1 month ago
Major structural changes to nan Women’s National League, including 4 Women’s Super League academy sides entering tier 3 of nan pyramid from 2027 and nan preamble of a mid-season divided akin to that utilized successful Scotland, person been projected by nan Football Association, nan Guardian tin reveal.
The plans travel alongside a imaginable finance package of astir £1m, enhancements to ineligible and aesculapian support successful nan indebtedness system, and a dream of attracting much fans and media to nan league.
The caller “confidential” description plans travel conscionable complete a twelvemonth aft nan FA decided not to property ahead pinch an description connection that would person led to B teams from WSL clubs being introduced into tier 4 from adjacent season. That plan, besides exclusively revealed by nan Guardian, drew support from conscionable nether 55% of 144 clubs surveyed, but wider feedback astir nan arguable thought was understood to person led to nan FA looking astatine different options.
The caller proposals, which person not yet been ratified astatine FA committee level, do not mention to B teams. The league’s position to clubs said they could “enhance competitiveness, amended hole clubs for nan WSL and supply much compelling title to pull fans and media to nan league”.
An FA spokesperson told nan Guardian: “We are presently exploring a scope of initiatives to thrust continued improvements crossed nan Women’s National League. While nary decisions person been made astatine this stage, we are exploring caller opportunities successful afloat consultation pinch nan leagues, nan clubs and different applicable stakeholders. Our privilege is to guarantee nan women’s shot pyramid successful England continues to turn successful a sustainable way, improving nan quality, professionalism and competitiveness of nan Women’s National League, and besides creating amended improvement opportunities for young English players.”
The 3rd tier, which would stay divided into 2 geographical regions astatine nan commencement of each season, would grow from 24 to 28 teams – 14 successful nan north, 14 successful nan southbound – and see 2 Pro Game Academies (PGAs) successful each region. The 4 PGAs would subordinate pinch a three-year licence, chosen connected nan “strength of academy and proportionality of English talent”. The different WSL clubs’ PGAs would stay successful their existing PGA league.
After 13 rounds, nan convention would divided into 3 groups: an eight-team WNL Premier featuring 4 teams from each location convention and 2 location groups of 10 teams each. The academy sides would beryllium exempt from nan premier group, whose apical 2 would beryllium promoted to WSL2.
The bottommost 3 sides successful nan last northbound and southbound groups will beryllium relegated, meaning PGAs could spell down. Six teams would beryllium promoted from nan 4 tier-four divisions, pinch nan runners-up contesting playoffs.
The finance package offered by nan FA consists of a £500,000 distribution assistance for prize money astatine tiers 3 and four, and a further sum of astir £500,000 which it is hoped will beryllium raised done title sponsorship of nan division.
There would beryllium greater ineligible and aesculapian security for WNL clubs engaging successful indebtedness contracts, and constricted grants disposable for WNL clubs to group up academies, successful different effort to summation competitory minutes for young players.
The FA is understood to person been exploring for respective years ways to effort to summation competitory lucifer minutes for young players. Youth internationals from Spain, nan Netherlands and France typically play acold much top-flight football successful their teens than their English counterparts.
The FA Women’s National League is 35 years old. Burnley lead nan bluish 3rd tier pinch 2 games remaining, and Watford were crowned champions of nan confederate section connected Sunday.
