Football News Update: SWPL Restructuring for 2025-2026 Season
In a significant development for the football landscape, the Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL) has announced a restructuring plan that will take effect from the 2025-2026 season. The current 12-team SWPL and eight-team SWPL 2 will continue for one more term, but the upcoming changes are set to reshape the top flight of women’s football in Scotland.
New League Structure
The SWPL will transition to a new format featuring two leagues of 10 teams each, reducing the number of matches in the top division. This move is aimed at improving the overall quality of play and providing a more competitive environment for the participating clubs.
Under the new structure:
- There will be direct relegation for the bottom three teams in the SWPL, with no play-offs.
- The team finishing first in SWPL 2 will secure automatic promotion to the top league.
- Once the two leagues of 10 teams are established, clubs will play each other home and away, completing an initial 18 matches.
- Following this, the teams will be divided into a top six and a bottom four, with each section playing each other home and away again.
- This will result in the top six teams playing a total of 28 matches, a decrease from the current 32-match format.
Promotion and Relegation
- The winner of SWPL 2 will be promoted, while the team finishing last in the SWPL will be relegated.
- An extended play-off system will also be introduced, with single-tie games involving positions two to four in SWPL 2 and the team in ninth in the SWPL determining the setup for the next campaign.
- The play-off match and automatic promotion/relegation between SWPL 2 and the SWF’s Championship will remain unchanged throughout the restructuring process.
“The SWPL board approved these changes immediately following the league’s annual general meeting, signaling a significant shift in the landscape of women’s football in Scotland.”
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