Starting from the 2026/27 season, the Women’s Super League (WSL) will feature 14 teams, marking a major expansion of England’s top-tier women’s football league.
Under the current system, only one team is relegated each season. However, the league is set to introduce a new structure that includes two teams relegated and promoted every season, offering more opportunities for clubs in the Women’s Super League 2 (WSL 2) to climb to the top flight.
Key Changes:
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The top two teams in WSL 2 will gain automatic promotion to the WSL at the end of the 2025/26 season to boost the league to 14 clubs.
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A relegation play-off will determine the final spot: the 12th-placed WSL team will face the third-placed WSL 2 team for a place in the top division.
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From 2026/27 onwards, the 14th-placed team will be automatically relegated.
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The 13th-placed WSL side will contest a play-off with the WSL 2 runners-up for top-flight survival.
This overhaul aims to increase competitiveness, create more pathways for clubs, and improve the overall strength and visibility of women’s football in England.