Latest news with #promotionrelegation
Times
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Times
WSL to expand to 14 teams and add promotion-relegation play-off
The Women's Super League is set to expand from 12 to 14 teams and introduce a promotion-relegation play-off in the most radical format changes since the competition was founded in 2010. The restructuring, which is subject to FA approval, will commence next season and be fully implemented by the start of the 2026-27 campaign. Relegation has been preserved after the prospect of scrapping the concept provoked a backlash. Next season is effectively a bridging year between formats. There will be 12 teams in the WSL, as there have been in each campaign since 2019-20. However, there will be two automatic promotion spots from the second-tier WSL2, up from the one there has been in each season since 2018-19. The team that finishes third in next season's WSL2 will play the team that comes bottom in the WSL in a promotion-relegation play-off. This structure will allow the top flight to expand to 14 teams while preserving the jeopardy of relegation. From 2026-27 onwards, the WSL will have 14 teams and one automatic relegation spot. The team that finishes 13th will play the WSL2 runners-up in a promotion-relegation play-off, which is likely to be a one-off game. To keep the WSL2 at 12 teams for 2026-27, it is expected that three will be promoted into the division but only one relegated, with the team that finishes bottom automatically going down. The winners of the third-tier's two regional leagues, the National League North and National League South, would be promoted automatically. The runners-up in these two divisions would have a play-off for the third promotion spot. The location of play-offs has yet to be determined, but they are likely to be one-off games. Both divisions will continue to operate in the traditional round-robin, home-and-away format, with the top three in the WSL qualifying for the Champions League. WSL Football (WSLF), which operates the WSL and WSL2, held a shareholders' meeting on Monday, during which these proposals were approved. It is understood that they required the support of eight clubs in each of the two divisions but were ultimately approved unanimously. WSLF took over the running of the leagues from the FA in August 2024 and has pledged to grow the English women's club game through innovation. The FA holds a 'golden share' in WSLF and still runs the women's pyramid from the National League downwards. It has the power to veto any changes to the pyramid's structure, and has yet to confirm how promotion into WSL2 may be influenced by the format changes from 2026-27. However, it is likely to approve the WSLF's proposals. WSLF considered several format changes in its quest to boost finances and increase jeopardy. Options included play-offs for the WSL title and the leagues splitting in half for their climax, but neither reached the proposal stage. Although the possibility of pausing relegation was considered, this concept was criticised by fans and also discarded. The greatest issue with the WSL's present structure was the lack of jeopardy for mid-table teams. With the traditional 'big four' (Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United) generally out of reach, several sides found themselves neither pushing for one of three European spots nor battling relegation for much of the campaign. There has been more jeopardy at the top of the table. Although Chelsea have won six titles in a row, four were not sealed until the final day. The growing quality of the Championship, now renamed to WSL2, has convinced WSLF to increase the number of promotion spots. Last season's final-day game between Birmingham City and London City Lionesses, which was a winner-takes-all match for promotion, was the first second-tier game broadcast on live TV and displayed the appeal of play-offs. Nikki Doucet, chief executive of WSLF, said: 'Over the past few months, WSL Football has led a thorough and robust, consultative process backed by research and analysis which explored multiple options that could drive the game forward and help it reach its Potential. 'Our priority was to find a route that would benefit the whole women's game pyramid, and we believe this next evolution of women's professional football will raise minimum standards, create distinction and incentivise investment across the board. 'Subject to the approval from The FA Board, expanding the BWSL to 14 teams will stimulate movement between leagues and through the pyramid which increases opportunities. The introduction of a promotion/relegation playoff creates distinction for the women's game and introduces a high-profile, high stakes match.'
Reuters
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Reuters
English Women's Super League expanding to 14 teams from 2026
June 16 (Reuters) - The English Women's Super League (WSL) will expand from 12 to 14 teams from the 2026-27 season, WSL Football said on Monday, and a promotion/relegation playoff will be introduced. The changes, subject to approval by the FA Board, mean that two teams will be automatically promoted from the second-tier WSL2 next season and the third-placed club in tier two will face the bottom club in WSL in a playoff. From the 2026-27 season onwards, the 13th-placed side in the top division will meet the runners-up of WSL2 in a promotion/relegation playoff, and the WSL's bottom club will be relegated and replaced by the winners of the second division. "Expanding the WSL to 14 teams will stimulate movement between leagues and through the pyramid which increases opportunities," WSL CEO Nikki Doucet said. "The introduction of a promotion/relegation playoff creates distinction for the women's game and introduces a high-profile, high stakes match."
New York Times
13 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
WSL clubs vote to expand league to 14 teams and introduce relegation play-off
Women's Super League 1 (WSL1) and Women's Super League 2 (WSL2) clubs have voted to expand the top-flight for the 2026-27 season from 12 to 14 teams, as well as introduce a play-off system for relegation and promotion. The vote by the 24 member clubs of WSL1 and WSL2 took place on Monday. For next season, 2025-26, there will be no automatic relegation spot from WSL1. Instead, the WSL2 winners and runners-up will be automatically promoted to WSL1. The 12th-placed team in WSL1 will then face the third-placed team in WSL2 in a play-off to decide the final spot in WSL1 for the 2026-27 season. Advertisement From the 2026-27 season onwards, the single automatic relegation spot will be reinstated to WSL1, with the winners of WSL2 automatically promoted. A play-off will take place between the 13th-placed WSL1 side and the runners-up of WSL2 for the final WSL1 spot. The men's top flights in Germany and France operate similar relegation play-offs. 'Subject to the approval from The FA Board, expanding the BWSL to 14 teams will stimulate movement between leagues and through the pyramid which increases opportunities. The introduction of a promotion/relegation playoff creates distinction for the women's game and introduces a high-profile, high-stakes match,' said Nikki Doucet, CEO of WSL Football, the company that runs the top two women's divisions in England. WSL2 will remain a 12-team league for the 2025-26 season but with only one automatic relegation spot for the team that finishes bottom. The winners of the Women's National League North (WNL North) and Women's National League South (WNL South), the regionalised third-tier competitions in England, will be granted automatic promotion to WSL2 to fill the vacated spots by the promoted sides to WSL1. A play-off will then be held between the WNL North and WNL South runners-up for the final WSL2 space. From the 2026-27 season onwards, WSL2 will have two automatic relegation spots for the 11th- and 12th-placed sides. The winners of the WNL North and WNL South will be automatically promoted. 'Over the past few months, WSL Football has led a thorough and robust, consultative process backed by research and analysis which explored multiple options that could drive the game forward and help it reach its potential,' Doucet added. 'Our priority was to find a route that would benefit the whole women's game pyramid, and we believe this next evolution of women's professional football will raise minimum standards, create distinction and incentivise investment across the board.' Advertisement According to a media briefing from WSL Football, the proposals are considered 'phase one' of the game's evolution, with a review set to be undertaken in the coming seasons. The vote represents the culmination of a months-long consultation process between WSL Football and its 24 member clubs WSL1 and WSL2 regarding the growth and development of the women's game. Previous discussions had reportedly included the possibility of scrapping relegation from the top tier, a proposal that received backlash from the public. A two-thirds majority vote from WSL1 and WSL2 (eight from each division) was required to approve the proposals. The proposals will now be sent to the English Football Association (FA) for ratification. ()
