Purpose To compare the external loads of a professional women`s soccer team and its reserve team during a 5-week pre-season period. Methods Thirty-two players from two different categories within the same professional female soccer club: professional team (PRO; n = 19; age: 22.7 ± 3.9 yrs.; height: 169.4 ± 5.8 cm; weight: 64.2 ± 6.0 kg) and reserve team (RES; n = 13; age: 18.4 ± 1.6 yrs.; height: 164.3 ± 6.2 cm; weight: 58.6 ± 4.6 kg) participated. External loads were monitored using global positioning system devices. Results Throughout the pre-season weeks, PRO team`s external loads were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those observed in RES team, with moderate to very large differences between both teams, except for distances and actions at very high intensities (> 28 km.h), which were similar. This resulted in higher accumulated distances (p < 0.05) covered at different intensities by the PRO, compared to the RES team, at the end of the pre-season period. Conclusions Despite both teams following a similar load management strategy, with an increase up until the fourth week followed by a tapering week, absolute values were substantially different between the teams. Current results indicate that RES team players were most likely underexposed and, thus, transitions to a higher team would need to be managed carefully.
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