After an absence of twelve years, the FA Women's Community Shield returns this weekend in a double-header with the men's event, with the game being played at Wembley Stadium.
Last season's Women's Super League winners Chelsea face current FA Cup holders Manchester City on Saturday in the season's curtain-raiser before the FAWSL resumes on the 5th September when Aston Villa host City at Villa Park.
Ahead of the start of the new season, head coach Gareth Taylor and Scottish midfielder Caroline Weir spoke to the press.
"A great way to kick off the season"
With no competitive domestic women's football having taken place since in the past six months, the Community Shield will be the perfect curtain-raiser to the WSL. Weir spoke of her excitement to play in her first Community Shield:
"It's the first in twelve years so it's a special occasion. It's something I've obviously never been involved with and used to watch when I was growing up.
"It's a great way to kick off the season and hopefully it becomes a regular thing in the women's game."
Showcase fixtures such as this weekend's game at Wembley have become a regular occurrence in the women's football fixture list, with Weir herself being involved in games at Wembley, the Etihad and Hampden in the past. She spoke of the importance of these matches for growing the women's game:
"They're huge. They keep continuing to grow the game and with it being on TV and accessible for everyone it's great.
"Hopefully it's a good game, that's important to keep people wanting to come back and watch and wanting to come out to games when it's safe.
"It's great for the game and hopefully there are many more games like this during this season."
Pre-season
It's Gareth Taylor's first season in charge of the blues, taking over after long-term head-coach Nick Cushing departed earlier in the year. He spoke of the seamless transition over to the women's side:
"The fact that I'm not new to the place was a big help. Knowing the girls, knowing a lot of the staff has helped in that respect.
"We've managed to be six weeks in training now. There were some initial regulations in the first couple of weeks but outside of that we have been able to work fairly normally.
"I have to say that the support from the key workers around the CFA has been amazing, allowing us to do our job, so a really big shoutout and thank you to them."
City have had a strong pre-season, scoring a total of eighteen goals across their four training games, including against Everton last weekend.
In the side's game against Everton, USWNT midfielder Sam Mewis netted one and assisted a further three goals. Although she is not yet available to play, the addition of Rose Lavelle is another one that has raised the competition inside of the squad.
Team news
Ahead of this weekend's game, Gareth Taylor gave an update on his side, with Rose Lavelle not yet available to play:
"[It's] probably a little bit too early for Rose [Lavelle]
"Sam [Mewis] is currently just training with the squad and made a small appearance at the weekend in the training match.
"We've been working with quite small numbers in the practice games that we've had so far so it's been all hands to the pump a little bit.
"Caroline [Weir] had a concussion as well so she missed a little part, we've been pulling together so so everybody's looking forward to this final game which we have before the season starts"
This week, Aoife Mannion and Megan Campbell have been seen returning to the City Football Academy after their respective injuries. Taylor provided an update on when they may return:
"Aoife will still be a little bit longer, there's no finalised date as to when she will be back
"Megan's a little bit closer, she's starting to be involved in certain parts of sessions and she's really keen to do more than that.
"It's just trying to keep the reigns on her a little bit in terms of not over-doing it and not doing too much and therefore setting herself back.
"It's been great to see those guys involved and we're keeping them involved as much as we can"