Charlton Athletic beat Leicester City 2-1 on penalties after a 0-0 draw at the Valley, sealing promotion to the Women’s Super League and ending Leicester’s stay in the top flight. Sophie Whitehouse made four saves in the shoot-out as Charlton held their nerve in the promotion-relegation play-off.
The result means Charlton Athletic Women will play Women’s Super League football in the 2026-27 season, while Leicester City are relegated to WSL2 after finishing bottom of the WSL. Leicester had lost their last 11 league matches before the play-off, and the defeat confirmed the end of their top-flight campaign.
Charlton’s place in the final came after they finished third in WSL2, two points behind Crystal Palace, in a season where they had led for long periods but fell short of the title race. The structure of the competition gave them one more chance, with the WSL set to expand from 12 to 14 teams next season.
After the final whistle, Gilly Flaherty said she was “absolutely incredible” about Whitehouse and added that her goalkeeper’s performance was exceptional, not only in the match and extra time but also in making four penalty saves. It was the decisive contribution in a game that had been tight throughout and only turned at the spot.
For Charlton, the reward is immediate and clear: a return to the top division and a place in next season’s reshaped Women’s Super League. For Leicester, the numbers tell a harsher story — 11 straight defeats, bottom of the table, and a play-off loss that sent them back to WSL2.
