Wsl to expand to 14 teams from 2026-27 season

The Women’s Super League will expand to 14 teams in 2026. The top division of English women’s football will increase in size after the upcoming season, with two teams moving up from the second division to the Women’s Super League, while the third-place team will face the bottom team of the WSL in a relegation play-off. Subsequently, the team finishing in 14th place will be relegated, and the team in 13th place will compete in a play-off. Crystal Palace were relegated from the WSL last season, finishing 10 points behind Tottenham in 11th place. London City won the Women’s Super League 2 last year, with Birmingham City and Charlton finishing second and third, respectively. Other notable teams in the second division include Newcastle, Sunderland, and Southampton. These proposals were approved on Monday but still require the Football Association’s endorsement. The WSL stated: “Our priority was to find a route that would benefit the whole women’s game pyramid, and we believe this next evolution of women’s professional football will raise minimum standards, create distinction and incentivise investment across the board.” This follows Deloitte’s Annual Review of Football Finance predicting that WSL revenues would exceed £100 million in 2026. “Through developing more robust fan engagement strategies, strong commercial deals and securing central distributions, WSL clubs unlocked a new phase of growth in the 2023-24 season,” said Jennifer Haskel, knowledge and insights lead in the Deloitte Sports Business Group. “The high-profile investment and innovative brand partnerships announced in recent months demonstrate the value gained when women’s teams are treated as distinct entities with a focus on driving specific initiatives tailored to the fans and commercial partners alike.” The latest major investment in the Women’s Super League occurred earlier this season when Reddit co-founder and former Angel City investor Alexis Ohanian purchased a 10% stake in Chelsea for £20 million, valuing the club at £200 million.