WSL news: A radical shift? The debate over relegation in the Women’s Super League
The Women’s Super League has undergone significant transformation in recent years, fueled by increased investment, media attention, and growing fan engagement.
Now, a major restructuring proposal could reshape the league’s future - one that involves scrapping relegation entirely.
But is this the right move?
Sports News Blitz writer Claudia Jones explores the potential impact of this controversial change.
The evolution of women’s football
Women’s football has grown exponentially over the last 10 years, and this increasing popularity is not slowing down.
The surge in media coverage, funding, and sponsorships has helped the game to grow and develop significantly.
Since the Women’s Professional Leagues Limited formed in 2024, the development of the WSL has skyrocketed.
Major new deals such as securing a five-year agreement with Sky Sports and the BBC worth £65m, and a Barclays sponsorship deal worth £45m have since been secured.
The WPLL are now proposing new ideas to expand the WSL and Women’s Championship by scrapping relegation.
The intention of the proposal is to grow the top two domestic football divisions whilst improving their sustainability and profitability.
This suggested structure change will be discussed by all 23 clubs in the two top flights of English football at the end of the season.
A vote will then take place to determine the future of the leagues.
The new structure would be implemented for four seasons, beginning in the 2026/27 season.
No relegation is not new to Women’s football
When the WSL initially formed with eight teams in 2011, relegation was non-existent.
The NWSL, the top division in the USA Women’s Soccer, also have no relegation. Their success exemplifies how a league with no relegation can thrive.
This change could be a turning point for women’s football in England, evolving the game as we know it.
There are many benefits for scrapping relegation, such as providing stability and security for clubs, allowing them to invest and develop for long-term success.
With increased security, long-term player contracts are more viable, which could attract top talents globally.
The pyramid restructure could encourage investments into Pro Game Academies (PGA’s), focusing on the future generations.
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An end to competition
However, the potential downfalls of scrapping relegation cannot be underestimated.
Since the women’s game has seen unprecedented growth in recent years, removing relegation could be a risk to the WSL’s success.
Without it, clubs may not continue to fund the women’s team as this removes the risk factor.
The jeopardy creates competition, hunger, and ambition.
If teams are already out of the title race, they may not prioritise the WSL and may save their strongest team for other competitions such as the FA Cup.
This reduces the competitiveness of league games.
Fortunately, the WPLL have stated that stakeholders and fans included will be considered while the final decision will be made.
With fans at the heart of the game, this is a crucial factor.
As Manchester City manager Gareth Taylor said, "Promotion and relegation are always going to be what supporters and teams play for.”
Fans crave the excitement of promotion and relegation battles. By removing this, part of that excitement will be diminished.
The path forward
There are still many unanswered questions about this restructuring proposal, and details have yet to be finalised.
However, I believe relegation should not be scrapped.
There are alternative ways to expand the leagues - such as following the previous structure of one team going down and two teams coming up.
This approach continues to prioritise the growth of women’s football in England while preserving the integrity and competitive nature of the leagues.
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