The Football Association Board has given the green light for the WSL to grow from 12 teams to 14.
The changes will be phased in at the end of the upcoming 2025/26 season, when two teams from the revamped Barclays WSL 2 — previously the Women’s Championship — will be automatically promoted and a relegation play-off will be contested between the WSL’s bottom side and the WSL 2’s third-place team.
From the 2026/27 season, one club will be automatically relegated from the WSL and one promoted to it, with a play-off to be held between the WSL2’s runners-up and second-bottom in the WSL.
Prior to the changes, the bottom side in the WSL were relegated and only the winners of the second-tier were promoted each season.
The proposal to increase the number of WSL teams to 14 was made by WSL Football, the body which oversees the league.
An FA statement outlining the changes also revealed that: “There will be consequential changes to promotion throughout the remainder of the Women’s Football Pyramid for the 2025-26 season, which will be decided in due course.”
It added: “The growth of the BWSL and the BWSL2 reflects the ongoing evolution of the women’s professional game in England which we consider will be of benefit to all clubs.”
