Women’s Super League academy teams to play in third tier under new FA proposals | OneFootball

Major structural changes to the Women’s National League, including four Women’s Super League academy sides entering tier three of the pyramid from 2027 and the introduction of a mid-season split similar to that used in Scotland, have been proposed by the Football Association, the Guardian can reveal.

The plans come alongside a potential investment package of about £1m, enhancements to legal and medical support in the loan system, and a hope of attracting more fans and media attention to the league.

The new “confidential” expansion plans come just over a year after the FA decided not to press ahead with an expansion proposal that would have led to B teams from WSL clubs being introduced into tier four from next season. That plan, also exclusively revealed by the Guardian, drew support from just under 55% of 144 clubs surveyed, but wider feedback about the controversial idea was understood to have led to the FA looking at different options.

The new proposals, which have not yet been ratified at FA board level, do not refer to B teams. The league’s presentation to clubs said they could “enhance competitiveness, better prepare clubs for the WSL and provide more compelling competition to attract fans and media to the league”.

An FA spokesperson told the Guardian: “We are currently exploring a range of initiatives to drive continued improvements across the Women’s National League. While no decisions have been made at this stage, we are exploring new opportunities in full consultation with the leagues, the clubs and other relevant stakeholders. Our priority is to ensure the women’s football pyramid in England continues to grow in a sustainable way, improving the quality, professionalism and competitiveness of the Women’s National League, and also creating better development opportunities for young English players.”

The third tier, which would remain divided into two geographical regions at the start of each season, would expand from 24 to 28 teams – 14 in the north, 14 in the south – and include two Pro Game Academies (PGAs) in each region. The four PGAs would join with a three-year licence, chosen on the “strength of academy and proportion of English talent”. The other WSL clubs’ PGAs would remain in their existing PGA league.

After 13 rounds, the league would split into three groups: an eight-team WNL Premier featuring four teams from each regional league and two regional groups of 10 teams each. The academy sides would be exempt from the premier group, whose top two would be promoted to WSL2.

The bottom three sides in the final north and south groups will be relegated, meaning PGAs could go down.

Six teams would be promoted from the four tier-four divisions, with the runners-up contesting playoffs.

The investment package offered by the FA consists of a £500,000 distribution grant for prize money at tiers three and four, and a further sum of about £500,000 which it is hoped will be raised through title sponsorship of the division.

There would be greater legal and medical insurance for WNL clubs engaging in loan contracts, and limited grants available for WNL clubs to set up academies, in another attempt to increase competitive minutes for young players.

The FA is understood to have been exploring for several years ways to try to increase competitive match minutes for young players. Youth internationals from Spain, the Netherlands and France typically play far more top-flight football in their teens than their English counterparts.

The FA Women’s National League is 35 years old. Burnley lead the northern third tier with two games remaining, and Watford were crowned champions of the southern division on Sunday.

Header image: [Photograph: Jan Kruger/The FA/Getty Images]