Women's Championship (England)

"WSL 2" redirects here. For the Microsoft Windows component, see Windows Subsystem for Linux § WSL 2.

Women's Championship
First season2014
CountryEngland
Number of teams11
Level on pyramid2
Promotion toWomen's Super League
Relegation toNational League North
National League South
Domestic cup(s)Women's FA Cup
League cup(s)FA Women's League Cup
Current championsCrystal Palace (1st title)
(2023–24)
Most championshipsAston Villa, Sunderland, Reading, Yeovil Town, Doncaster Rovers Belles, Manchester United, Leicester City, Liverpool, Bristol City, Crystal Palace, (1 title each)
Websitewomensleagues.thefa.com
Current: 2024–25 Women's Championship
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The Women's Championship (formerly The FA Women's Championship) is the second-highest division of women's football in England. The division was established in 2014 as the FA Women's Super League 2 (WSL 2).

WSL 2 replaced the previous level 2 division, the FA Women's Premier League (WPL) National Division, which ended after the 2012–13 season. The WPL's last national division champions, Sunderland A.F.C. Women, were not promoted and also became the first winners of WSL 2 in the 2014 season. In addition to Sunderland, other WPL clubs that joined WSL 2 in 2014 were Watford and Aston Villa.

From 2014 to 2016, WSL 2 ran a summer-based season calendar before reverting to the winter season in 2017–18, the same as WSL 1.

FA WSL 2 was renamed the FA Women's Championship prior to the 2018–19 season.[1] Ahead of the 2022–23 season the top two tiers unveiled a new visual identity, dropping "The FA" from the league names as part of the long term strategy for the leagues to be under new ownership in the future.[2] Having sponsored the first tier since the 2019–20 season, it marked the first season of Barclays as the title partner of the Women's Championship.[3]

In November 2023, all 24 Women's Super League and Women's Championship clubs had unanimously agreed to form a new organisation, named NewCo, to run the women's professional game in England, taking over from the FA.

For the 2023/24 season, changes were made meaning that two clubs would be relegated from the league allowing one team each from National League North and South to be promoted to the Championship rather than having to play a season end playoff. This change resulted in two teams being relegated from the Championship at the end of the season. No changes were made to promotion from the league to the WSL with still only one promotion and one relegation respectively. [4]

For the 2024/25 season, the league was reduced to eleven teams, due to Reading’s withdrawal from the Championship, citing financial issues.[5] The FA confirmed two relegation spots would reduce to one. The league will return to a twelve team league at the beginning of the 2025/26 season.[6]

  1. ^ FA Women's Championship: New name chosen for England's second tier BBC Sport, 26 February 2018
  2. ^ "Barclays Women's Super League rebranded". www.mancity.com.
  3. ^ "New look for BWSL and BWC". womenscompetitions.thefa.com. 10 June 2022.
  4. ^ "Statement: 2023-24 promotion and relegation".
  5. ^ "Reading withdraw from Championship". Reading FC. 30 June 2024.
  6. ^ Veevers, Nick (30 June 2024). "FA and Women's Professional Game statement on Reading FC Women". The FA.