Four Women’s Super League academy teams will enter the third tier of the women’s football pyramid beginning with the 2027-28 season after the Football Association board approved the disputed plan.
The move is part of a wider reform package for the Women’s National League intended to reinforce the women’s football structure, improve league standards and create a stronger development route for emerging players.
According to the FA, available figures indicate that young English footballers receive considerably less competitive playing time than similar players in Europe’s major leagues.
Women’s National League clubs will also receive central financial support for the first time. Adjustments to the loan system are expected to encourage teams in the leading two divisions to send players on loan to clubs in tiers three and four.
The academy sides will be barred from promotion and selected according to requirements that will be established over the coming months. As the third tier is divided geographically, two academy teams are expected to join the northern section and two the southern section.
Sue Day, the FA’s director of women’s football, said: “To maintain the game’s progress, the FA Women’s National League must develop in step with the professional divisions. We must also provide more chances for promising young English players to gain experience in senior football.”
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