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WSL Clubs Vote to Expand Top Tier to 14 Teams for 2026-27 Season

Approval from the FA will trigger automatic elevation of the top two second-tier teams followed by a playoff for the final WSL berth.

Soccer Football - Women's Super League - Chelsea v Liverpool - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - May 10, 2025 Chelsea's Millie Bright lifts the trophy as she celebrates with teammates after winning the Women's Super League Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs/File Photo
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Overview

  • Delegates from WSL and WSL2 clubs approved the league’s growth to 14 teams at a June 16 vote.
  • Final ratification by the Football Association is required before the new structure can take effect.
  • Under the overhaul, the WSL2 champions and runners-up earn direct promotion and the third-placed side faces a WSL team in a play-off to decide the last spot.
  • The second tier will professionalize at 12 clubs while both divisions retain their double round-robin formats and unchanged League Cup setup.
  • Deloitte forecasts revenues to exceed £100 million by 2026 as investors like Alexis Ohanian increase funding in WSL clubs.