What ramifications could a closed league have on women’s football?

Photo: Charlie Burrell for Constancy Football

The growth of women’s football is there to see, but the recent news on the Women’s Super League allegedly planning to scrap relegation harms the future of this league and football in England for years to come.

All clubs currently in the Women’s Super League and Championship have been called to discuss the topic in an attempt to capitalise on the recent rapid growth in profile and profitability of the women’s game.

The reports on Friday stated that the WSL may become a closed league without relegation, similar to the United States’ football leagues, and that comes with its many problems.

Whilst guaranteeing revenue for the remaining teams in the WSL as well as giving Championship sides the chance to fight in a top league, the lack of potential jeopardy teams in a relegation fight, takes away from the sort of moments and memories we have become accustomed to as football fans.

The ideas that will be proposed are reportedly in an attempt to bring more investment from owners into the leagues, but these changes are being made without the smaller teams in mind lower down the pyramid and ultimately those are the sides that will suffer most.

At the top of the pyramid, fans will of course continue to follow their teams, and the sides in the Championship may find some benefit in increased revenue from tickets and broadcasting.

Matches will likely be available on Sky and BBC rather than on YouTube which is always going to be a positive to get eyes on these teams, but maybe the problem comes from a lack of opportunity and risk for promotion and relegation.

There should be a debate for two going up and down from either league, a way to make seasons more entertaining from a WSL perspective and give a fair chance at promotion from a Championship side of things. 

This season in particular, it could be argued that multiple promotion spots are necessary in the Championship. Regardless of how well they may fare in the WSL, anyone from Birmingham in 1st to Bristol City in 5th could go up but the lone promotion spot threatens to hurt these teams who don’t win the league. If the EFL Championship can have three promotion spots (albeit in a 24 team league) why can’t the Women’s Championship?

In addition, a bit more risk in the Women’s Super League may actually achieve the goal of extra investment. If there is more chance to be relegated then that gives club owners a reason to improve their squads.

Fans receive more of a spectacle and a reason to watch the league. Currently both relegation spots in the leagues seem to be wrapped up barring any “great escape” and that is never good for the league.

The best thing fans can do however is continue to support their teams and make their voices heard. Time will tell whether these plans go ahead and whether they’ll improve women’s football going forward, but the fans have the loudest voices and will continue to do so.