In the previous two seasons, the WSL's newly promoted sides, Crystal Palace and Bristol City, were on the receiving end of high-scoring losses against Chelsea before they were sent back down to the second division.
However, London City have arrived with a very different outlook on the WSL, as the only club not connected to a professional men’s team.
Their ambitious approach meant investing significantly over the summer. They have had a respectable start to the season but face another big test against the Blues.
Chelsea
Both Lucy Bronze and Niamh Charles made their returns from injury against Tottenham Hotspur before they joined the England squad for international duty.
They were carefully managed during the two matches and neither completed 90 minutes against Brazil or Australia.
Meanwhile, Aggie Beever-Jones was taken off in the closing stages when England faced Australia but the forward was optimistic when interviewed post-match.
Other absentees Lauren James and Naomi Girma returned to training prior to the international break, while Mayra Ramirez is still recovering from a hamstring injury sustained during pre-season.
London City Lionesses
Several players were unavailable prior to the international break but some could return to the squad this weekend.
These include defenders Teyah Goldie and Poppy Pattinson as well the experience of Daniëlle van de Donk and Sofia Jakobsson.
Goalkeeper Emily Orman, originally a Chelsea academy product, will be a longer-term absence having suffered a fracture to her arm.
Likely lineups
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Hampton; Charles, Bright, Björn, Carpenter; Cuthbert, Walsh; Reiten, Hamano, Kaneryd; Beever-Jones
London City Lionesses (4-4-2): Lete; Imuran, Linari, Sangare, Fernandez; Godfrey, Geyoro, Kumagai, Parris; Goodwin, Asllani
Key players
Chelsea - Keira Walsh
Walsh was one of Chelsea’s high-profile January signings but took some time to find her feet at the club. Towards the beginning of this season, however, she has been one of their standout performers.
She has noticeably been attempting more shots from range and, after coming close on a few occasions, this finally paid off against Tottenham Hotspur in the final league game before the international break.
The different skillsets of Walsh and Erin Cuthbert compliment each other well in the Chelsea midfield - an extremely technical player alongside someone more tenacious.
As London City look likely to play a 4-4-2, there may be a lot of space for Walsh to operate in the centre of the pitch: a lot of the game could be played through her.
London City Lionesses - Freya Godfrey
The young winger spent the second half of the 2024/25 season on loan from Arsenal to London City as they earned promotion to the WSL.
She made her move permanent in the summer and has gradually been playing more minutes, working her way up to her first full 90 minutes against Leicester City in the Subway Cup before the international break.
Godfrey is capable of playing on either flank but put in an exciting performance from the left for England U23s, who faced Portugal during the international break.
The match ended level but Godfrey was able to demonstrate her quality throughout and her connection with club teammate Isobel Goodwin was evident.
Match Details
Where is the match being played?
Stamford Bridge
What time is kickoff?
12pm GMT
How can I watch?
The match will be live on Sky Sports