# 2011 FA WSL

The 2011 FA WSL was the inaugural season of the FA WSL, the top-level women's football league of England. The season began on 13 April 2011 and ended on 28 August 2011. The league also took a break between 12 May and mid-July to allow preparation for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Arsenal won the competition, their eighth consecutive English title, Birmingham finished second. The second entry to the UEFA Women's Champions League was supposed to be given to the FA Women's Cup winner, but on 6 December 2011 it was announced that Birmingham as runners-up were given the spot.

## Teams

| Team | Location | Ground | Capacity | Avg Att | 2009–10 season |
| Arsenal | Borehamwood | Meadow Park | 4,502 | 621 | Premier League National, 1st |
| Birmingham City | Stratford-upon-Avon | The DCS Stadium | 1,400 | 544 | Premier League National, 10th |
| Bristol Academy | Filton | Stoke Gifford Stadium | 1,500 | 635 | Premier League National, 12th |
| Chelsea | Morden | Imperial Fields | 3,500 | 880 | Premier League National, 3rd |
| Doncaster Rovers Belles | Doncaster | Keepmoat Stadium | 15,231 | 448 | Premier League National, 6th |
| Everton | Crosby | The Arriva Park | 3,185 | 519 | Premier League National, 2nd |
| Lincoln Ladies | Lincoln | Sincil Bank/Ashby Avenue | 10,120 | 560 | Premier League Northern, 2nd |
| Liverpool | Skelmersdale | West Lancashire College | 2,500 | 466 | Premier League Northern, 1st |
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.
Eight clubs were then picked by the FA from the remaining fifteen applicants: Arsenal, Birmingham City, Bristol Academy, Chelsea, Doncaster Rovers Belles, Everton, Lincoln Ladies, and Liverpool.

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Arsenal (C) | 14 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 29 | 9 | +20 | 32 | Qualification to Champions League |
| 2 | Birmingham City | 14 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 29 | 13 | +16 | 29 | Qualification to Champions League |
| 3 | Everton | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 19 | 13 | +6 | 25 | |
| 4 | Lincoln Ladies | 14 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 18 | 16 | +2 | 21 | |
| 5 | Bristol Academy | 14 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 14 | 20 | −6 | 16 | |
| 6 | Chelsea | 14 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 19 | −5 | 15 | |
| 7 | Doncaster Rovers Belles | 14 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 26 | −17 | 9 | |
| 8 | Liverpool | 14 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 26 | −16 | 7 | |

## Results

| Home \ Away | ARS | BIR | BRI | CHE | DON | EVE | LIV | LIN |
| Arsenal | | 1–2 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 4–0 |
| Birmingham City | 1–1 | | 4–0 | 3–2 | 3–0 | 2–3 | 0–0 | 1–0 |
| Bristol Academy | 2–2 | 2–3 | | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 |
| Chelsea | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | | 2–1 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 |
| Doncaster Rovers Belles | 0–3 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–4 | | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–3 |
| Everton | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | | 1–0 | 0–2 |
| Liverpool | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | | 0–1 |
| Lincoln Ladies | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 4–2 | |

## Top scorers

| Rank | Scorer | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Rachel Williams | Birmingham City | 14 |
| 2 | Kim Little | Arsenal | 8 |
| 3 | Natasha Dowie | Everton | 7 |
| 4 | Ellen White | Arsenal | 6 |
| 5 | Rachel Yankey | Arsenal | 5 |

## League Cup

The inaugural season of the League Cup, named the WSL Continental Cup, was played as a straight knock-out tournament. Arsenal won the Cup with a 4–1 victory over Birmingham. Arsenal also won the League and Women's FA Cup thus winning a treble that season.
| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final |
| 4 September – Skelmersdale | 4 September – Skelmersdale | | | |
| Liverpool | 0 | | | |
| Liverpool | 0 | 11 September – Borehamwood | 11 September – Borehamwood | | |
| Arsenal | 4 | 11 September – Borehamwood | 11 September – Borehamwood | |
| Arsenal | 4 | Arsenal | 3 | |
| 4 September – Bristol | 4 September – Bristol | | Arsenal | 3 | |
| 4 September – Bristol | 4 September – Bristol | Lincoln Ladies | 1 | |
| Bristol Academy | 1 | Lincoln Ladies | 1 | |
| Bristol Academy | 1 | | | | 25 September – Burton-on-Trent | 25 September – Burton-on-Trent |
| Lincoln Ladies | 2 | | | | 25 September – Burton-on-Trent | 25 September – Burton-on-Trent |
| Lincoln Ladies | 2 | | | | Arsenal | 4 |
| 4 September – Doncaster | 4 September – Doncaster | | | | | Arsenal | 4 |
| 4 September – Doncaster | 4 September – Doncaster | | | | Birmingham City | 1 |
| Doncaster Rovers Belles | 0 | | | | Birmingham City | 1 |
| Doncaster Rovers Belles | 0 | 11 September – Stratford upon Avon | 11 September – Stratford upon Avon | | | |
| Birmingham City | 4 | 11 September – Stratford upon Avon | 11 September – Stratford upon Avon | | | |
| Birmingham City | 4 | Birmingham City | 2 | | | |
| 4 September – Morden | 4 September – Morden | | Birmingham City | 2 | | | |
| 4 September – Morden | 4 September – Morden | Everton | 1 | |
| Chelsea | 0 | Everton | 1 | |
| Everton | 4 | | | |