Manchester City and Chelsea will play their opening matches of the Women’s Super League season at the Etihad Stadium and Stamford Bridge.

City’s match against Manchester United on 7 September and Chelsea’s game against Tottenham the following day will be staged at the Premier League grounds, with the men’s top flight on an international break.

The decision to move top WSL games to large stadiums is part of a wider initiative by the Football Association, which runs the league, and the 12 member clubs to build on the interest generated by England’s campaign at the Women’s World Cup. It is understood both matches will also be broadcast live on BT.

Fans can claim up to four free tickets for the London derby, while City are offering up to three free tickets for under-16s per paying adult, with adult tickets at £7. Any additional child’s ticket will cost £2.

It is understood City considered making the game free but decided adults should pay something as they want fans to view the WSL as a product worth paying for. The club, however, did benchmark their adult price against the cheapest ticket available at the Women’s World Cup in France.

It will be only the second time City’s women’s team have played at the Etihad Stadium, with the first coming in 2014. Their usual home is the 7,000-capacity Academy Stadium, a five-minute walk away from the main ground.

The match, which kicks off at 3pm, will also be the first women’s Manchester derby since United launched their team at the start of last season.

United won the Championship last season but City will represent a formidable first game at WSL level. Their squad are packed with England players, including the captain Steph Houghton, the midfielder Jill Scott and the leading scorer Ellen White.

“We are all very excited to play our first home game of the season at the Etihad Stadium and, better yet, in a Manchester derby,” Houghton said. “Big games like this are the ones you want to be in as a player and every one of us Manchester City players is looking forward to getting on that pitch and giving you all a performance to be proud of.”

Last season, City finished second in the WSL and won the Women’s FA Cup and League Cup.

Spurs came up with United as the Championship runners-up but they also face a tough WSL opener against Emma Hayes’s experienced Chelsea side, who reached the last four of the Champions League and feature England’s Fran Kirby, Millie Bright and Carly Telford.

The game will kick off at 12.30pm on 8 September, and Chelsea have told fans to order tickets only if they are sure they can attend, as they are expecting a full house.

The full fixture list for the WSL season, its second as a fully professional league, will be revealed on Wednesday, but the four other opening games have been announced – with the champions Arsenal hosting the FA Cup runners-up West Ham, Everton visiting Birmingham, Bristol City hosting Brighton and Reading travelling to Liverpool.