FA Women's Championship

FA Women's Championship
source
Name	FA Women's Championship
Country	England
Confed	UEFA
Founded	2014 (restructured 2018)
Teams	12
Promotion	Women's Super League
Relegation	FA Women's National League
Champions	Liverpool (2023–24)
Most successful	Liverpool (3 titles)
Website	The Football Association

FA Women's Championship The FA Women's Championship is the second tier of women's association football in England, sitting below the Women's Super League and above the FA Women's National League. The competition operates with promotion and relegation, involving clubs from across Greater London, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Nottingham, Sheffield, Newcastle upon Tyne, and other English cities. Governed by The Football Association, the Championship has been a platform for clubs such as Liverpool F.C. Women, Manchester United W.F.C., Leicester City W.F.C., West Ham United F.C. Women, and Sunderland A.F.C. Ladies to develop squads, coaching staff, and infrastructure.

History

The competition traces origins to the restructured second tier created after the 2014 launch of the Women's Super League (WSL) and the subsequent 2018 pyramid reforms by The Football Association. Early participants included clubs transitioning from the FA Women's Premier League and new entities backed by professional men's clubs such as Chelsea F.C. Women, Arsenal W.F.C., Manchester City W.F.C. and Notts County Ladies during periods of expansion. Financial, licensing, and stadium requirements introduced by The Football Association and overseen alongside stakeholders like UEFA and the English Football League influenced club eligibility, causing notable movements involving Doncaster Rovers Belles, Bristol City W.F.C., Reading F.C. Women, and Everton L.F.C.. The Championship's evolution coincided with increased media coverage from broadcasters including BBC Sport, Sky Sports, and DAZN, and investment from entities such as FIFA initiatives and private ownership groups.

Competition format

The league currently features 12 clubs playing a double round-robin, with each club facing all others home and away, echoing formats used by EFL Championship and Scottish Women's Premier League in structure. The top club is eligible for promotion to the Women's Super League subject to licensing and facility criteria administered by The Football Association and professional standards guidance from UEFA. The bottom clubs face relegation to the FA Women's National League divisions, with playoff mechanisms historically involving clubs from Northern Ireland or Wales only when cross-border arrangements applied. Match officials are appointed through pathways involving Professional Game Match Officials Limited, and disciplinary matters have been adjudicated under regulations promulgated by The Football Association and influenced by precedents from Court of Arbitration for Sport rulings in football governance.

Clubs and stadiums

Clubs in the Championship have included established academies and standalone women's organizations such as Liverpool F.C. Women, Manchester United W.F.C., Brighton & Hove Albion W.F.C., Bristol City W.F.C., Charlton Athletic W.F.C., Sheffield United W.F.C., Coventry United W.F.C., and Aston Villa W.F.C. during various seasons. Home venues range from large football stadia like Prenton Park and Broadfield Stadium to smaller community grounds used by Oxford United Women and Lewes FC Women. Stadium compliance is overseen by The Football Association licensing, with clubs often sharing facilities with English Football League and National League teams or using municipal grounds managed by local authorities such as Manchester City Council and Bristol City Council.

Seasons and records

Seasonal competition has produced title-winning campaigns and records by clubs and players. Notable champions include Liverpool F.C. Women (multiple titles), Manchester United W.F.C. (rapid rise through promotion), and Bristol City W.F.C. in different eras. Individual match records, highest attendances, and longest unbeaten runs have been documented with milestones at fixtures held at venues like Anfield (women's fixtures for affiliated clubs), Old Trafford for occasional showcases, and regional derbies such as North West derbies. Statistical leadership in goals and clean sheets has occasionally been mirrored in England women's national football team call-ups, with players progressing to competitions like the FIFA Women's World Cup and the UEFA Women's Championship.

Player awards and statistics

The Championship recognizes top performers through awards such as Player of the Season, Young Player of the Season, and Golden Boot, with selection processes involving panels drawing members from The Football Association, coaches, and media partners like BBC Sport and The Guardian. Statistical tracking of goals, assists, appearances, and minutes is compiled by organizations including Opta Sports and Stats Perform, informing scouting and transfers to clubs in the Women's Super League and abroad to leagues like National Women's Soccer League and Damallsvenskan. Alumni who have earned international caps include players who progressed to England women's national football team, Republic of Ireland women's national football team, Scotland women's national football team, and other national squads.

Administration and governance

Administration is led by The Football Association with competition rules, club licensing, and fixtures coordinated by FA Women's departments and committees involving stakeholders from Professional Footballers' Association (PFA), EFL, and representative clubs. Governance reforms have been influenced by reports from bodies including UEFA, independent panels, and parliamentary inquiries into women's sport investment and safeguarding standards involving agencies such as Sport England and Independent Football Ombudsman. Commercial rights, broadcast negotiations, and sponsorship dealings have involved partners such as Barclays (in WSL contexts), rights holders like Sky Sports and BBC Sport, and investors including consortiums associated with Venture capital and private ownership groups active in English football.

Category:Women's football leagues in England