Women's Championship (England)

The Women's Championship (formerly The FA Women's Championship) is the second-highest division of women's football in England. The division was established in 2014 as the FA Women's Super League 2 (WSL 2).

"WSL 2" redirects here. For the Microsoft Windows component, see Windows Subsystem for Linux § WSL 2.

Women's Championship
First season2014
CountryEngland
Number of teams12
Level on pyramid2
Promotion toWomen's Super League
Relegation toNational League North
National League South
Domestic cup(s)Women's FA Cup
League cup(s)FA Women's League Cup
Current championsBristol City (1st title)
(2022–23)
Most championshipsAston Villa, Sunderland, Reading, Yeovil Town, Doncaster Rovers Belles, Manchester United, Leicester City, Liverpool, Bristol City (1 title each)
Websitewomenscompetitions.thefa.com
Current: 2023–24 Women's Championship

WSL 2 replaced the previous level 2 division, the FA Women's Premier League (WPL) National Division, which ended after the 2012–13 season. The WPL's last national division champions, Sunderland A.F.C. Women, were not promoted and also became the first winners of WSL 2 in the 2014 season. In addition to Sunderland, other WPL clubs that joined WSL 2 in 2014 were Watford and Aston Villa.

From 2014 to 2016, WSL 2 ran a summer-based season calendar before reverting to the winter season in 2017–18, the same as WSL 1.

FA WSL 2 was renamed the FA Women's Championship prior to the 2018–19 season.[1] Ahead of the 2022–23 season the top two tiers unveiled a new visual identity, dropping "The FA" from the league names as part of the long term strategy for the leagues to be under new ownership in the future.[2] Having sponsored the first tier since the 2019–20 season, it marked the first season of Barclays as the title partner of the Women's Championship.[3]

History
Sunderland AFC Ladies won the FA WSL 2 in 2014

For the 2014 season, the FA Women's Super League was expanded to create a second division with nine new teams added and one team being relegated from the WSL 1. WSL 1 remained as eight teams, with one new team inserted, with the WSL 2 having ten teams.[4][5][6][7]

The new WSL 1 licence was awarded to Manchester City in 2014. Doncaster Rovers Belles were relegated to WSL 2, with nine new licences awarded to London Bees, Durham, Aston Villa, Millwall Lionesses, Yeovil Town, Reading, Sunderland, Watford, and Oxford United.[8] Doncaster Belles appealed against their demotion, but were unsuccessful.[9]

In December 2014, the FA WSL announced a two-year plan to expand WSL 1 from an eight to ten-team league. Two teams would be promoted from WSL 2, while one team would be relegated to WSL 2.[10][11] Also, for the first time, a team would earn promotion to WSL 2 from the Women's Premier League (now National League), effectively connecting the WSL to the rest of the English women's football pyramid.[12]

This left WSL 1 with nine teams and WSL 2 with ten teams for the 2016 season, and with the process repeated the following year, both WSL 1 and WSL 2 consisted of ten teams each for the 2017–18 season.[10] In addition to being able to prove their financial solvency, clubs applying for entry to the WSL had to show they would attract an average of 350 spectators in 2016, increasing to at least 400 in 2017.[13]

FA WSL 2 was renamed the Women's Championship prior to the 2018–19 season.[1]

In May 2020 the Championship season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[14] In 2022 the league was renamed to simply the Women's Championship, with the FA part being dropped.[15]

Clubs

The following twelve clubs are competing in the 2023–24 season.

Winners
Unless noted, only teams in first were promoted to the WSL.
Year Winner Runners-up Third Top scorers Goals
2014SunderlandDoncaster Rovers BellesReadingFran Kirby (Reading)24
2015ReadingDoncaster Rovers Belles pEvertonCourtney Sweetman-Kirk (Doncaster Rovers Belles)20
2016Yeovil TownBristol City pEvertonIniabasi Umotong (Oxford United)
Jo Wilson (London Bees)		13
Spring Series[lower-alpha 1]EvertonDoncaster Rovers BellesMillwall LionessesCourtney Sweetman-Kirk (Doncaster Rovers Belles)9
2017–18Doncaster Rovers Belles rBrighton & Hove Albion pMillwall LionessesJessica Sigsworth (Doncaster Rovers Belles)15
2018–19Manchester UnitedTottenham Hotspur pCharlton AthleticJessica Sigsworth (Manchester United)17
2019–20Aston VillaSheffield UnitedDurhamKatie Wilkinson (Sheffield United)15
2020–21Leicester CityDurhamLiverpoolKatie Wilkinson (Sheffield United)19
2021–22LiverpoolLondon City LionessesBristol CityAbi Harrison (Bristol City)17
2022–23Bristol CityBirmingham CityLondon City LionessesMelissa Johnson (Charlton Athletic)12

Notes

p.^ Second place team was also promoted
r.^ Withdrew from league and relegated

Notes
  1. The shortened 2017 edition was known as the Spring Series and ran from February to May 2017.

References
  1. FA Women's Championship: New name chosen for England's second tier BBC Sport, 26 February 2018
  2. "Barclays Women's Super League rebranded". www.mancity.com.
  3. "New look for BWSL and BWC". womenscompetitions.thefa.com. 10 June 2022.
  4. "FA WSL 2014: Applications". thefa.com. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  5. "FA WSL 2014-2018 brochure". thefa.com. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  6. "The FA WSL Club Development Plan". thefa.com. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  7. "Clubs bid for WSL spot". thefa.com. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  8. "FA Selects Clubs for WSL". WSL. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  9. Baber, Mark. "Doncaster Belles lose appeal over demotion from Women's Super League". Inside World Football. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  10. "FA WSL 2 promotion announcement". Faws1.com. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  11. "BBC Sport – Women's Super League to be expanded from 2015". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  12. "Sheffield FC beat Portsmouth in Women's Premier League play-off". BBC. 24 May 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  13. "Katie Brazier: FA head of women's leagues targets WSL expansion". BBC Sport. 27 July 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  14. Stonelake, Anthony (15 May 2020). "Women's Super League Season to End". Her Football Hub. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  15. Reja, Arpan (15 May 2020). "Women's Super League and Women's Championship to be rebranded ahead of 2022/23 season". Sports Mint Media. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
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