Leah Williamson: Arsenal and England defender signs new contract with Women's Super League club
Leah Williamson has been with Arsenal for two decades; defender has played 282 times and scored 17 goals; England captain has been troubled with a knee injury this season; Williamson scored in Tuesday's 7-0 win over Leicester
Thursday 30 April 2026 14:17, UK
Leah Williamson has signed a new contract with Arsenal Women.
The 29-year-old's season has been hampered by injury, missing the first half of the campaign with a knee problem sustained during Euro 2025 and making just 10 appearances so far in all competitions.
The defender played her first 90 minutes in the Women's Super League in January and started in Arsenal's 2-1 win over Lyon in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Sunday before scoring after coming off the bench in the 7-0 thrashing of Leicester on Tuesday.
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Williamson has played 282 times for Arsenal and scored 17 goals since joining two decades ago and has gone on to become vice-captain.
The centre-back lifted the Champions League trophy with captain Kim Little last season and has one Women's Super League title, four League Cups, two FA Cups and one FIFA Women's Champions Cup to her name during her 12 years in the Arsenal first team.
For the Lionesses, Williamson led the team to back-to-back European Championship titles in 2022 and 2025 and has won 67 caps, scoring five times.
On Tuesday, Arsenal extended the contract of defender Steph Catley, while striker Stina Blackstenius renewed her deal last week and Little has signed for an additional year.
Arsenal mean business on and off pitch
Analysis by Sky Sports' Laura Hunter:
Leah Williamson's contract news has been cunningly timed by Arsenal. They thumped Leicester merely 12 hours before, with the defender introduced as a second-half substitute in a 7-0 win. She scored the Gunners' seventh, rounding off their biggest margin of victory since May 2022.
Renee Slegers' side are in business mode on and off the pitch. They are doing work to tie down the talent they deem important to carry the team forward, while it's full steam ahead in the Champions League and WSL. The more pressure they apply the more likely Man City are to slip in the race.
The league title is ultimately out of their hands but they will try until it's mathematically impossible; that might not be until the final day of the campaign on May 16.
Williamson is of course a key part of this new Arsenal build, an iconic leader and face of the club. She will have had handsome offers from elsewhere because of who she is and the profile of player she is. But it's unlikely her head would ever turn.
She has only managed 232 league minutes this term due to ongoing knee problems, but can play a vital role in the run-in. "I don't feel like I'm done," was the opening line of her signing interview.
The message coming out of Arsenal is the collective are far from done this season. Belief is that big things can still be achieved. "We're still on a journey, it will never end," Williamson told arsenal.com. And the rewards could be substantial if they make it to the finish line in such fine form. 13 unbeaten in the league and ahead in their European semi-final with Lyon - plenty still to play for.
