Expansion, relegation and a playoff: Time for a fresh start in the WSL
WSL will expand to 14 teams with relegation and a playoff on the horizon
After months of speculation and a bit of trepidation, we finally know what the next iteration of the WSL and WSL 2 (previously known as the Championship) will look like in the next few years.
On Monday, WSL and WSL 2 clubs voted in favour of expanding the top-tier WSL to 14 teams from the start of the 2026-27 season.
The competition format will stay the same with double round-robin/home and away games, and crucially relegation to the WSL 2 will also remain long term.
The second-tier will continue as a 12-team league with two teams automatically promoted from WSL 2 at the end of the 2025-26 season.
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