The WSL discarded the winter football season for six years, between 2011 and 2016, playing through the summer instead (from March until October). Since 2017–18, the WSL has operated as a winter league running from September to May, as was traditional before 2011. From 2014 to 2017–18, the Women's Super League consisted of two divisions – FA WSL 1 and FA WSL 2 – and brought a promotion and relegation system to the WSL. Ahead of the 2018–19 season, the second division was renamed the FA Women's Championship.
The WSL champions, runners-up and third-placed team qualify for the UEFA Women's Champions League the following season. Since its inception, four clubs have won the title: Chelsea (7), Arsenal (3), Liverpool (2) and Manchester City (1).[a] The current Women's Super League champions are Chelsea, who won their record-extending seventh title in the 2023–24 season, as well as their fifth consecutive title.
The inaugural WSL season kicked off on 13 April 2011 — at Imperial Fields, Chelsea's home ground — with a match between Chelsea and Arsenal, which Chelsea lost 1–0.[6]
For the 2014 season, a second division was created named FA WSL 2, with nine teams and one team being relegated from the WSL 1. WSL 1 remained as eight teams, with the WSL 2 having ten teams.[7][8][9][10] The new WSL 1 licence was awarded to Manchester City. Doncaster Rovers Belles were relegated to the WSL 2. They appealed against their demotion but were unsuccessful.[11]
In December 2014, the FA WSL announced a two-year plan to expand the WSL 1 from an eight to a ten-team league. Two teams were promoted from the WSL 2 at the end of the 2015 season, while one team was relegated to the WSL 2 with the same happening at the end of the 2016 season.[12][13] Also, for the first time, a team from the FA Women's Premier League earned a promotion to WSL 2, effectively connecting the WSL to the rest of the English women's football pyramid.[14]
The FA announced in July 2016 that the league would move from a summer league format to a winter league, in line with the traditional football calendar in England, with matches played from September to May the following year. A shortened bridging season took place, branded as the FA WSL Spring Series, with teams playing each other once from February to May 2017.[15]
Following the 2017–18 FA WSL season, WSL 1 was renamed back to the FA Women's Super League, becoming a fully professional league for the first time, with eleven teams for the 2018–19 season.[16][17] Teams had to re-apply for their licence to earn their place in the league, requiring clubs to offer their players a minimum 16-hour a week contract and to form a youth academy as compulsory for the new licence criteria. Sunderland was moved down to tier 3 in the women's football pyramid after not receiving a licence whilst Brighton & Hove Albion and West Ham United were added to the league.[18]
In May 2020, the league was curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Chelsea were declared champions of the season based on a points-per-game average.[20]
At the conclusion of the 2020–21 season, four first-team managers resigned from their positions at WSL clubs Birmingham, Manchester United, Arsenal, and Aston Villa. Birmingham's outgoing manager Carla Ward questioned the commitment of some of the clubs involved in WSL,[21] whilst Manchester United's outgoing manager Casey Stoney allegedly quit because of unresolved issues surrounding lack of training facilities and other infrastructure.[22]
In November 2023, all 24 Women's Super League and Women's Championship clubs unanimously agreed to form a new organisation to run the women's professional game in England, taking over from the FA. The organisation was named NewCo, and Nikki Doucet was named CEO.[23][24] From the 2024–25 season, the company was known as the Women's Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL).[25][26]
The Women's Super League currently consists of twelve clubs. Initially the league was described as professional, with the top four players on each team being paid an annual salary in excess of £20,000.[27] However, in November 2010 it was confirmed that the WSL would be semi-professional, with only a "handful" of top players full-time.[28] Clubs' annual wage bills were expected to be approximately one-tenth of those in the now-defunct American Women's Professional Soccer.[28]
The 2011 season included a mid-season break from 12 May 2011, to allow for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. The season then resumed in early July, finishing in August 2011.[29]
After the league fixtures, the teams compete for a knock-out cup competition, the FA WSL Continental Cup.[30] For the 2014 season, the teams were placed into three regional groups of six. The group winners and best-performing runners-up all advanced to a knockout semi-final.[31] Since the 2015 season, the WSL Continental Cup have been played simultaneously with the league season.
Following a review, the FA announced in September 2017 that a restructuring of the league and its licensing criteria would follow from the 2017–18 season with a goal of a fully professional top division of between 8 and 14 teams and a second division of up to 12 semi-professional teams.[32] For the 2018–19 season, the league became fully professional.[16]
Clubs
The following twelve clubs are competing in the 2024–25 season:
In the first season of the WSL clubs were subject to a squad cap of 20 players. This proved unpopular with both managers and players.[33][34] Ahead of the 2012 season, the rule was reviewed and the cap increased to 23 players.[35] Players from outside the European Union, like their male counterparts, are subject to Home Office work permit regulations.[36]
The FA said in April 2012 that the salary rule of allowing only four players per team to earn over £20,000 and that all clubs are paid £70,000 per season from a Club Development Fund should limit any financial "imbalance" between clubs.[37] However, the introduction of a genuine salary cap remained under consideration for 2013 and beyond.[36] Doncaster manager John Buckley revealed that his club lost Rachel Williams and other players to Birmingham City because he was working to a budget eight times smaller than that enjoyed by Birmingham.[38]
When the 2012 WPS season was cancelled in the United States, Lincoln Ladies manager Glen Harris said that the next destination of that league's British players would be decided by "pounds, shillings and pence."[39] Ultimately Kelly Smith, Alex Scott and Gemma Davison all joined Arsenal,[40][41] while Ifeoma Dieke and Anita Asante joined the Swedish Damallsvenskan in preference to the WSL.
On 20 May 2023, Reading manager Kelly Chambers noted that the team — the only WSL club not affiliated with a men's Premier League club – struggled to compete with a smaller budget for wages than women's sides with Premier League backing. She cited the £250,000 fee paid by Tottenham Hotspur for Bethany England, while some Reading staff were required to work multiple roles from lack of investment by its affiliated men's side in the EFL Championship.[42]
^ abThe FA WSL Spring Series was an interim edition and is not recognised as an official title as it has not been played throughout the whole season.[43][44][45]
^Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the season ended early and the league was decided on a points-per-game basis.
In September 2021, the Women's Super League announced the first inductees into the Barclays FA WSL Hall of Fame, recognising significant individuals who have contributed to the growth of the women's game in England and the WSL.[46]
Finances
Sponsorship
As of 30 November 2022[update], the WSL's total annual sponsorship revenue was estimated to be about $14.72 million.[47]
In March 2019, the Women's Super League agreed a multi-million sponsorship deal with British bank Barclays from the start of the 2019–20 season. The three-year sponsorship deal is reported to be in excess of £10 million with a prize money pot of £500,000 for the league champions for the first time. The FA described the deal as "the biggest ever investment in UK women's sport by a brand".[48] Barclays renewed the sponsorship with an additional three-year deal on 15 December 2021, doubled its rights fee, and extended its sponsorship to the FA Women's Championship.[49][50]
Most shirt sponsorships for women's sides affiliated with men's clubs are bundled and not sold or valued separately.[54]
Investment from Premier League clubs
In the 2022–23 season, 11 of the WSL's 12 teams were affiliates of men's Premier League clubs,[55] with the only exception being Reading, who were affiliated with a lower-tier men's side.[42]Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur combined had spent a total of £123.6 million on their women's sides from the league's founding in 2011 to the 2022–23 season. A report in The Telegraph compared this spending to the £186 million those clubs' spent on agents' fees for men's player transactions from 1 February 2022 to 31 January 2023. Those clubs spent £33 million on their women's sides over the same period.[56]
Declined investments
In July 2022, The FA declined a £150 million offer from an unnamed private equity firm to purchase the league. Baroness Sue Campbell had noted that The FA had refused other private equity offers.[57]
Broadcasting
As of 2021[update], matches are broadcast and streamed in the United Kingdom and Ireland via The FA Player, Sky Sports, and the BBC (UK only). Internationally, select matches are broadcast in at least twelve countries, including Australia, Canada, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Finland, Germany, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, and Sweden, and the United States.
In the United Kingdom and Ireland
FA women's competitions were initially broadcast on ESPN from 2009 to 2013 as part of a four-year broadcast rights deal.[58] Six live matches were broadcast in 2011 in addition to weekly highlights, with ten games shown in 2012.[29] ESPN broadcast the opening game of the WSL between Chelsea and Arsenal at Imperial Fields on 13 April 2011, a game Arsenal won 1–0 with a first half goal by Gilly Flaherty. The second televised game took place on 12 May 2011 as Doncaster Belles lost 1–0 to Everton Ladies at the Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster.[citation needed] In 2013, BBC Two broadcast four WSL programmes during the 2013–14 season. Each programme featured goal round-ups, highlights and features.[59]
During the 2017–18 season, many WSL games were broadcast on television by BT Sport, online and red-button by the BBC (UK only), and via the league's Facebook page.[60]BBC Sport continued to air one game a weekend digitally via their iPlayer service and website,[61] while subscription channel Sky Sports also holds the rights to televise a selection of matches.[62][63] For the 2019–20 season, league matches were streamed via The FA Player, as well as some Women's Championship games, highlights from the FA Cup, League Cup and international England games.[64][65] Some games in The FA Player were excluded, such as those broadcast on BT Sport in the UK and Ireland due to licensing rights.[66]
In March 2021, the FA WSL announced a new record-breaking three-year domestic television rights deal with Sky Sports and BBC, beginning with the 2021–22 season. Sky would broadcast 44 matches per season with a further 22 matches shown on BBC platforms including a minimum of 18 on BBC One or Two. All other fixtures would remain available to stream for free on The FA Player, the governing body's own over OTT service.[67] Believed to be worth around £8 million a season, it was the biggest broadcast deal of any professional women's football league in the world and marked the first time that the WSL's rights had been sold separately from the men's game.[68]
In July 2024, YouTube was listed as a new streaming service for non-broadcast WSL matches and select Women's Championship fixtures, as part of a transition from the FA Player. Sky Sports and BBC remained rights holders for the 2024–25 season, with Sky and Now TV broadcasting 44 matches, and the BBC broadcasting 22 matches on iPlayer, with 18 intended for BBC One or BBC Two.[69]
In October 2024, a five-year deal with Sky Sports and the BBC worth £65 million was agreed upon by the WSL, an increase from the estimated £7-8 million per season, and the first long-term agreement with broadcasters. As the main investor, Sky Sports are to broadcast 118 live matches per season, the BBC have committed to 21 matches, with the remaining games available on YouTube.[70]
International
For countries without broadcast rights, all WSL matches are available on YouTube for the 2024–25 season.[69]
Andrei AngouwWali Kota Manado ke-19PetahanaMulai menjabat 10 Mei 2021GubernurOlly DondokambeyWakilRichard SualangPendahuluVicky LumentutKetua DPRD Sulawesi UtaraMasa jabatan2 Oktober 2019 – 10 Mei 2021Ketua sementara: 9 September – 2 Oktober 2019Menjabat bersama Daftar Richard H.M. Sualang Arthur Anthonius Kotambunan Yongkie Limen J. Victor Mailangkay Amir Liputo Ayub Ali Kristo Ivan Ferno Lumentut WakilVictor MailangkayJames Arthur KojongianBilly LombokPengganti...
Buró Político del Comité Central del Partido Comunista de la Unión Soviética. 1934. Stalin y Kírov con la hija de Stalin, Svetlana. 1934. El XVII Congreso del Partido Comunista de la Unión Soviética se celebró entre el 26 de enero y el 16 de febrero de 1934 en la ciudad de Moscú, entonces capital de la Unión Soviética. Apodado como el Congreso de los victoriosos («Съезд победителей»), Stalin quedó en segundo lugar en la elección para secretario general del PCUS...
Museum LampungMuseum Lampung Museum Tanah Lampung atau Museum Lampung, adalah sebuah museum yang terletak di Kota Bandar Lampung, provinsi Lampung, Indonesia. Beralamat di Jalan ZA Pagar Alam No.64 Bandar Lampung. Museum ini merupakan museum pertama dan terbesar di provinsi Lampung dan merupakan kebanggaan pemerintah provinsi Lampung. Letak museum ini cukup strategis sebab tak jauh dari pusat kota Bandar Lampung, yakni hanya 30 menit perjalanan.[2] Sejarah Museum Lampung Bab atau bagi...
Novaya Zemlya Novaya Zemlya (bahasa Rusia: Но́вая Земля́, juga dieja Novaja Zemlja, lit. Tanah Baru; juga dikenal dalam bahasa Inggris dan Belanda sebagai Nova Zembla, Norwegia Gåselandet (Tanah Angsa)) adalah sebuah kepulauan di Samudra Arktik di utara Rusia dan titik ekstrem timur laut di Eropa di Tanjung Zhelaniya (lihat juga titik ekstrem di Eropa). Kepulauan ini dikelola oleh Oblast Arkhangelsk sebagai Wilayah Pulau Novaya Zemlya. Populasinya sekitar 2.716 jiwa (sensus 2...
Este artículo o sección necesita referencias que aparezcan en una publicación acreditada.Este aviso fue puesto el 16 de octubre de 2016. Sharleen Spiteri Información personalNombre de nacimiento Sharleen Eugene SpiteriNacimiento 7 de noviembre de 1967 (56 años)Bellshill (Reino Unido) Nacionalidad BritánicaCaracterísticas físicasAltura 1,65 m (5′ 5″)EducaciónEducada en Vale of Leven Academy Información profesionalOcupación Cantante, compositora de canciones y música Años activ...
Dietrich von SauckenInformación personalNacimiento 16 de mayo de 1892Fischhausen, Imperio AlemánFallecimiento 27 de septiembre de 1980Pullach, Alemania OccidentalSepultura Waldfriedhof Solln Nacionalidad AlemanaEducaciónEducado en Collegium Fridericianum Información profesionalOcupación Oficial militar Años activo 1910-1945Lealtad Imperio Alemán República de Weimar Alemania naziRama militar Ejército de Prusia Mandos 4.ª División PanzerRango militar General der PanzertruppeConflicto...
Mother of U.S. president Richard Nixon Hannah Milhous NixonBornHannah Elizabeth Milhous(1885-03-07)March 7, 1885near Butlerville, Indiana, U.S.DiedSeptember 30, 1967(1967-09-30) (aged 82)Whittier, California, U.S.[1]Spouse Francis A. Nixon (m. 1908; died 1956)Children Harold Nixon Richard Nixon Francis Donald Nixon Arthur Burdg Nixon Edward Calvert Nixon Relatives Pat Nixon (daughter-in-law) Tricia Nixon Cox (granddaughter) Juli...
Portrait of Jan van Casembroot by Anthony van Zijlvelt, Jan van Casembroot, Lord of Backerzele (also Jehan de Casembroot) (ca. 1525 – 14 September 1568) was a Flemish noble and poet. He was lord of Bekkerzeel, Zellik, Kobbegem, Berchem-Oudenaarde and Fenain. Life Jan Casembroot was born in Bruges, where he descended from an important family, originally from Piemonte. His father Lenaert Casembroot (1495-1558) was mayor of Bruges and his mother was Maria Reyvaert. He married Wilhelmina va...
Bilateral relationsBrunei–Cambodia relations Brunei Cambodia EnvoyAmbassador Pengiran Kasmirhan[1]Ambassador Lim Hokseng[2] Brunei and Cambodia established diplomatic relations in 1992. Brunei has an embassy in Phnom Penh, and Cambodia has an embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan.[3] Both countries co-operate in trade, education and defence.[3] History Relations between the two countries has been established since 9 June 1992.[3] In 2012, His Majesty The Sul...
Hotel located on Roda Island in Cairo, Egypt Grand Nile Tower HotelGeneral informationLocationCairo, EgyptOpening1974; 49 years ago (1974)OwnerOrascom Investment HoldingTechnical detailsFloor count41Design and constructionArchitect(s)William B. Tabler Architects[1]Other informationNumber of rooms715Websitehttp://www.grandniletower.com/ The Grand Nile Tower Hotel is located on Roda Island in Cairo, Egypt. History and profile The 966-room original wing of the hotel ope...
British actor (1923–2014) The Right HonourableThe Lord AttenboroughCBE FRSARichard Attenborough at the 2007 Toronto International Film FestivalBornRichard Samuel Attenborough(1923-08-29)29 August 1923Cambridge, EnglandDied24 August 2014(2014-08-24) (aged 90)Northwood, London, EnglandResting placeSt Mary Magdalene, Richmond, LondonOccupationsActorfilm directorproducerPolitical partyLabourSpouse Sheila Sim (m. 1945)ChildrenMichaelJaneCharlotteParen...
Ryutaro Hashimoto橋本 龍太郎Foto resmi, 1996Perdana Menteri JepangMasa jabatan11 Januari 1996 – 30 Juli 1998Penguasa monarkiAkihitoPendahuluTomiichi MurayamaPenggantiKeizo Obuchi Informasi pribadiLahir(1937-07-29)29 Juli 1937Sōja, Okayama, Kekaisaran JepangMeninggal1 Juli 2006(2006-07-01) (umur 68)Tokyo, JepangKebangsaanJepangPartai politikPartai Demokrat LiberalSuami/istriKumiko HashimotoAnakGaku HashimotoAlma materKeio UniversitySunting kotak info • L • B...
Ratna AntikaLahirRatna Intikasari28 April 1989 (umur 34)Malang, Jawa Timur, IndonesiaNama lainRatna Antika MonataRafcrealPekerjaanPenyanyiKarier musikGenreDangdutTahun aktif1998–sekarangLabelPancal RecordsAnggotaMonataSitus webpancalrecords.com Ratna Intikasari atau lebih dikenal sebagai Ratna Antika, (lahir 28 April 1989) adalah penyanyi dangdut berkebangsaan Indonesia. Ia memulai kariernya sejak lulus SMA pada tahun 2007 yang berawal dari menyanyi panggung ke panggung bersama gr...
College football game1976 Gator Bowl Penn State Nittany Lions Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7–4) (8–3) Independent Independent 9 20 Head coach: Joe Paterno Head coach: Dan Devine APCoaches 20NR APCoaches 1513 1234 Total Penn State 3006 9 Notre Dame 71300 20 DateDecember 27, 1976Season1976StadiumGator Bowl StadiumLocationJacksonville, FloridaMVPND: Al Hunter HBPSU: Jimmy Cefalo WRRefereeR. Pete Williams (SEC)Attendance67,827United States TV coverageNetworkABC Gator Bowl ...
Bantu kingdom in central Uganda Traditional tribal kingdom in UgandaBugandaTraditional tribal kingdom FlagAnthem: Ekitiibwa kya BugandaBuganda is shaded red on this mapSovereign state UgandaCapitalMengoGovernment • TypeConstitutional monarchy • BodyLukiiko • KabakaRonald Muwenda Mutebi II • Katikkiro(Prime Minister)Charles Peter MayigaArea[1] • Total61,403.2 km2 (23,707.9 sq mi)Elevation1,200 m (3,900...
Former railway station in Lincolnshire, England Claxby & UsselbySignalbox and level-crossing at Claxby & UsselbyGeneral informationLocationClaxby and Usselby, Lincolnshire,EnglandPlatforms2Other informationStatusDisusedHistoryOriginal companyManchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire RailwayPre-groupingGreat Central RailwayPost-groupingLondon and North Eastern RailwayKey dates1 November 1848Opened as Usselby1 July 1897renamed Claxby & Usselby7 March 1960Closed[1] Claxby and Us...
Pandemi COVID-19 di Illinois Tidak ada kasus terkonfirmasi yang dilaporkan <5 kasus terkonfirmasi 5-49 kasus terkonfirmasi 50-199 kasus terkonfirmasi 200-499 kasus terkonfirmasi 500-999 kasus terkonfirmasi 1.000+ kasus terkonfirmasiPenyakitCOVID-19Galur virusSARS-CoV-2LokasiIllinois, Amerika SerikatKasus pertamaChicagoTanggal kemunculan24 Januari 2020(3 tahun, 9 bulan, 4 minggu dan 1 har...
English diplomat and poet For other people named Matthew Prior, see Matthew Prior (disambiguation). Prior by Thomas Hudson Matthew Prior (21 July 1664 – 18 September 1721) was an English poet and diplomat.[1][2] He is also known as a contributor to The Examiner. Early life Prior was probably born in Middlesex.[3] He was the son of a Nonconformist joiner at Wimborne Minster, East Dorset. His father moved to London, and sent him to Westminster School, under Dr Richard ...
Australian politician Russ HinzeJoh Bjelke-Petersen (left) with Russ Hinze, 14 October 1988Member of the Queensland Legislative Assemblyfor South CoastIn office28 May 1966 – 25 May 1988Preceded byEric GavenSucceeded byJudy Gamin Personal detailsBornRussell James Hinze(1919-06-19)19 June 1919Oxenford, Queensland, AustraliaDied29 June 1991(1991-06-29) (aged 72)Gold Coast, Queensland, AustraliaResting placeLower Coomera CemeteryPolitical partyNational PartyOther politicalaffiliat...
For the MBTA station, see Morton Street (MBTA station). United States historic placeMorton Street, Metropolitan Park System of Greater BostonU.S. National Register of Historic PlacesU.S. Historic district Show map of MassachusettsShow map of the United StatesLocationMorton St. between Arborway and Gallivan Boulevard, Boston, MassachusettsArea13 acres (5.3 ha)Built1930 (1930)Built byCity of Boston Dept. of Public WorksMPSMetropolitan Park System of Greater Boston MPSNRHP referen...