West Ham Women’s performance in the Women’s Super League (WSL) this season has been the subject of varied predictions, with The Guardian writers estimating an 11th-place finish. While this is an average of their collective opinions, it does not reflect the views of manager Rita Guarino, who took charge after a difficult period for the team. Last season, West Ham Women finished 10th, but they faced significant challenges in December, managing only one win in 11 games. Rehanne Skinner, the previous manager, was dismissed, and Guarino, a former Italian forward with no prior experience in English football, was appointed to lead the team. Concerns had been raised about the lack of support from the club for the women’s side, and Skinner reportedly lost the dressing room’s confidence. Guarino’s early impact was limited, as the team lost 5-0 to Chelsea, but they later secured back-to-back wins in the FA Cup and WSL, followed by a 3-2 victory over Brighton and draws with Manchester United and London City Lionesses. These results earned them 14 points from their final 11 WSL games, bringing their total to 19 points and securing a 10th-place finish. The summer transfer window brought mixed news for West Ham Women. Several players, including forward Shekiera Martinez, who joined Tottenham, and Katrina Gorry, who decided to take a break from football, left the club. Shelina Zadorsky also departed after her contract ended, signing with AFC Toronto. However, the club made 10 new signings, including forwards Kelly Gago and Ebony Salmon, defenders Estelle Cascarino and Nadine Riesen, and young talents Sienna Wareing and Niamh Peacock. Guarino has been supported in her efforts to rebuild the squad, and the team now has an opportunity to prove themselves in the WSL. West Ham Women’s lack of investment in the women’s team has been a long-standing issue. Since Jack Sullivan left as managing director of the women’s team in 2021, the club has seen a decline in performance and support. West Ham has not published detailed financial figures for the women’s side during their time in the WSL, and their most recent Companies House submission showed they are exempt from audit. According to Football Association data, West Ham spent the least on agents’ fees in the year to February 2026, at £97,000, and were one of only two clubs that reduced their spending compared to the previous year. Despite this, Guarino has managed to steer the team to four wins in the second half of the season, helping them finish above Liverpool and Leicester. West Ham Women have shown a direct playing style, moving the ball upfield quickly and averaging fewer passes per possession than any other team in the league, except Leicester. However, they collected fewer points than in three of the previous four seasons, prompting questions about the need for a new approach. Inès Belloumou, who joined from Bayern Munich in July 2024, played 18 times for West Ham last season after being loaned out to Lazio and Malmö to meet international visa requirements. This summer, Belloumou shone at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, scoring the winning penalty in the third-place playoff as Algeria finished third. Now back in the WSL, she is expected to make an impact. Viviane Asseyi, who signed a new contract, expressed her ambitions for the season, stating, "I want to put the club in the highest position in the table and go as far as we can in the cups." Despite these goals, West Ham Women have not played at their main stadium, London Stadium, since a 2-0 loss to Tottenham in September 2019. The team continues to play at Dagenham and Redbridge’s Victoria Road stadium, despite discussions about returning to the main venue being a priority.