WSL to Expand to 14 Teams & Introduce Promotion‑Relegation Play‑Off

In a landmark decision on 16 June 2025, shareholders in the Women's Super League (WSL) unanimously approved a major restructuring of the English top flight. From the 2026–27 season, the league will expand from 12 to 14 teams, with promotion-relegation play-offs introduced to heighten competitiveness.

Here's how it will work:

1. 2025–26: Two teams from WSL2 will be promoted automatically; third will contest a play-off against the bottom WSL side.
2. 2026–27 onwards: The bottom WSL team is relegated automatically, while the 13th-placed team enters a play-off versus WSL2's runner‑up. Similarly, WSL2's top teams gain more frequent promotion.

WSLF CEO Nikki Doucet stated that these changes are designed to “raise standards, attract investment, and introduce high-stakes fixtures to energise the women’s game.”

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