can return to club or country duties.
Kim Little
Little was seen lipping off against Leicester ahead of the north London derby, suggesting she would not be available until after the international break or possibly not before the winter break. Arsenal manager Renee Slegers said after the 0-0 draw to Spurs, “Of course, we miss Kim. She is always that presence in front of the back line, and she has so, so much ability to cover ground and reads things so well both in and out of possession. So yeah, we’ve been missing her because we’ve built a lot of things around her on the pitch.
Jill Baijings
Aston Villa confirmed that Jill Baijings suffered a ruptured ACL and will be sidelined for several months while she recovers and begins rehabilitation; media outlets covering Villa described this as a long-term absence that will affect Villa’s midfield options.
Megan Finnigan
Everton confirmed that Megan Finnigan suffered an ACL injury in early 2025 and will require surgery, ruling her out for the remainder of the season. The medical decision and the extended rehabilitation timetable rule Everton’s captain out of selection until she recovers. She will be out until at least the new year. It was only confirmed in October, after the injury occurred in January, that it was, in fact, an ACL. The initial assessment of her injury suggested that Finnigan would recover on her own terms. After such a delayed process, though, the player has decided to undergo surgery that could end her season before it even began. Finnigan is now the fourth Everton player to suffer a knee injury in the past season alone.
The captain joins teammates Courtney Brosnan, Aurora Galli and new signing Rion Ishikawa on the sideline with similar injuries.
Elise Stenevik
Everton reported that Elise Stenevik sustained a hamstring (thigh) injury after being substituted at half-time in a match, and club and injury-tracker pages placed her out until around the Christmas period in that season while she recovered from the hamstring problem. The injury resulted in a short-to-medium absence and was treated as a significant soft-tissue issue rather than a surgical matter. The Everton manager said, “Elise is unfortunately out. She went off at half-time with a hamstring injury. It is quite severe, so she’ll be out for a while.”
Heather Payne
Heather Payne missed the call-up to Ireland due to an ankle injury sustained on club duty with Everton and was therefore left out of some international squads while she recovered; the injury was treated as a short-term absence, with a return once she was match-fit.
Daniëlle van de Donk
Club reporting around her transfer to London City Lionesses included notes that Daniëlle van de Donk had recent knee/foot issues that were being assessed and managed, with updates describing a short-term window to see if she could return. Her situation was being handled on a week-by-week basis by the club’s medical staff. She has not been seen at all this season so far for her new club, though she just transferred from one Michele Kang club to another because her Wife, Ellie Carptender, was moving to the WSL with Chelsea.
Mayzee Davies
Manchester City confirmed that Mayzee Davies suffered a ruptured ACL on international duty with Wales back in May and will be out for a long rehabilitation period; City’s official statement set the recovery as season-long, meaning significant time out for the young defender. She missed out on Wales’ first major international tournament in the summer.
Naomi Layzell
Manchester City reported Naomi Layzell went off with a suspected ankle issue in a Champions League match, but the manager's comments suggested optimism that the problem might not be long-term; official updates described the incident as one to monitor rather than a confirmed long-term injury.
Maite Oroz
Tottenham confirmed that Maite Oroz suffered a ruptured ACL in a League Cup match, requiring surgery and a lengthy rehabilitation period, and media outlets reported this as a season-ending injury that will keep her out for many months. This is another significant ACL case affecting squad planning at the club and national level.
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