New structure introduced as global interest in women’s football grows
The Barclays Women’s Super League (BWSL) will expand from 12 to 14 teams from the 2026–27 season, following a vote by WSL Football shareholders, according to a June 16 statement. The change, which remains subject to approval by The FA Board, includes a revised competition structure featuring automatic promotion and relegation, plus a newly introduced playoff.
The expansion comes at a time of rapid growth in global women’s football, with a new report from Nielsen Sports and PepsiCo projecting the global fanbase to reach 800 million by 2030. The report, Undervalued to Unstoppable, suggests women’s football is on track to become one of the world’s top five sports.
To expand the league in time for the 2026–27 season, up to three clubs could be promoted from the Barclays Women’s Championship (BWSL2). The top two teams in BWSL2 will be promoted automatically, while a playoff will be held between the third-placed BWSL2 side and the 12th-placed BWSL club.
WSL Football confirmed that BWSL2 will remain a 12-team competition. Additional promotion opportunities from the FA Women’s National League (WNL) will be created to fill vacancies, with the specific structure to be outlined by The FA at a later date.
Relegation playoff to be added from 2026–27
From 2026–27, the BWSL will maintain a double round-robin format. The club finishing 14th will be automatically relegated. The 13th-placed club will enter a playoff with the second-placed BWSL2 team to determine the final top-flight place.
Qualification for the UEFA Women’s Champions League will remain unchanged, with the top three teams earning spots in European competition.
WSL CEO says changes will support wider game
Nikki Doucet, CEO of WSL Football, said: “Over the past few months, WSL Football has led a thorough and consultative process backed by research and analysis. Our priority was to find a route that would benefit the whole women’s game pyramid.
“We believe this next evolution of women’s professional football will raise minimum standards, create distinction and incentivise investment across the board.”
The structural changes align with a wider global trend. According to the Nielsen Sports and PepsiCo report published today (June 17), the women’s football audience is expected to grow by 38% in five years. Female fans are projected to make up 60% of the total by 2030, and nearly half of all current fans are in top-earning income brackets.
The UK has seen a 15% rise in interest since 2022, driven in part by the success of the Lionesses at UEFA EURO 2022. Participation levels have also grown significantly across Europe, including a 24% increase in the UK since 2019.
Despite these gains, the report highlights that women’s football continues to attract only a small share of global sponsorship budgets. It identifies a clear gap between audience growth and commercial investment — and a major opportunity for brands looking to engage new demographics.
Samanth Lamberti, Head of International at Nielsen Sports, said: “This is no longer a case of future promise but present value.”
