Fri Sep 20 08:19:00 UTC 2024: ## Women’s Super League Kicks Off With New Faces and Rules

The 2024/25 Women’s Super League (WSL) season is set to begin this weekend, bringing with it a host of changes for fans to be aware of.

**New Players and Managers:**

* Arsenal welcomes new signings Rosa Kafaji, Mariona Caldentey, and Daphne van Domselaar.
* Other notable transfers include Missy Bo Kearns to Aston Villa, Fran Kirby to Brighton, and Lucy Bronze to Chelsea.
* New managers are in place at Aston Villa (Robert de Pauw), Brighton (Dario Vidosic), and Leicester City (Amandine Miquel).
* Newly promoted Crystal Palace will make their WSL debut this season.

**Rule Changes:**

* **Handball:** A yellow card will now be issued for handball offences where a player makes themselves unjustifiably bigger but does not deliberately move their hand/arm towards the ball. Previously, this resulted in a red card.
* **Penalty Kick Encroachment:** Encroachment by players other than the goalkeeper during a penalty kick will not be penalized.
* **Added Time:** Time lost for events such as goals, celebrations, substitutions, injuries, penalties, and red cards will be added to the end of each half. The time added will be a minimum of 30 seconds.
* **Multiball System:** Ten match balls will be used in each match, with one ball with the fourth official and the remaining eight distributed around the pitch.

**Arsenal’s Upcoming Matches:**

* Arsenal’s first WSL match is against Manchester City at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
* They will face newly promoted Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Sunday, March 30.

The new season promises exciting action and several intriguing storylines to follow, both on and off the pitch.

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