West Ham United Women begin the 2026/27 Women’s Super League season with an immediate London derby test against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, and former Hammer Shekiera Martinez is already threatening to make the reunion uncomfortable.
Rita Guarino‘s side travel to the BetWright Stadium for a 12pm BST kick-off on 6 September, with the fixture live on Sky Sports. It is a repeat of last season’s opening game, when Tottenham claimed a late 1-0 victory.
West Ham head into the new campaign after a sizeable summer rebuild of their own, but one of the most familiar faces on Sunday will now be wearing white.
Shekiera Martinez waits for immediate West Ham reunion
Martinez left West Ham for Tottenham during the summer after Spurs fought off significant competition for the Germany international.
Tottenham announced the move in May, with head coach Martin Ho describing Martinez as a player the club had admired for some time.
Her new chapter has already started positively.
Martinez came off the bench and scored her first Tottenham goal in Sunday’s 5-0 pre-season victory over Bristol City, doubling Spurs’ advantage after good work from another major summer signing, Victoria Pelova.
She then won the penalty from which Eveliina Summanen made it 3-0.
That provides West Ham with a very obvious warning before the opening weekend.
Martinez knows many of Guarino’s players, while the Hammers know exactly what her pace and movement can cause.
West Ham’s new-look squad gets immediate test
West Ham have hardly stood still themselves.
Guarino entered pre-season with seven new arrivals already in the building, before Kelly Gago subsequently became the club’s ninth signing of the summer.
Among the most eye-catching additions is World Cup winner Laia Codina, who joined on a three-year contract following her departure from Arsenal.
The Spain defender arrives with experience of winning the Champions League with both Arsenal and Barcelona and should significantly strengthen a West Ham defence that struggled for consistency last season.
Gago offers another important attacking option after joining from Everton, while Estelle Cascarino’s stay in east London was made permanent following her loan spell from Juventus.
Viviane Asseyi has also committed her future to West Ham until 2028, giving Guarino an experienced core around the club’s new arrivals. The France forward has recorded 32 goals and 17 assists in 108 appearances for the Hammers.
Our West Ham Women evergreen guide should become the permanent hub for the squad, manager, fixtures and key players throughout the new campaign.
Contrasting final pre-season results
The two teams finished their preparations in very different fashion.
West Ham concluded pre-season with a goalless draw against Aston Villa, with Guarino describing the fixture as a useful final test before competitive football begins.
Tottenham were considerably more explosive.
Ho’s side beat Bristol City 5-0, scoring four times after half-time as Martinez, Summanen, Julie Blakstad and Matilda Nilden added to Signe Gaupset’s opener.
Spurs had previously beaten Granada 1-0 and suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat against Real Madrid during their preparations.
Pre-season results should never be overstated, but Tottenham certainly enter Sunday with confidence.
Tottenham’s home record raises difficulty
West Ham also face a difficult venue.
Tottenham say they lost only once in eight WSL matches at Brisbane Road last season, winning six of them.
They also beat West Ham in the corresponding opening fixture last year, with Bethany England’s late penalty deciding a 1-0 contest. Spurs have won eight of the 14 meetings between the clubs since their promotion to the WSL in 2019.
West Ham finished tenth last season after Guarino took charge in December, but the club highlighted the improved second half of the campaign when the squad returned for pre-season.
Sunday offers the first opportunity to establish whether that improvement can carry into a full season.
West Ham need to show rebuild has moved them forward
This is a difficult opener, but also a useful measure of West Ham’s progress.
Guarino has been allowed to reshape her squad substantially. Codina adds elite-level experience, Gago strengthens the forward line and several younger additions raise the ceiling of the group.
Tottenham have strengthened too.
Martinez has been joined by players including Pelova, Kirsty Hanson, Caitlin Dijkstra, Alice Sombath and Selma Panengstuen in a six-player summer intake.
That makes Sunday considerably more interesting than a routine opening fixture.
West Ham want to move away from the lower reaches of the WSL.
Taking something from a strengthened Tottenham side would be a strong first indication that Guarino’s rebuild is capable of doing exactly that.
