FA Women 's Super League - wikipedia FA Women 's Super League `` Women 's Super League '' redirects here. For the top level of women 's rugby union in England, see Women 's Super League ( rugby union ). FA Women 's Super League Founded 22 March 2010 Country England Confederation UEFA Divisions Number of teams 10 ( WSL 1 ) 10 ( WSL 2 ) Level on pyramid 1 ( WSL 1 ) 2 ( WSL 2 ) Relegation to FA Women 's Premier League Domestic cup ( s ) FA Women 's Cup FA WSL Cup International cup ( s ) Champions League Current champions Chelsea ( 2nd title ) ( 2017 ) Most championships Arsenal Liverpool Chelsea ( 2 titles each ) TV partners BT Sport Website www.fawsl.com 2017 -- 18 The Football Association Women 's Super League ( FA WSL ) is the highest league of women 's football in England. The league consists of two divisions, the WSL 1 and the WSL 2. It is run by the Football Association and began in April 2011. An initial eight teams competed in one division, which replaced the FA Women 's Premier League as the highest level of women 's football in England. The current WSL 1 champions are Chelsea, who won the one - off FA WSL Spring Series. The FA WSL 2, introduced in 2014, added a second division and a further 10 teams to the league. There is promotion and relegation between the two divisions, and promotion for 2016 and 2017 from the FA Women 's Premier League ( level 3 ). WSL has operated as a summer league running from March until October, from its creation until the end of the 2016 season. From autumn 2017, the league will operate as a winter league from September to May, with a one - off shortened bridging season from February to May 2017. The WSL champions and runners - up qualify for the UEFA Women 's Champions League the following season. Contents 1 History 1.1 Beginnings 1.2 Expansion I : Formation of WSL 2 1.3 Expansion II : 20 - team league 1.4 Winter League 2 Competition structure 3 Sponsorship 4 Broadcasting 4.1 ESPN 4.2 BBC 5 Clubs 5.1 WSL 1 5.2 WSL 2 6 Players 7 Champions 7.1 WSL 1 7.2 WSL 2 8 See also 9 References 10 External links History Beginnings The FA WSL was due to start in 2010 but was deferred for a year due to the global economic downturn. Sixteen clubs applied for a place in the inaugural season of the league : Arsenal, Barnet, Birmingham City, Bristol Academy, Chelsea, Colchester United, Doncaster Rovers Belles, Everton, Leeds Carnegie, Leicester City, Lincoln Ladies, Liverpool, Millwall Lionesses, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Sunderland. Leeds Carnegie later withdrew their application. Women 's Premier League clubs Blackburn Rovers and Watford declined to apply. FA Chief Executive Ian Watmore described the creation of the league as a `` top priority '' in February 2010. Expansion i : formation of WSL 2 For the 2014 season the league was extended. A second division was created, with 9 new teams added and one team being relegated from the WSL 1. WSL 1 remained as 8 teams, with the WSL 2 having 10 teams. The new WSL 1 licence was awarded to Manchester City. Doncaster Rovers Belles were relegated to the WSL 2, with nine new licences awarded to : London Bees ; Durham ; Aston Villa ; Millwall Lionesses ; Yeovil Town ; Reading ; Sunderland ; Watford ; and Oxford United. Doncaster Belles appealed against their demotion, but were unsuccessful. Expansion ii : 20 - team League In December 2014, the FA WSL announced a two - year plan to expand WSL 1 from an eight to 10 - team league. Two teams will be promoted from WSL 2, while one team will be relegated to WSL 2. Also, for the first time, a team from the FA Women 's Premier League can earn promotion to WSL 2, effectively connecting the WSL to the rest of the English women 's football pyramid. In 2015, Sheffield FC Ladies became the first club to take this promotion place by beating Portsmouth FC Ladies 1 - 0 in the FA WPL Championship Play Off Final. This will leave WSL 1 with nine teams and WSL 2 with 10 teams for the 2016 season, and with the process repeated the following year, both WSL 1 and WSL 2 will have 10 teams each for the 2017 season. In addition to being able to prove their financial solvency, clubs applying for entry to the WSL must show they will attract an average of 350 spectators in 2016, increasing to at least 400 in 2017. Winter League The FA announced in July 2016 that the league would move from a summer league format to a winter one 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. Competition structure Number of teams Season WSL 1 WSL 2 2011 -- 2013 8 -- 2014 -- 2015 8 10 2016 9 10 2017 9 10 2017 -- 18 10 10 goal 14 10 The WSL consists of nineteen member clubs and the season is currently played over the summer months. 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. However, in November 2010 it was confirmed that the WSL will be semi-professional, with only a `` handful '' of top players full - time. Clubs ' annual wage bills will be approximately one - tenth of those in the American WPS. The FA envisage that the league will become fully professional in future, should it prove successful. During the inaugural campaign, a mid-season break commenced on 12 May 2011, to allow for the 2011 FIFA Women 's World Cup. The season then resumed in early July, finishing in August 2011. After the league fixtures, the teams compete for a knock - out cup competition, the FA WSL Continental Cup. For the 2014 season, the teams are placed into three regional groups of 6. The group winners and best - performing runners - up all advance to a knockout semi-finals. In July 2015, FA 's head of women 's leagues and competitions, Katy Brazier, announced the long - term plan to have 24 teams play in the WSL. Following a review, the FA announced in September 2017 that a restructuring of the league and its licensing criteria will follow from the 2017 -- 18 season. This will result in a fully professional top division of between 8 and 14 teams, and a second division of up to 12 semi-professional teams. Sponsorship The FA had intended to confirm a title sponsor by summer 2010, but failed to do so. In November 2010, however, the FA 's project manager said that the WSL was `` building up a family of commercial partners. '' Days before the competition began, Yorkshire Building Society and Continental Tyres were named as two of a proposed four `` Lead Partners ''. Only Continental remained a lead partner for 2012. In 2013, it was announced that Continental had extended their partnership as the exclusive partner of the FA 's new commercial programme from 2014 to 2018 and includes the England women 's national football team, FA Women 's Cup and the FA WSL Continental Cup in addition to the WSL. Broadcasting In September 2017, it was announced that live games of the 2017 -- 18 season will be broadcast on television by BT Sport ( a league sponsor ) and online by the BBC and the league 's Facebook page. Live commentary is broadcast on BBC Radio 5 Live. ESPN On 8 December 2009, the FA and ESPN agreed an exclusive four year broadcast rights deal for television coverage of the WSL. Six live matches were shown in 2011 in addition to a weekly highlights package, with 10 games expected to be shown in 2012. ESPN televised the opening game of the WSL between Chelsea and Arsenal at Imperial Fields, Morden 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. Minor girl group PARADE became the competition 's Official Ambassadors in March 2011. BBC In March 2013, it was announced that BBC Two would air four WSL programmes during the upcoming season. Each programme featured goal round - ups, highlights, features and previews of England 's World Cup qualifiers. Clubs The following 20 clubs hold licenses to compete in the Women 's Super League in 2017, with foundation clubs displayed in bold text. Notts County had been scheduled to compete in WSL 1, but went out of business two days before their first match of the Spring Series. For a list of every club to appear in the WSL, see List of FA WSL clubs. WSL 1 The following ten clubs are competing in the WSL 1 in 2017, with foundation clubs displayed in bold text. Club Town or City Most recent finish Arsenal Borehamwood 3 ! 3rd Birmingham City Solihull 7 ! 7th Bristol City Filton 8 ! 8th Chelsea Kingston upon Thames 1 ! 1st Everton Widnes 10 ! 1st, WSL2 Liverpool Widnes 4 ! 4th Manchester City Manchester 2 ! 2nd Reading High Wycombe 6 ! 6th Sunderland Hetton - le - Hole 5 ! 5th Yeovil Town Yeovil 9 ! 9th WSL 2 Aston Villa Brighton & Hove Albion Doncaster Rovers Belles Durham London Bees Millwall Lionesses Oxford United Sheffield Tottenham Hotspur Watford Six of the original teams played their 2009 -- 10 season in the FA Women 's Premier League, Liverpool and Lincoln played in the 2nd level Northern Division, which Liverpool won. Later the eight clubs had their licences extended for the 2013 season, with all eight plus the new ten teams being awarded licences in 2014. The WSL 2 is expanding one club in 2016 and 2017, which will be promoted from the FA Women 's Premier League provided they meet licensing requirements. Players Arsenal 's Ellen White ( L ) and Steph Houghton ( R ) with the WSL trophy 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. Ahead of the 2012 season the rule was reviewed and the cap increased to 23 players. Players from outside the European Union are subject to Home Office work permit regulations, like their male counterparts. The FA said in April 2012 that the salary rule of allowing only four players per team to earn over £ 20,000 and the fact that all clubs are paid £ 70,000 per season from a Club Development Fund should limit any financial `` imbalance '' between clubs. However, the introduction of a genuine salary cap remained under consideration for 2013 and beyond. 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. When the 2012 WPS season was cancelled in America, Lincoln Ladies manager Glen Harris said that the next destination of that league 's British players would be decided by `` pounds, shillings and pence. '' Ultimately Kelly Smith, Alex Scott and Gemma Davison all joined Arsenal, while Ifeoma Dieke and Anita Asante joined the Swedish Damallsvenskan in preference to the WSL. Champions WSL 1 Year Winner Runners - up Third Top scorers Goals 2011 Arsenal Birmingham City Everton Rachel Williams ( Birmingham City ) 14 2012 Arsenal Birmingham City Everton Kim Little ( Arsenal ) 11 2013 Liverpool Bristol Academy Arsenal Natasha Dowie ( Liverpool ) 13 2014 Liverpool Chelsea Birmingham City Karen Carney ( Birmingham ) 8 2015 Chelsea Manchester City Arsenal Beth Mead ( Sunderland ) 12 2016 Manchester City Chelsea Arsenal Eniola Aluko ( Chelsea ) 9 2017 Chelsea Manchester City Arsenal Fran Kirby ( Chelsea ) 6 WSL 2 Year Winner Runners - up Third Top scorers Goals 2014 Sunderland Doncaster Rovers Belles Reading Fran Kirby ( Reading ) 24 2015 Reading Doncaster Rovers Belles Everton Courtney Sweetman - Kirk ( Doncaster Rovers Belles ) 20 2016 Yeovil Town Bristol City Everton Iniabasi Umotong ( Oxford United ) Jo Wilson ( London Bees ) 13 2017 Everton Doncaster Rovers Belles Millwall Lionesses Courtney Sweetman - Kirk ( Doncaster Rovers Belles ) 9 ^ Jump up to : The 2017 edition was known as the Spring Series and ran from February to May 2017. See also The FA Women 's Football Awards FA Women 's Premier League Foreign players in the FA WSL References Jump up ^ `` WSL 1 Spring Series : Chelsea Ladies win title on final day ''. BBC Sport. 3 June 2017. Retrieved 3 June 2017. ^ Jump up to : `` FA Women 's Super League to move to new calendar in 2017 ''. The FA Women 's Super League. The Football Association. 12 July 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2016. Jump up ^ Tony Leighton ( 6 April 2009 ). `` Anger at delay of women 's summer Super League ''. The Guardian. Retrieved 2010 - 03 - 08. Jump up ^ `` Super League 's Sixteen Applicants ''. Shekicks. 7 January 2010. Archived from the original on 24 March 2010. Retrieved 8 March 2010. Jump up ^ Tony Leighton ( 25 January 2010 ). `` Leeds Carnegie could fold after ending Super League interest ''. The Guardian. Retrieved 2010 - 03 - 08. Jump up ^ `` Rovers decide against Super League ''. Blackburn Rovers. 20 January 2010. Archived from the original on 29 March 2012. Retrieved 2010 - 03 - 08. Jump up ^ `` Watmore outlines top priorities ''. The Football Association. 22 February 2010. Retrieved 2010 - 03 - 08. Jump up ^ `` FA WSL 2014 : Applications ''. thefa.com. Retrieved 27 May 2013. Jump up ^ `` FA WSL 2014 - 2018 brochure ''. thefa.com. Retrieved 1 March 2013. Jump up ^ `` The FA WSL Club Development Plan ''. thefa.com. Retrieved 27 May 2013. Jump up ^ `` Clubs bid for WSL spot ''. thefa.com. Retrieved 27 May 2013. ^ Jump up to : `` FA Selects Clubs for WSL ''. WSL. Retrieved 17 April 2014. Jump up ^ Baber, Mark. `` Doncaster Belles lose appeal over demotion from Women 's Super League ''. Inside World Football. Retrieved 17 April 2014. ^ Jump up to : `` FA WSL 2 promotion announcement ''. Faws1.com. Retrieved 18 December 2014. Jump up ^ `` BBC Sport -- Women 's Super League to be expanded from 2015 ''. BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 December 2014. Jump up ^ `` Sheffield FC beat Portsmouth in Women 's Premier League play - off ''. BBC. 24 May 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` Katie Brazier : FA head of women 's leagues targets WSL expansion ''. BBC Sport. 27 July 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` Women 's Super League ''. thefa.com. The Football Association. Retrieved 2010 - 03 - 08. Jump up ^ Tony Leighton ( 1 November 2009 ). `` FA to launch full - time professional Women 's Super League in 2011 ''. The Guardian. Retrieved 2010 - 03 - 08. ^ Jump up to : Tony Leighton ( 14 November 2010 ). `` FA confident ' Super League ' will not suffer financial meltdown ''. The Guardian. Retrieved 2010 - 11 - 23. Jump up ^ `` FA hopes new Women 's Super League will go professional ''. BBC Sport. 2011 - 04 - 11. Retrieved 2011 - 04 - 16. ^ Jump up to : `` FA WSL launches with derbies ''. UEFA.com. 23 December 2010. Retrieved 2010 - 12 - 27. Jump up ^ Laura Hardy ( 27 July 2011 ). `` The FA brings the Continental Shot Stoppers Road Show to Everton ''. Conti.de. Retrieved 2011 - 08 - 10. Jump up ^ WSL Continental Cup Group A WhoScored.com Accessed 17 - 04014 Jump up ^ The Football Association ( 27 September 2017 ). `` FA to restructure women 's football pyramid at elite level ''. thefa.com. Retrieved 27 September 2017. Jump up ^ `` Two WSL partners announced ''. She Kicks. 11 April 2011. Retrieved 2011 - 04 - 12. ^ Jump up to : `` FAQ 's 21 to 28 ''. FAWSL. 2012 - 04 - 03. Retrieved 2012 - 04 - 08. Jump up ^ `` Continental Tyres Renews Women 's Super League Sponsorship in New FA Deal ''. isportconnect. Retrieved 15 August 2013. Jump up ^ `` FA Extends Deal With Continental Tires To Become Exclusive Women 's Football Partner ''. Sports Business Daily. Retrieved 15 August 2013. Jump up ^ `` Broadcast boost for WSL ''. England Football Association. 11 September 2017. Retrieved 11 September 2017. Jump up ^ `` FA agree Cup deal with ESPN ''. The Football Association. 8 December 2009. Archived from the original on 14 September 2012. Retrieved 2010 - 03 - 08. Jump up ^ `` PARADE call the shots ''. The Football Association. 2011 - 03 - 30. Retrieved 2011 - 04 - 12. Jump up ^ `` Women 's Super League to be shown on the BBC ''. BBC. Retrieved 15 August 2013. Jump up ^ `` Notts County Ladies : WSL 1 club fold on eve of Spring Series season ''. BBC Sport. 21 April 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2017. Jump up ^ `` FAQ 's 1 to 5 ''. FAWSL. 2012 - 04 - 03. Retrieved 2012 - 04 - 08. Jump up ^ `` Matt Beard / Chelsea LFC ''. shekicks.net. 2011 - 09 - 06. Retrieved 2012 - 04 - 08. Jump up ^ `` WSL progress continuing, says Liverpool 's Vicky Jones ''. 2011 - 06 - 15. Retrieved 2012 - 04 - 08. ^ Jump up to : `` FAQ 's 15 to 20 ''. FAWSL. 2012 - 04 - 03. Retrieved 2012 - 04 - 08. Jump up ^ `` Buckley -- We Were Outclassed ''. Doncaster Rovers Belles. 2011 - 09 - 05. Retrieved 2012 - 04 - 09. Jump up ^ Whiley, Mark ( 2012 - 02 - 13 ). `` Lincoln Ladies boss Glen Harris continues search for global talent ''. Lincolnshire Echo. Retrieved 2012 - 04 - 09. External links Official website WSL at thefa.com WSL at WomensSoccerUnited.com FA WSL FA WSL 1 FA WSL 2 2017 -- 18 FA WSL 1 teams Arsenal Birmingham City Bristol City Chelsea Everton Liverpool Manchester City Reading Sunderland Yeovil Town 2017 -- 18 FA WSL 2 teams Aston Villa Brighton & Hove Albion Doncaster Rovers Belles Durham London Bees Millwall Lionesses Oxford United Sheffield Tottenham Hotspur Watford Associated competitions FA Women 's Cup FA WSL Cup UEFA Women 's Champions League Seasons 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Spring Series ( 2017 ) 2017 -- 18 Awards The FA Women 's Football Awards Foreign players Hat - tricks Women 's football in England The Football Association National teams Women 's U23 team U20 team U19 team U17 team U15 team League system Levels 1 -- 2 Women 's Super League 1 Women 's Super League 2 Levels 3 -- 4 Women 's Premier League Levels 5 -- 6 Eastern East Midlands London & South East ( level 5 only ) North East North West Southern South West West Midlands Greater London ( levels 6 -- 9 ) South East Counties ( levels 6 -- 8 ) Levels 7 -- 10 Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Birmingham Cambridgeshire Cheshire Cornwall Cumbria Derbyshire Devon Dorset Durham East Riding Essex Gloucestershire Greater Manchester Hampshire Lancashire Leicestershire Lincolnshire Liverpool Midwest Counties Norfolk North Riding Northamptonshire Northumberland Nottinghamshire Sheffield & Hallamshire Somerset Staffs Suffolk Surrey Sussex ( level 8 ) Thames Valley Counties West Riding Wiltshire Cup competitions FA Cup FA WSL Cup Premier League Cup Community Shield FA People 's Cup List of clubs Top level women 's football leagues of Europe ( UEFA ) Current Albania Austria Azerbaijan Belarus Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark England Estonia Faroe Islands Finland France Georgia Germany Gibraltar Greece Hungary Iceland Israel Italy Kazakhstan Kosovo Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Malta Moldova Montenegro Netherlands Northern Ireland Norway Poland Portugal Republic of Ireland Romania Russia Scotland Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey Ukraine Wales Defunct Belgium & Netherlands Czechoslovakia England Soviet Union Top level women 's association football leagues around the world Africa ( clubs ) Algerian Women 's Championship ( Algeria ) Ghana Women 's Football League Namibia Women 's Super League ( Namibia ) Nigeria Women Premier League ( Nigeria ) ABSA Women 's League ( South Africa ) Asia ( clubs ) West Asia Jordan Women 's Football League ( Jordan ) Central Asia Kowsar Women Football League ( Iran ) Kyrgyzstan Women 's Championship ( Kyrgyzstan ) Uzbek women 's football championship ( Uzbekistan ) South Asia Indian Women 's League ( India ) National Women Football Championship ( Pakistan ) East Asia Chinese Women 's Super League ( China PR ) Chinese Taipei women 's football championship ( Chinese Taipei ) Hong Kong Women League ( Hong Kong ) Nadeshiko League ( Japan ) WK League ( Korea Republic ) Southeast Asia W - League ( Australia / New Zealand ) Pertiwi Cup ( Indonesia ) PFF Women 's League ( Philippines ) Thai Women 's League ( Thailand ) Vietnam women 's football championship ( Vietnam ) Europe ( clubs ) Albanian Women 's National Championship ( Albania ) ÖFB - Frauenliga ( Austria ) Belarusian Premier League ( Belarus ) Super League Vrouwenvoetbal ( Belgium ) Bosnia and Herzegovina women 's football championship ( Bosnia and Herzegovina ) Bulgarian women 's football championship ( Bulgaria ) Croatian Women 's First Football League ( Croatia ) Cypriot First Division ( Cyprus ) Czech First Division ( Czech Republic ) Elitedivisionen ( Denmark ) FA WSL ( England ) Naisten Liiga ( Finland ) Division 1 Féminine ( France ) Frauen - Bundesliga ( Germany ) Greek A Division ( Greece ) Női NB I ( Hungary ) Úrvalsdeild ( Iceland ) Women 's National League ( Ireland ) Ligat Nashim ( Israel ) Serie A ( Italy ) Kazakhstani women 's football championship ( Kazakhstan ) A Lyga ( Lithuania ) Eredivisie ( Netherlands ) Women 's Premiership ( Northern Ireland ) Toppserien ( Norway ) Ekstraliga ( Poland ) Campeonato Nacional de Futebol Feminino ( Portugal ) Romanian Superliga ( Romania ) Russian Women 's Football Championship ( Russia ) Scottish Women 's Premier League ( Scotland ) Primera División de la Liga de Fútbol Femenino ( Spain ) Damallsvenskan ( Sweden ) Women 's Nationalliga A ( Switzerland ) Turkish Women 's First Football League ( Turkey ) Ukrainian Women 's League ( Ukraine ) Welsh Premier Women 's Football League ( Wales ) North and Central America, and the Caribbean ( clubs ) North America National Women 's Soccer League ( USA / Canada ) Liga MX Femenil ( Mexico ) Caribbean JFF / SDF Women 's League ( Jamaica ) Oceania ( clubs ) National Women 's League ( New Zealand ) South America ( clubs ) Campeonato de Fútbol Femenino ( Argentina ) Campeonato Brasileiro de Futebol Feminino ( Brazil ) Geography of women 's association football Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=FA_Women%27s_Super_League&oldid=804348157 '' Categories : FA WSL Women 's football leagues in England Summer association football leagues Hidden categories : Use dmy dates from March 2012 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Bosanski Català Dansk Deutsch Español Euskara Français Bahasa Indonesia Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Suomi Svenska Tiếng Việt 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 8 October 2017, at 11 : 43. 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Question: when does the women's football league start
Answer: April 2011