Women’s football in England at risk without WSL academy teams in third tier, FA claims

Sue Day, the Football Association’s director of women’s football, has defended the governing body’s plans to radically change the structure of the women’s lower leagues, including introducing four Women’s Super League academy sides into third tier, saying she believes the game is at a “crucial turning point”.

On Tuesday the Guardian revealed the proposals, which also include a mid-season split in tier three, a financial package of about £1m and enhancements to the loan system, as well as more relegation spots and playoffs in tier four, as part of a major transformation of the Women’s National League’s structure. Reaction has been mixed, with some third-tier coaches heavily critical.

Academy teams joining a senior league would be controversial but the FA believes young English players are getting far too few competitive minutes. Day said: “The purpose of these proposals is to futureproof the women’s game. We believe they will raise standards across the Women’s National League, better prepare clubs for professional competition, improve the way the loan market operates, and increase meaningful competitive minutes for young English players.”

The proportion of WSL players who are England-qualified has dropped from about two-thirds in the 2017-18 season to just over a quarter this season. The Chelsea manager, Sonia Bompastor, told the BBC she was concerned there is too big a gap between academy football and the WSL.

“When I was in Lyon before, I could really have four or five players from the academy and they were able to perform at a really good level in the first team. Here, they are playing at a level where there is a huge gap and they are not ready. The FA should reflect with the top clubs about the structure of the competitions in order for the young players to be able to bridge the gap.”

Many working in the third tier disagree, including the Wolves Women head coach, Daniel McNamara, whose side are second in the National League Northern Premier Division, who said on X: “Are we here to fight for promotion to elite football or facilitate/produce a platform for elite players from WSL to develop?”

Day believes the plans are necessary. “We are approaching a crucial turning point,” she said. “Too many talented young players are not getting the opportunities they need to develop, and without action, that risks holding back the future of the sport. A stronger pathway produces better players and strengthens the national team, which in turn fuels the growth and visibility of the game at every level.

“We recognise that change can be difficult, particularly in a sport with deep traditions. But no decisions have been made at this stage, and consultation is ongoing. We would not be putting these proposals forward unless we believed they are vital to securing the long-term success of women’s football.”

It is understood that clubs will not vote on the proposals but their feedback will be taken into account. The FA hopes to ratify any changes this summer before implementing its plans from the 2027-28 season. The process would be reviewed after two years to assess whether it was delivering against the intended objectives.